Being a Jesuit in Renaissance Italy: Biographical Writing in the Early Global Age

A new history, "Being a Jesuit in Renaissance Italy," sheds light on the Society of Jesus in its first century from the perspective of the early Jesuits themselves, using unpublished biographical documents from the Roman Jesuit Archive. The Society's influence and inner workings are explored, revealing a religious and cultural presence that remains influential today. The early Jesuits' records reflect a community where the worldly and divine overlapped, and members believed that their personal strengths and inclinations contributed to the whole. The documentary record offers a new lens on the history of spirituality, identity, and global exchange in the Renaissance.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Harvard University Press

A fresh perspective on the Society of Jesus during its formative first century is provided by a new history that relies on the insights of those who knew it best: the early Jesuits themselves.

The Society of Jesus was founded in 1540, and in the ensuing century, countless individuals sought to join this religious order and pursue vocations in religious service, teaching, and missions. To shed light on the lives of those who joined this society, Camilla Russell has compiled a collection of unpublished biographical documents from the Roman Jesuit Archive. Through her meticulous research, Russell has pieced together a comprehensive account of the Society's religious and cultural influence, which continues to be felt worldwide.

Russell's narrative spans the Italian provinces and extends to distant missions, providing a comprehensive view of Jesuit life. By delving into the documentary record, she reveals a textual network among individual members, inspired by Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. These early Jesuits recorded both their daily experiences and spiritual insights, reflecting a community where the worldly and divine intertwined. This unique perspective echoes the foundational writings of the Society, which emphasized the individual strengths and inclinations of each Jesuit as contributing to the greater whole.

By focusing on the Jesuits' own words, "Being a Jesuit in Renaissance Italy" offers a fresh lens on the history of spirituality, identity, and global exchange during the Renaissance. Through a close examination of their writings, Russell uncovers a genetic code that connects the key Jesuit works to the first generations of Jesuits and the Society of Jesus as it exists today. This insightful analysis provides a deeper understanding of the Society's origins and its enduring impact on the world.

In conclusion, "Being a Jesuit in Renaissance Italy" is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh perspective on the Society of Jesus during its formative first century. Through the use of unpublished biographical documents and a close analysis of the Jesuits' own words, Russell has shed new light on the lives of those who joined this religious order and contributed to its enduring influence. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the history of spirituality, identity, and global exchange during the Renaissance.

Weight: 554g
Dimension: 241 x 164 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674261129