Sermons at Court: Politics and Religion in Elizabethan and Jacobean Preaching

by Peter McCullough

Overview

This book describes preaching at the royal courts during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I (1558-1625) and reconstructs the contexts—architectural, religious, political—in which the sermons were preached. The author shows how previous work has underestimated the place of religion at court, presents new evidence of the competing royal religious patronage, and reconceptualizes the careers of preachers such as Andrewes, Donne and Laud. The book is accompanied by a definitive calendar of court sermons for the period on diskette.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521022057
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	04/28/2011
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	258
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.59(d)

Table of Contents

List of figures; Introduction and note on texts and sources; 1. The architectural settings of Elizabethan and Jacobean court preaching; 2. Tudor court preaching and Elizabeth I; 3. James I and the apotheosis of court preaching; 4. Denmark House and St James's: sermons for the Jacobean queen and princes of Wales; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"McCullough's work adds to our appreciation of the underlying stresses that would destroy England's political and religious consensus." Susan Wabuda, Church History

"In his impressive survey of the court sermons, Peter E. McCullough studies the intersection of court and religion where the court sermon takes its stand." West Virginia Shakespeare & Renaissance Association

"...a thoughtful and useful inquiry into the politics, piety, and literary culture of English courts in the early modern period." Gregory Kneidel, Modern Philology

"This reviewer found McCullough's discussion of architectural symbolism, which placed the king above both church and state, to be particularly impressive." J. Stephen Phillips, Jrnl of Church and State

"Thanks to McCullough's splendid new book, we now know the answers, and we also have some very persuasive argumentation on the question of how court preaching contributed to the texture of court and national culture and how court preaching was used by preachers, monarchs, and courtiers in religious controversy. It is a very great pleasure to read and to recommend a book that illuminates the hitherto obscure places and processes undergirding a subject that is a drawing more and more attention from literary and historical scholars." Margaret Christian, 16th Century Journal

"...immensely learned and engaging..." Milton Quarterly

"McCullough has produced a volume that is a pleasure to read, a refreshing change after the labored prose of so much theorized literary writing. He also offers a very important contribution to current debates about early modern politics and religion." Felicity Heal, American Historical Review

"This important study demonstrates how the pulpit was at the center of court culture. McCullough argues persuasively that earlier works have underestimated the significance of religion in politics. He also offers new evidence on the patronage of Elizabeth and the early Stuarts and on the rising tensions between sermon and sacramental debate." Retha M. Warnicke, Religious Studies Review

"This book fills a gap in the historiography of the period with important data and convincing analysis." Dewey D. Wallace, Jr., Albion

"...an excellent book...for those who have a special interest in the period and the topic, Sermons at Court is an excellent work that provides new information and insight regarding preaching before the kings and queens of England." Concordia Theological Quarterly

From the Publisher