Synopses & Reviews
Nathan Johnstone looks at the ways in which beliefs about the nature of the Devil and his power in human affairs changed as a consequence of the impact of the Reformation. Departing from the established focus on demonology as a component of witchcraft, he examines a wide range of religious and political milieux, such as practical divinity, Puritan godliness, anti-popery, polemic and propaganda, and popular culture. The concept of the Devil that emerges not only had a profound impact on the beliefs and practices of committed Protestants, but influenced the political debates of the reigns of Elizabeth I, James I and Charles I, as well as popular culture,
Synopsis
An original and powerful examination of the concept of the Devil in early modern England.
About the Author
Nathan Johnstone teaches history at Canterbury Christ Church University College.
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. The synagogue of Satan: anti-catholicism, false doctrine and the construction of contrariety; 2. Temptation: the protestant dynamic of diabolic agency and the resurgence of clerical mediation; 3. Satan and the godly in early modern England; 4. Incarnate devils: crime narratives, demonization and audience empathy; 5. 'What concord hath Christ with Belial': de facto satanism and the temptation of the body politic, 1570-1640; 6. 'Grand Pluto's progress through Great Britaine': the civil war and the zenith of satanic politics; 7. 'The Devil's Alpha and Omega': Temptation at the cutting edge of faith in the civil war and the interregnum.