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Sacred and the Sinister: Studies in Medieval Religion and Magic

Sacred and the Sinister: Studies in Medieval Religion and Magic

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The Sacred and the Sinister explores the complexities of medieval religion and magic, examining how the holy and unholy were distinguished and the implications of this deviation. The book focuses on four main aspects: the cult of the saints, contested devotional relationships, unsettled judgments between magic and religion, and inconclusive distinctions between magic and science. Contributors include scholars from various fields.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 11 December 2020
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press


The Sacred and the Sinister delves into the complexities that made (and continue to make) medieval religion and magic challenging to distinguish. This collection of essays explores how the holy and unholy were distinguished in medieval Europe, where their characteristics diverged, and the consequences of this deviation.

During the Middle Ages, the natural world was perceived as divinely created and imbued with enigmatic power. It was believed to be accessible to human knowledge and susceptible to human manipulation through three modes of engagement: religion, magic, and science. The development of these ways of understanding in the context of modern notions of rationality is a central theme in ongoing scholarly discourse. As Richard Kieckhefer has emphasized, ambiguity and ambivalence characterize medieval perceptions of the divine and demonic powers at work in the world.

The ten chapters in this volume explore four main aspects of this assertion: the cult of the saints, contested devotional relationships and practices, unsettled judgments between magic and religion, and inconclusive distinctions between magic and science. This study of ambiguity between magic and religion offers fresh insights and will be of particular interest to scholars in the fields of medieval studies, religious studies, European history, and the history of science.

In addition to the editor, the contributors to this volume are Michael D. Bailey, Kristi Woodward Bain, Maeve B. Callan, Elizabeth Casteen, Claire Fanger, Sean L. Field, Anne M. Koenig, Katelyn Mesler, and Sophie Page.

Weight: 486g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271082417

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