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Royal Books and Holy Bones: Essays in Medieval Christianity
In 1992, Eamon Duffy created a sensation in Reformation studies by publishing his groundbreaking book The Stripping of the Altars . In it he demonstrated the health of late medieval religion in England and that the thesis hitherto accepted that the Reformation came to wipe away a corrupt and rotten Church was essentially false.
In this book follow-up to The Stripping of the Altars , Duffy makes further soundings in late medieval religion, but drills down to the particular and avoids any wide historical sweep. Among the topics he covers are "Purgatory," "The Black Death," "Adoration of the Mother of God," and "Heresy." By his meticulous research, Duffy has discovered many original documents and records during his academic career, proving that his thesis about the Reformation is basically irrefutable.
This book is illustrated by a small collection of full color plates which further demonstrate the richness of late medieval religion.
In this book follow-up to The Stripping of the Altars , Duffy makes further soundings in late medieval religion, but drills down to the particular and avoids any wide historical sweep. Among the topics he covers are "Purgatory," "The Black Death," "Adoration of the Mother of God," and "Heresy." By his meticulous research, Duffy has discovered many original documents and records during his academic career, proving that his thesis about the Reformation is basically irrefutable.
This book is illustrated by a small collection of full color plates which further demonstrate the richness of late medieval religion.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published August 14, 2018
11 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Eamon Duffy
53 books87 followersEamon Duffy is Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Cambridge, and former President of Magdalene College.
He describes himself as a "cradle Catholic" and specializes in 15th to 17th century religious history of Britain. His work has done much to overturn the popular image of late-medieval Catholicism in England as moribund, and instead presents it as a vibrant cultural force. On weekdays from 22nd October to 2nd November 2007, he presented the BBC Radio 4 series "10 Popes Who Shook the World" - those popes featured were Peter, Leo I, Gregory I, Gregory VII, Innocent III, Paul III, Pius IX, Pius XII, John XXIII, and John Paul II.
He describes himself as a "cradle Catholic" and specializes in 15th to 17th century religious history of Britain. His work has done much to overturn the popular image of late-medieval Catholicism in England as moribund, and instead presents it as a vibrant cultural force. On weekdays from 22nd October to 2nd November 2007, he presented the BBC Radio 4 series "10 Popes Who Shook the World" - those popes featured were Peter, Leo I, Gregory I, Gregory VII, Innocent III, Paul III, Pius IX, Pius XII, John XXIII, and John Paul II.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 22, 2020
I've always been interested in how peoples' religious views influence the way they think and act. That and a love of History is, I guess, what led to my interest in the English Reformation.
A few years ago I read a book called The Stripping of the Altars by Professor Eamon Duffy, which argued that because history is generally written by the winners, we can end up with a distorted view of the past. As, in England at least, the Protestants 'won' the Reformation, it is their version of events that has prevailed. Duffy's book sought to redress the balance by showing that Protestantism was not everywhere embraced with enthusiasm. A great book.
In this latest book Duffy tracks back to an
earlier period and directs our attention towards a window through which we can see into the medieval mind. A series of varied, well informed and fascinating essays on holy books and saints relics awaits you if you decide to read it.
My favourite bit:
'When the holy monk Stephen of Thiers died in 1124 in the isolated monastery of Grandmont in the Auvergne, the flood of pilgrims to his tomb disturbed the devotions of the monks. Miracles multiplied, as did the crowds, till at last the abbot berated Stephen at the tomb: ‘We believe you are a saint without their proof. Please stop... If you don’t, I’m warning you, we’ll take your bones out of this place and throw them in the river.’
If you do read it, you'll feel that little bit closer to our medieval forebears. If you then read Duffy's The Voices of Morebath you'll feel closer still.
A few years ago I read a book called The Stripping of the Altars by Professor Eamon Duffy, which argued that because history is generally written by the winners, we can end up with a distorted view of the past. As, in England at least, the Protestants 'won' the Reformation, it is their version of events that has prevailed. Duffy's book sought to redress the balance by showing that Protestantism was not everywhere embraced with enthusiasm. A great book.
In this latest book Duffy tracks back to an
earlier period and directs our attention towards a window through which we can see into the medieval mind. A series of varied, well informed and fascinating essays on holy books and saints relics awaits you if you decide to read it.
My favourite bit:
'When the holy monk Stephen of Thiers died in 1124 in the isolated monastery of Grandmont in the Auvergne, the flood of pilgrims to his tomb disturbed the devotions of the monks. Miracles multiplied, as did the crowds, till at last the abbot berated Stephen at the tomb: ‘We believe you are a saint without their proof. Please stop... If you don’t, I’m warning you, we’ll take your bones out of this place and throw them in the river.’
If you do read it, you'll feel that little bit closer to our medieval forebears. If you then read Duffy's The Voices of Morebath you'll feel closer still.
January 20, 2021
En djupdykning i boksamlande och helgonkult under medeltiden, med fokus på boken och helgonbenen som kulturella artefakter och foci för både bön och tillgivenhet. Duffy framställer den tidigmedeltida helgonkulten på ett genuint men fundamentalt Durkheimsk tolkning, där banden till helgonet blir en brygga till helighet. På samma sätt blir Mariakulten ett vidare steg av samma fenomen. Efter digerdöden menar Duffy att kultdramat ändras, och blir mer dystert, eftersom de troende blir mer engagerade, men knappast mer kunniga, i sin religion. Han påpekar t.ex. skillnaden i tolkningen av purgatorium som del av detta. Jämför etruskernas religiösa förändringar.
Boken är lärd, och tidvis spännande, men knappast lättläst. Jag rekommenderar den för historienördar, med varningen att jag övergav den första gången jag prövade att läsa den, i slutet av 2018.
Boken är lärd, och tidvis spännande, men knappast lättläst. Jag rekommenderar den för historienördar, med varningen att jag övergav den första gången jag prövade att läsa den, i slutet av 2018.
March 3, 2025
If you're already a fan of/knowledgeable about Duffy's exceptional work, you'll enjoy these essays, most of which are reworkings of various review essays, etc. that he's written over the years. Everything here is quite good - including the audio he recorded himself (those of us who have been fortunate to have taken courses with him know he's a solid lecturer) - with the essays on the black plague, the codex overtaking the scroll, and the "brush for hire" career of Lucas Cranach the Elder (really all of the eve-of-the-reformation work, because that's his specialty) standing out among the bunch. Listen to the audiobook version if you can; Duffy's a great companion on an otherwise boring and repetitive commute, even at 2x speed). Highly recommended.
August 12, 2019
Collections of Church History essays can be a mixed bag. They can be too general or too esoteric; random collections of book reviews and lectures in out-of-the-way universities or aborted chapters of books that have lain unthought of for twenty years. Fortunately most of the essays in Duffy's latest collection do not obviously appear to fit these categories, or if they did then he has substantially edited them to hide the evidence. There is variety here, but always in a fast-flowing and readable style. Where there are more specifically focussed chapters (eg. Crowland Abbey) Duffy does make an effort to bring to light wider application.
His essay on relics and their importance was fascinating as well as funny. The description of Hugh of Lincoln gnawing at an arm bone in order to be able to take a splinter with him back to England is unforgettable. The chapter on the Black Death was also very well worth a read.
Occasionally his polemical Catholicism comes through - the Reformation made Christianity a male religion; Lucas Cranach was a spiritual whore for plying his trade amongst Lutherans and Catholics (which artists has ever been so fastidious and independent that he has been able to refuse commissions from across the divide?)
A good selection of essays bringing to light something of the diversity and colour of medieval religion and a good addition to the already voluminous body of work that Eamonn Duffy has produced.
His essay on relics and their importance was fascinating as well as funny. The description of Hugh of Lincoln gnawing at an arm bone in order to be able to take a splinter with him back to England is unforgettable. The chapter on the Black Death was also very well worth a read.
Occasionally his polemical Catholicism comes through - the Reformation made Christianity a male religion; Lucas Cranach was a spiritual whore for plying his trade amongst Lutherans and Catholics (which artists has ever been so fastidious and independent that he has been able to refuse commissions from across the divide?)
A good selection of essays bringing to light something of the diversity and colour of medieval religion and a good addition to the already voluminous body of work that Eamonn Duffy has produced.
October 31, 2022
Absolutely love the "coverage" of these essays by Prf Duffy. He brings to life even the mundane details of certain histories, like prayer-books and their changing content over the centuries.
I listened to this on audiobook, which I highly recommend because it's read by Duffy himself, but I plan to get a paperback soon.
I listened to this on audiobook, which I highly recommend because it's read by Duffy himself, but I plan to get a paperback soon.
December 11, 2021
I loved this book, as I have loved others by Duffy, but honestly I could not write a better review then that written by David Kerslake in the reviews - read his - he says all I could want to beautifully.
March 2, 2020
An enjoyable collection of essays - Duffy has a lovely style.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews