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by Johannes Ljungberg (Editor), Erik Sidenvall (Editor)
This book explores the concept of religious Enlightenment in the Nordic countries during the long eighteenth century. It argues that Lutheran confessional culture became intertwined with Enlightenment ideas and practices in this European region. In the book's three parts, specialist historians explore themes central to students of the early modern era - historical writing, material culture, ecclesiastical and legal reform, censorship, cameralism and innovative medical practices. It offers a timely reconsideration of a complex period in European history from a northern perspective.
An electronic edition of this book is freely available under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND) licence.Back Jacket
When the Enlightenment encountered traditional Lutheran cultures in the Nordic countries, the established order changed in surprising ways. This book explores how new ideas about reason, rationalism and reform were blended with Lutheran orthodoxy in the eighteenth-century European North.
Across fourteen chapters, specialist Nordic historians consider this theme from a variety of perspectives. Focusing on rural societies and practices, clergy and civil servants, historiography and material culture, they elaborate the concept of 'religious Enlightenment'. The story that unfolds is not only a tale of clashes and conflicts; it also features creative mergers, unforeseen developments and remarkable outcomes. By examining religion and Enlightenment from the perspective of the Northern European periphery, this book offers a vigorous reconsideration of key concepts and central themes in early modern European history.Author Biography
Johannes Ljungberg is a Post-doctoral Researcher at the University of Copenhagen
Erik Sidenvall is an Adjunct Professor of Church History at Lund University
