Title
The Birth of Modern Belief: Faith and Judgment from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment,New
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An illuminating history of how religious belief lost its uncontested status in the WestThis landmark book traces the history of belief in the Christian West from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, revealing for the first time how a distinctively modern category of belief came into being. Ethan Shagan focuses not on what people believed, which is the normal concern of Reformation history, but on the more fundamental question of what people took belief to be.Shagan shows how religious belief enjoyed a special prestige in medieval Europe, one that set it apart from judgment, opinion, and the evidence of the senses. But with the outbreak of the Protestant Reformation, the question of just what kind of knowledge religious belief wasand how it related to more mundane ways of knowingwas forced into the open. As the warring churches fought over the answer, each claimed belief as their exclusive possession, insisting that their rivals were unbelievers. Shagan challenges the common notion that modern belief was a gift of the Reformation, showing how it was as much a reaction against Luther and Calvin as it was against the Council of Trent. He describes how dissidents on both sides came to regard religious belief as something that needed to be justified by individual judgment, evidence, and argument.Brilliantly illuminating, The Birth of Modern Belief demonstrates how belief came to occupy such an ambivalent place in the modern world, becoming the essential category by which we express our judgments about science, society, and the sacred, but at the expense of the unique status religion once enjoyed.
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- Q: What is 'The Birth of Modern Belief' about? A: 'The Birth of Modern Belief' explores the historical evolution of religious belief in the Christian West from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, focusing on how belief transformed from a prestigious status to a more subjective interpretation.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'The Birth of Modern Belief' is Ethan H. Shagan, a historian known for his work on belief and knowledge in the context of the Reformation.
- Q: What is the publication date of this book? A: 'The Birth of Modern Belief' was published on January 8, 2019.
- Q: What is the book's format and page count? A: This book is available in a hardcover format and contains a total of 408 pages.
- Q: Is this book suitable for academic study? A: Yes, 'The Birth of Modern Belief' is suitable for academic study, as it provides an in-depth historical analysis and can be a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in religious studies, history, or philosophy.
- Q: Does the book include illustrations or visual content? A: Yes, 'The Birth of Modern Belief' is an illustrated edition, which may include images or diagrams that complement the text.
- Q: What themes does the book address? A: 'The Birth of Modern Belief' addresses themes of faith, judgment, the nature of belief, and the historical conflict between different religious perspectives, particularly during the Reformation.
- Q: Can this book help understand modern religious debates? A: Yes, the insights provided in 'The Birth of Modern Belief' can help readers understand contemporary religious debates by tracing the historical roots of belief and its implications in modern society.
- Q: What is the main argument of the book? A: The main argument of 'The Birth of Modern Belief' is that modern belief was not solely a product of the Reformation but also a response to the challenges posed by it, leading to a more individualistic approach to understanding faith.
- Q: Is 'The Birth of Modern Belief' a good resource for understanding the Reformation? A: Yes, 'The Birth of Modern Belief' provides a nuanced perspective on the Reformation, emphasizing how it shaped the concept of belief and knowledge, making it a valuable resource for understanding this historical period.