The Church and the Age of Enlightenment (1648–1848): Faith, Science, and the Challenge of Secularism

by Dominic A. Aquila, Mike Aquilina (Series Editor)

Catholics—both religious and the laity—made significant contributions to science, the arts, and the betterment of human life during the Enlightenment, the period between the Reformations and the modern world. Scholar Dominic A. Aquila writes that it is not uncommon for historical accounts of the time to conclude that the Church stood in the way of the scientific revolution and that faith and reason could not coexist. In The Church and the Age of Enlightenment (1648–1848) , Aquila outlines Catholic contributions in mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, the arts, and politics, and highlights key figures of the era including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, St. Vincent de Paul, Queen Christina of Sweden, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Aquila begins by looking back at the work of important figures such as Copernicus, Francis Bacon, and Galileo, all of whom died before the 1648. Aquila bookends the Enlightenment era by wars due to dynastic rivalries and social change—beginning with Europe’s Thirty Years War, which prompted a rethinking of religious and political practices, and ending with the Napoleonic Wars. Aquila also highlights key works of visual arts and music from the period, including Giovanni Bellini’s Frari Triptych, the world-renowned Oberammergau Passion Play , and George Fredric Handel’s Messiah . In this book, you will   Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time.

Genres: Catholic

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 25, 2022

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of, The Church and the Age of, Enlightenment (1648-1848), by Dominic A. Aquila. I found this book to be well written but dull. There is a lot of information in this book, i just found it a little boring.

[Monica Hull · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only thing I can say about this book is that it’s sloppy. There are so many errors that should have been edited out. It also doesn’t flow well or present its information in a coherent manner. Those three things make it difficult to read and to follow.

[Jacquie Stricklind · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the Enlightment period but there wasn't very much information about the Catholic Church. The last chapter in the book, chapter six was the most interesting chapter in the book.

[Margaret Closs · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, but a bit heavy, this is more like an academic text. Good in-depth history but a bit dry.