The Clergy in Early Modern Scotland

The essays in this collection explore the role of clergy in Scotland during the kingdom's long Reformation, focusing on their lived experiences, historical, theological, and literary approaches. They investigate how clergy, their families, and flocks experienced and negotiated religious, social, and political change, highlighting the flexibility of local decision-making and the importance of clerical networks beyond the parish. The ministry maintained a degree of local autonomy and agency despite the increasing professionalization of the role.

Format: Hardback
Length: 290 pages
Publication date: 16 July 2021
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

The clergy played a pivotal role in the religious transformation of Scotland during a turbulent period spanning from the early emergence of Protestant ideas in the sixteenth century to the conflicts and upheavals of the seventeenth century. By delving into their lived experiences and employing a comprehensive range of historical, theological, and literary approaches, the essays presented in this collection offer a fresh and vibrant portrayal of ministry during Scotland's long Reformation. The contributors explore the ways in which clergy, along with their families and congregations, grappled with and negotiated religious, social, and political changes. Through an examination of broader themes and individual case studies, the chapters emphasize the flexibility of local decision-making and the intricate entanglement of ministers and their families within parish dynamics. At the same time, they highlight the significance of clerical networks extending beyond the parish. What emerges from this analysis is a ministry that, despite the growing professionalization of the role, retained a degree of local autonomy and agency. The volume serves as a valuable re-focusing of attention on the early modern European ministry, providing a multifaceted and historically sensitive understanding of those who played a central role in Protestant reform.

Weight: 564g
Dimension: 162 x 239 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783276196