Piety and Modernity
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into a pivotal era when traditional religious devotion encountered the forces of modern change across Northern Europe. Between 1780 and 1920, a remarkable transformation unfolded as communities sought to preserve and revitalize their spiritual practices while navigating an increasingly secular world.
Anders Jarlert brings together diverse perspectives on how ordinary believers and religious leaders adapted their devotional lives during this crucial period. The book reveals how new organizations emerged to guide popular religious expression, while printing presses churned out unprecedented volumes of spiritual literature, journals, and devotional materials that reached into homes across Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, and the Low Countries.
Readers will discover how sacred traditions evolved through innovative approaches to worship, pilgrimage, hymn singing, and Bible translation. The volume illuminates the creative tension between preserving ancient practices and embracing contemporary methods of spiritual engagement. Through examining confraternities, saint veneration, and home mission movements, the work demonstrates how communities found fresh ways to nurture both collective worship and personal devotion.
For those interested in understanding how spiritual communities adapt and thrive during periods of cultural upheaval, this comprehensive study offers valuable insights into the enduring human quest for meaningful religious expression. The book provides a thoughtful examination of how faith traditions can maintain their essential character while responding to the challenges of modernity.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)
📄 Length: 336 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Europe, religion
- ✓ Cultivate devotional practice
- ✓ Explore Piety
- ✓ Explore Secularization (Theology)
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore Individualism
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
