Description
What impact did the Church have on society? How did social change affect religious practice? Within the context of these wide-ranging questions, this study offers a fresh interpretation of the relationship between Church, society and religion in England across five centuries of change.
Andrew Brown examines how the teachings of an increasingly 'universal' Church decisively affected the religious life of the laity in medieval England. However, by exploring a broad range of religious phenomena, both orthodox and heretical (including corporate religion and the devotional practices surrounding cults and saints) Brown shows how far lay people continued to shape the Church at a local level.
In the hands of the laity, religious practices proved malleable. Their expression was affected by social context, status and gender, and even influenced by those in authority. Yet, as Brown argues, religion did not function simply as an expression of social power - hierarchy, patriarchy and authority could be both served and undermined by religion. In an age in which social mobility and upheaval, particularly in the wake of the Black Death, had profound effects on religious attitudes and practices, Brown demonstrates that our understanding of late medieval religion should be firmly placed within this context of social change.
'Brown has got his mind around the issues in current debates and gives thoughtful, balanced and interesting comments. Mastery of the sources and especially secondary literature is shown in the very full and helpful footnotes and bibliography. Altogether recommended for BA and Masters level students.' - Professor Norman Tanner, Gregorian University, Rome
About the Author
ANDREW BROWN is Senior Lecturer in the School of History and Classics at the University of Edinburgh.
Reviews
'Brown has got his mind around the issues in current debates and gives thoughtful, balanced and interesting comments. Mastery of the sources and especially secondary literature is shown in the very full and helpful footnotes and bibliography. Altogether recommended for BA and Masters level students.' - Professor Norman Tanner, Gregorian University, Rome
Book Information
ISBN 9780333691458
Author Andrew Brown
Format Paperback
Page Count 253
Imprint Red Globe Press
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 341g
Andrew Brown examines how the teachings of an increasingly 'universal' Church decisively affected the religious life of the laity in medieval England. However, by exploring a broad range of religious phenomena, both orthodox and heretical (including corporate religion and the devotional practices surrounding cults and saints) Brown shows how far lay people continued to shape the Church at a local level.
In the hands of the laity, religious practices proved malleable. Their expression was affected by social context, status and gender, and even influenced by those in authority. Yet, as Brown argues, religion did not function simply as an expression of social power - hierarchy, patriarchy and authority could be both served and undermined by religion. In an age in which social mobility and upheaval, particularly in the wake of the Black Death, had profound effects on religious attitudes and practices, Brown demonstrates that our understanding of late medieval religion should be firmly placed within this context of social change.
'Brown has got his mind around the issues in current debates and gives thoughtful, balanced and interesting comments. Mastery of the sources and especially secondary literature is shown in the very full and helpful footnotes and bibliography. Altogether recommended for BA and Masters level students.' - Professor Norman Tanner, Gregorian University, Rome
About the Author
ANDREW BROWN is Senior Lecturer in the School of History and Classics at the University of Edinburgh.
Reviews
'Brown has got his mind around the issues in current debates and gives thoughtful, balanced and interesting comments. Mastery of the sources and especially secondary literature is shown in the very full and helpful footnotes and bibliography. Altogether recommended for BA and Masters level students.' - Professor Norman Tanner, Gregorian University, Rome
Book Information
ISBN 9780333691458
Author Andrew Brown
Format Paperback
Page Count 253
Imprint Red Globe Press
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 341g
