The Birth of Modern Belief : Faith and Judgment From the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment

An illuminating history of how religious belief lost its uncontested status in the West This 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 was--and how it related to more mundane ways of knowing--was 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. This 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 Was--and How It Related To More Mundane Ways Of Knowing--was 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. Medieval Varieties Of Believing -- The Reformation Of Belief -- The Invention Of The Unbeliever -- The Unbearable Weight Of Believing -- The Birth Pangs Of Modern Belief -- Enlightened Belief -- Belief In The Human. Ethan H. Shagan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Este libro histórico traza la historia de la creencia en el Occidente cristiano desde la Edad Media hasta la Ilustración, revelando por primera vez cómo surgió una categoría de creencia distintivamente moderna. Ethan Shagan no se centra en lo que la gente creía, que es la preocupación normal de la historia de la Reforma, sino en la cuestión más fundamental de lo que la gente consideraba que era la creencia. Shagan muestra cómo las creencias religiosas gozaban de un prestigio especial en la Europa medieval, que las diferenciaba del juicio, la opinión y la evidencia de los sentidos. Pero con el estallido de la Reforma Protestante, la cuestión de qué tipo de conocimiento era la creencia religiosa, y cómo se relacionaba con formas más mundanas de saber, quedó al descubierto. A medida que las iglesias en guerra se peleaban por la respuesta, cada una de ellas afirmaba creer que era su posesión exclusiva, insistiendo en que sus rivales eran incrédulos. Shagan desafía la noción común de que la creencia moderna fue un regalo de la Reforma, mostrando cómo fue tanto una reacción contra Lutero y Calvino como contra el Concilio de Trento. Describe cómo los disidentes de ambos lados llegaron a considerar la creencia religiosa como algo que necesitaba ser justificado por el juicio individual, la evidencia y los argumentos. Brillantemente esclarecedor, El nacimiento de la creencia moderna demuestra cómo la creencia llegó a ocupar un lugar tan ambivalente en el mundo moderno, convirtiéndose en la categoría esencial por la cual expresamos nuestros juicios sobre la ciencia, la sociedad y lo sagrado, pero a expensas de la condición única que una vez disfrutó la religión This 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. The book 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. It 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 was—and how it related to more mundane ways of knowing—was 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. The book 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. It describes how dissidents on both sides came to regard religious belief as something that needed to be justified by individual judgment, evidence, and argument. The book 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. Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 8 Preface and Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 18 Chapter 1: Medieval Varieties of Believing 48 Chapter 2: The Reformation of Belief 82 Chapter 3: The Invention of the Unbeliever 115 Chapter 4: The Unbearable Weight of Believing 146 Chapter 5: The Birth Pangs of Modern Belief 183 Chapter 6: Enlightened Belief 224 Chapter 7: Belief in the Human 267 Conclusion 299 Abbreviations 312 Notes 316 Bibliography 362 Index 394