Enthusiasm: A Chapter in the History of Religion, with Special Reference to the XVII and XVIII Centuries by Ronald Knox, 591 pages
The subject of this book, Msgr Knox's masterpiece, is the phenomenon of religious enthusiasm - characterized by emotional appeals, ecstatic states, millennialism, and, above all, a reliance on personal experience and inner conviction - as it has manifested in Christianity through the ages. Although he begins with the Montanists and examines medieval and Reformation-era sects, his primary focus is on the Jansenists and Quietists among the Catholics, and the Quakers and Methodists among the Protestants.
Knox's analysis is deep and insightful - for example, he recognizes that the radical Reformation played a far more important role than was generally believed at the time. This is, however, an analysis, not a history, and the text can be difficult to follow without some knowledge of the history of the movements in question. Likewise, this was written in an era when a basic knowledge of Latin and French were taken for granted, and while it is possible to understand the book without fluency in those languages, it is a frustrating experience. Finally, this is a book about religion, not a religious book - a study, not an apologetic work - and although Knox was a firm believer in the importance of religious authority, he is not here attempting to engage in religious controversy. Refreshingly, this frees him to treat his subjects with considerable sympathy as sincere, if misguided, believers.
A difficult but intellectually rewarding book.
No comments:
Post a Comment