Women and Religion in Sixteenth-Century France

This work considers how Frenchwomen participated in Christian religious practice during the sixteenth century, with their words and their actions. Using extensive original and archival sources, it provides a comprehensive study of how women contributed to institutional, theological, devotional and political religious matters. Broomhall explores women's involvement in institutional heirarchies and regulation, their ideas about religious doctrine and the divine and diabolical, how they shaped meanings of active spiritual expression, and contributed to political and military aspects of religious life. Significantly, the work shifts focus from what men said about women's religious participation to what women themselves said about their contributions to religion. Challenging the view of religious reforms and ideas imposed by male authorities upon women, this study argues instead that women, Catholic and Calvinist, lay and monastic, were deeply involved in the culture, meanings and development of contemporary religious practices This Work Considers How French Women Participated In Christian Religious Practice During The Sixteenth Century, With Their Words And By Their Actions. Using Extensive Original And Archival Sources, It Provides A Comprehensive Study Of How Women Contributed To Institutional, Theological, Devotional And Political Religious Matters. Susan Broomhall Explores Women's Involvement In Institutional Hierarchies And Regulation, Their Ideas About Religious Doctrine And The Divine And Diabolical, How They Shaped Meanings Of Active Spiritual Expression, And How They Contributed To Political And Military Aspects Of Religious Life. Significantly, The Work Shifts Focus From What Men Said About Women's Religious Participation To What Women Themselves Said About Their Contributions To Religion. Challenging The View That Religious Reform And Ideas Were Imposed By Male Authorities Upon Women, This Study Argues Instead That Women, Catholic And Calvinist, Lay And Monastic, Were Deeply Involved In The Culture, Meanings And Development Of Contemporary Religious Practices.--jacket. 1. Institutional Religion -- 2. Understanding The Divine -- 3. Religious Knowledge -- 4. Visible Religious Practices -- 5. Religious Politics And Violence. Susan Broomhall. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 176-199) And Index. Review: "This work considers how French women participated in Christian religious practice during the sixteenth century, with their words and by their actions. Using extensive original and archival sources, it provides a comprehensive study of how women contributed to institutional, theological, devotional and political religious matters. Susan Broomhall explores women's involvement in institutional hierarchies and regulation, their ideas about religious doctrine and the divine and diabolical, how they shaped meanings of active spiritual expression, and how they contributed to political and military aspects of religious life. Significantly, the work shifts focus from what men said about women's religious participation to what women themselves said about their contributions to religion. Challenging the view that religious reform and ideas were imposed by male authorities upon women, this study argues instead that women, Catholic and Calvinist, lay and monastic, were deeply involved in the culture, meanings and development of contemporary religious practices."--BOOK JACKET Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1 Institutional Religion......Page 18 2 Understanding the Divine......Page 55 3 Religious Knowledge......Page 79 4 Visible Religious Practices......Page 105 5 Religious Politics and Violence......Page 127 Conclusions......Page 152 Notes......Page 155 Select Bibliography......Page 185 B......Page 209 C......Page 210 E......Page 211 J......Page 212 M......Page 213 O......Page 214 S......Page 215 T......Page 216 Z......Page 217