Rome and the Maronites in the Renaissance and Reformation: The Formation of Religious Identity in the Early Modern Mediterranean

Rome and the Maronites in the Renaissance and Reformation explores the contacts between Rome and the Maronites during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, analyzing how suspicion of Christians in Europe led Catholics to doubt the fidelity of the Maronites and other Christian peoples of the Middle East and Africa. The expansion of the Ottoman Empire caused many Maronites to seek closer integration into Catholic religious and military goals.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 140 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Rome and the Maronites in the Renaissance and Reformation offers a comprehensive exploration of the intricate interactions between Rome and the Maronites during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This groundbreaking work begins by delving into the profound impact of the church unions agreed upon at the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438-1445), which instilled a profound sense of trust in the orthodoxy of Eastern Christians among Catholics. Focusing specifically on the Maronites of Mount Lebanon, the book proceeds to examine the challenges faced by agents in the peripheries of the Catholic world in preserving this trust into the early sixteenth century, a period marked by significant transformations.

On the one hand, this study reveals how the Reformation's suspicion of Christians in Europe led Catholics to question the past and present fidelity of the Maronites and other Christian communities in the Middle East and Africa. It sheds light on the complex dynamics that shaped their interactions, highlighting the competing influences of religious, political, and cultural factors.

On the other hand, the expansion of the Ottoman Empire played a pivotal role in shaping the relationship between Rome and the Maronites. Many Maronites sought closer integration into Catholic religious and military goals in the eastern Mediterranean, driven by the desire to protect their communities and assert their identity amidst the changing geopolitical landscape. By drawing on previously unstudied sources and adopting a multi-perspective approach, this book seamlessly integrates Eastern Christianity into the broader history of the Reformation, while also re-evaluating the history of contact between Rome and the Christian east in the early modern period.

This book is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of early modern Europe, as well as those with interests in the Reformation, religious history, and Catholic Orientalism. It provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between Rome, the Maronites, and other Christian communities, shedding light on the enduring legacies of this historical period.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367760809