Reordering Marriage and Society in Reformation GermanyCombining extensive archival research and a broad array of scholarly monographs, Harrington presents us with the clearest and most comprehensive evaluation of the Reformation's impact on marriage currently available. To assess fairly the degree of Protestant innovation, he compares reformers' goals and achievements for marriage to those of contemporary Catholics. All sixteenth century campaigns to restore "traditional family values", Harrington argues, must first be viewed in the context of much more gradual social transformations of private morality, public authority, and familial relations. Seen from this perspective, the apparent innovations of Protestants in marriage - including the abolition of clerical celibacy and introduction of divorce - fade in comparison to their much greater adherence to the theological, legal, and social traditions they share with their Catholic ancestors and contemporaries. All more ambitious attempts by Protestant authorities to alter marital and sexual relations during the sixteenth century similarly met with wide-spread popular resistance. In his detailed comparison of marriage formation and sexual discipline among Lutherans, Calvinists, and Catholics of the Rhineland Palatinate, Harrington concludes that local custom and authority continued to prevail over all religiously inspired innovation. |
Other editions - View all
Reordering Marriage and Society in Reformation Germany Joel F. Harrington,Harrington, Joel Francis Harrington No preview available - 1995 |
Common terms and phrases
adultery AEKK already appears attempts Bacharach bishop Canon Catholic century Chapter Christian Church clandestine marriage clerical common concern considered consistory continued Council couple court criminal definition discussion doctrine early modern ecclesiastical ecclesiastical courts effect Elector enforcement especially Europe example Fathers Figure frequent German Geschichte hand Holy husband ideal imperial instance institution involved issue jurisdiction kind late least limited Luther magistrates marital Marriage Laws married matters medieval moral nature offenses official ordinance Palatinate parents particularly pastors percent period political popular practice prosecution prostitution Protestant punishment question records Reformation relations religious remained represented respective result role Roman Roper sacrament secular authorities sexual similar sixteenth sixteenth-century social Society Speyer standards StAS status subsequent synod territorial tion traditional usually validity Vogler vows wedding widows wife women
References to this book
Old Believers: Religious Dissent and Gender in Russia, 1760-1850 Irina Paert No preview available - 2003 |
Bibliographic information
| Title | Reordering Marriage and Society in Reformation Germany |
| Author | Joel F. Harrington |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press, 1995 |
| ISBN | 0521464838, 9780521464833 |
| Length | 315 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Europe / General History / Europe / Renaissance |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |