Description: Exactly what role did religion play in Europe in the Middle Ages?; Was medieval society really as devout as we think?; John Arnold looks beneath the surface and finds a much more complex and interesting picture than conventional wisdom suggests.
Brief description: John H. Arnold is Professor of Medieval History at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is also the successful author of History: A Very Short Introduction.
Review Quotes:
"... by focusing on the laity over and extended period of time, he is able to highlight the multiple meanings, functions and even levels of religious belief (or unbelief) in medieval society. In so doing, Arnold presents a much more complicated picture of the so-called 'Age of Faith', and one which will be welcomed by specialist and student audiences alike." --The Journal of the Historical Association
"This is an ambitious book. In it, John H. Arnold presents a new and challenging way of interpreting the history of lay religious practices between 1000 and 1500 and the ways in which those practices interacted with the official positions of the church hierarchy." --H-France Review