Celestial wonders in Reformation Germany / / by Ken Kurihara [[electronic resource]]

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910789122803321
• Autore: Kurihara Ken
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: London : , : Pickering & Chatto, , 2014
• ISBN: 1-317-31873-0; 1-315-65432-6; 1-78144-068-9
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (xi, 211 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)
• Collana: Religious cultures in the early modern world ; ; 13
• Classificazione: 8,1
• Disciplina: 200.94309031
• Soggetti: Astronomy - Religious aspects - Christianity; Reformation - Germany
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Oct 2015).
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Introduction: Celestial wonders, confessional conflicts and ; apocalypticism -- Exploring the world of Wunderzeichen -- Lutheran clergy and Wunderzeichen discourses -- 'An eagle hurting himself' : Flacius's tract against the Interim -- Irenaeus against 'spiritual wolves' : polemical use of Wunderzeichen, I -- Irenaeus against the Concord : polemical use of Wunderzeichen, II -- Andreae's pastoral use of Wunderzeichen -- Celestial wonders under the shadow of war.
• Sommario/riassunto: Celestial phenomena were often harnessed for use by clerics in early modern Germany. The clergy were the main intellectual leaders of communities, so their emphasis on these <i>Wunderzeichen</i> ('wonder-signs') would have had a significant effect on the laity. As Protestantism took hold, there was a desire among many influential theologians to underline the need for doctrinal acceptance. Divine omens or signs of apocalyptic warning were a useful way to encourage obedience and respect for clerical authority. Kurihara examines how and why interest in these events grew in this period, how the clergy exploited these beliefs and the role of sectarianism in Germany at this time.