Religion and Devotion in Europe, c.1215 c.1515 [Paperback]

The first one-volume survey in English of religion and devotion in Europe between 1215 and 1515.The first one-volume survey in English of medieval religion and devotion concentrates on the spirituality that the church sought to promulgate and control. Its thematic structure provides access to major themes in medieval Catholicism as well as subjects of recent debates.The first one-volume survey in English of medieval religion and devotion concentrates on the spirituality that the church sought to promulgate and control. Its thematic structure provides access to major themes in medieval Catholicism as well as subjects of recent debates.This is the first one-volume survey in English of religion and devotion in Europe between 1215 and 1515. Intended primarily as a student textbook, it provides essential background for a proper appreciation of medieval Western society. Avoiding the history of institutional structures, the book concentrates on the spirituality that the medieval Church sought to promulgate and control. Its thematic structure provides accessible surveys of major themes, and addresses recent debates about key aspects of medieval Catholicism.Preface; List of illustrations; 1. Introduction; 2. The faith and its demands; 3. Access to the faith; 4. Religious life; 5. Devotion; 6. The pilgrimage of life and death; 7. Priests, people, and power; 8. Inclusion and exclusion; 9. The reality of religion; Bibliography; Index. ...a graceful and evocative account of those matters that is well suited for use in advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate courses in medieval history and the history of religion....His account draws upon a wide range of narrative and documentary evidence, as well as literary and artistic artifacts from the period he surveys. James A. Brundage, History