English Bibles on Trial

Bible burning and the desecration of Bibles, 1640-1800
1. Auflage 2022
ISBN: 978-1-032-40234-5
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 220 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 345 g

The aim of this book is to explore antagonism towards, and acts of violence against, English Bibles in England and Scotland (and, to a lesser degree, Ireland) from the English Civil War to the end of the eighteenth century. In this period, English Bibles were burnt, torn apart, thrown away and desecrated in theatrical and highly offensive ways. Soldiers and rebels, clergymen and laymen, believers and doubters expressed their views and emotions regarding the English Bible (or a particular English Bible) through violent gestures. Often, Bibles of other people and other denominations were burnt and desecrated; sometimes people burnt and destroyed their own Bibles. By focusing on violent gestures which expressed resentment, rejection and hatred, this book furthers our understanding of what the Bible meant for early modern Christians. More specifically, it suggests that religious identities in this period were not formed simply by the pious reading, study and contemplation of Scripture, but also through antagonistic encounters with both Scripture itself and the Bible as a material object.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Shamir, Avner

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Bible Burning: The Historical Significance of a Gesture

2. Desecrating and Burning Bibles

3. Bible Burners and Their Motives

4. The Gesture

5. Phantom Bible Burners

Über Autor(innen)

Avner Shamir is Assistant Professor at the SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.