Title: Conscience and Conversion: Religious Liberty in Post-Revolutionary France. <i>By Thomas Kselman</i>
Abstract:This fascinating book looks at the experiences of a number of prominent figures who exercised their freedom of religion by changing their faith in post-revolutionary France. This might seem somewhat e...This fascinating book looks at the experiences of a number of prominent figures who exercised their freedom of religion by changing their faith in post-revolutionary France. This might seem somewhat esoteric, but the generic issues that it highlights are of enduring relevance and have contemporary resonance. Much of the modern debate concerning freedom of religion and belief is couched in rights language and focused on the right to act in accordance with one’s beliefs. The experiences recounted in this book focus on those who sought to cross religious boundaries, their personal struggles, and the consequences of their decisions for themselves, for their families, for their friends, and for the religious communities concerned. Of course, such accounts could be given of converts in any age and in any country. But, as the author makes clear, post-revolutionary France presents a fascinating confluence of circumstances. Following a long history of intolerance, religious liberty was endorsed by the 1814 constitution, while at the same time Catholicism was undergoing a revival and was re-established as the official state religion. As Paris emerged as the leading intellectual and cultural capital in Europe, it attracted those interested in exploring new ideas, philosophies, and faiths. Debates concerning the relationship between the church and state, and the individual and the church, took on great importance.Read More
Publication Year: 2018
Publication Date: 2018-12-24
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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