Catholic Revival in the Age of the Baroque: Religious Identity in Southwest Germany, 1550–1750 (New Studies in European History)

New Studies in European History

by Marc R. Forster

This book seeks to explain the origins of the Catholic identity of the population of southwest Germany between 1550 and 1750. Many studies of this subject credit rulers and church leaders with creating and enforcing religious identity in Germany "from above." In contrast, this study argues that there were important local and religious reasons why people came to consider themselves loyal Catholics; and in order to understand the origins of Catholic identity, it examines the nature of "Baroque Catholicism"--including the significance of pilgrimages, processions, confraternities, and other religious ceremonies.

Genres: History, Religion

284 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 1997

Reviews

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forster's book combines both a cornucopia of quantitative data and some elegant descriptive narratives to sketch a compelling portrait of religious life in Southwest Germany (mostly Austrian Hapsburg lands and a few others) from a bit after the Reformation to just before the Enlightenment. Forster argues that the Tridentine reform goals made only limited progress because of a combination of conflicting interests, popular resentment, and lackluster enforcement. But after the end of the Thirty Years' War (1618-48), Catholic popular piety flourished, and not necessarily in the directions Trent pointed.

Forster's argument is directed against a strong version of the confessionalization thesis that would attribute increased religiosity in Europe to top-down reforms and indoctrination. Instead, Forster demonstrates how much agency village and town leaders exercised in determining their forms of religious observance, as well as how spiritually enthusiastic many Catholics were after 1650. It takes a while to get going and a few parts seem redundant, but on the whole it is a fine survey of this region that profitably combines several historiographical approaches to make quite a timely, provocative argument.