Religion, medicine and confessional identity in early modern England
Early modern historians often frame âreligionâ and âmedicineâ as distinct categories of experience and conduct. They have also suggested that religious responses to illness were steadily supplanted by medical interventions during the period. This study calls these assumptions into question. Focusing on the regions of Yorkshire and Essex between approximately 1580 and 1720, it argues that religious beliefs and practices comprised an integral part of medical work, from household physic to the pursuits of university-trained physicians. It demonstrates that tending to the sick body was a religious as well as a medical act, couched in notions of divine favour, Christian duty and Christian charity. Moreover, in an age of profound and contested religious change, a sense of confessional identity shaped peopleâs medical behaviour in a number of ways. In particular, this study highlights how the exigencies of sickness and its treatment could have paradoxical outcomes, at times working to bolster a sense of religious distinctions, whilst at others working to foster forms of confessional coexistence. In the light of these complexities, this study resists the current tendency to draw schematic correlations between
Mann, Sophie Liana
Religion, medicine and confessional identity in early modern England. Early modern historians often frame âreligionâ and âmedicineâ as distinct categories of experience and conduct. They have also suggested that religious responses to illness were steadily supplanted by medical interventions during the period. This study calls these assumptions into question. Focusing on the regions of Yorkshire and Essex between approximately 1580 and 1720, it argues that religious beliefs and practices comprised an integral part of medical work, from household physic to the pursuits of university-trained physicians. It demonstrates that tending to the sick body was a religious as well as a medical act, couched in notions of divine favour, Christian duty and Christian charity. Moreover, in an age of profound and contested religious change, a sense of confessional identity shaped peopleâs medical behaviour in a number of ways. In particular, this study highlights how the exigencies of sickness and its treatment could have paradoxical outcomes, at times working to bolster a sense of religious distinctions, whilst at others working to foster forms of confessional coexistence. In the light of these complexities, this study resists the current tendency to draw schematic correlations between
religion medicine confessional identity early_modern_england early_modern historian often frame religion medicine distinct_category experience conduct also_suggest religious response illness steadily supplant medical intervention period study call assumption question focusing region yorkshire essex argue religious_belief practice comprise integral_part medical work household physic university trained physician demonstrates tend sick body religious well medical act couch notion divine favour christian duty christian charity moreover age profound contest religious_change sense confessional identity shape people medical behaviour number way particular study_highlight exigency sickness treatment could paradoxical outcome time work bolster sense religious distinction whilst others work foster form confessional coexistence light complexity study resists current tendency draw schematic correlation