I am a Finnish Academy research fellow and adjunct professor (Privatdozent) at the University of Helsinki, Department for Church History. My research interests encompass early modern religious history (including religious dissent), gender, emotions, life-writing and book history across confessional borders. My current research project, funded by the Academy of Finland, investigates emotions and religion in 16th-century Germany. Address: Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland
Ulinka Rublack: Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. Oxford Studies in Social History. Oxford... more Ulinka Rublack: Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. Oxford Studies in Social History. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2001 (new edition)
Brendan Dooley & Sabrina Baron (eds.), The Politics of Information in Early Modern Europe. Routle... more Brendan Dooley & Sabrina Baron (eds.), The Politics of Information in Early Modern Europe. Routledge Studies in Cultural History. London & New York: Routledge, 2001. 310 sivua.
Narratives and Representations of Suffering, Failure, and Martyrdom: Early Modern Catholicism Confronting the Adversities of History. Ed. Leonardo Cohen. Estudos de História Religiosa 28. Lisbon: Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Centro de Estudos de Historia Religiosa. , 2018
Lived Religion and the Long Reformation in Northern Europe c. 1300–1700, 2017
Using "lived religion" as its conceptual tool, this book explores how the Reformation s... more Using "lived religion" as its conceptual tool, this book explores how the Reformation showed itself in and was influenced by lay people's everyday lives. It reinvestigates the character of the Reformation in what later became the heartlands of Lutheranism.
Ulinka Rublack: Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. Oxford Studies in Social History. Oxford... more Ulinka Rublack: Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. Oxford Studies in Social History. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2001 (new edition)
Brendan Dooley & Sabrina Baron (eds.), The Politics of Information in Early Modern Europe. Routle... more Brendan Dooley & Sabrina Baron (eds.), The Politics of Information in Early Modern Europe. Routledge Studies in Cultural History. London & New York: Routledge, 2001. 310 sivua.
Narratives and Representations of Suffering, Failure, and Martyrdom: Early Modern Catholicism Confronting the Adversities of History. Ed. Leonardo Cohen. Estudos de História Religiosa 28. Lisbon: Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Centro de Estudos de Historia Religiosa. , 2018
Lived Religion and the Long Reformation in Northern Europe c. 1300–1700, 2017
Using "lived religion" as its conceptual tool, this book explores how the Reformation s... more Using "lived religion" as its conceptual tool, this book explores how the Reformation showed itself in and was influenced by lay people's everyday lives. It reinvestigates the character of the Reformation in what later became the heartlands of Lutheranism.
Scholarly focus is increasingly shifting to the lived experiences of religion in the past. For th... more Scholarly focus is increasingly shifting to the lived experiences of religion in the past. For the Reformation era, Anabaptists form an important, yet often overlooked, group of lay religious expression, which differed from many of the mainstream Reformation teachings, norms and practices. As Protestants, Anabaptists shared the emphasis on preaching, hearing and reading the Word of God. From this starting point, my paper will explore two central elements of Anabaptist lived religion in the 16th century, reading and singing, both practices with strong identity and community building dimensions.
The history of especially early modern laity’s reading is methodologically challenging, but I argue that the sources available, if read carefully, do allow at least some glimpses into what books and texts the people suspected of forbidden Anabaptism owned, borrowed, distributed, read and discussed. I will present preliminary findings from the duchy of Württemberg with its persistent Anabaptist minority as a case study and discuss the importance and uses of books, especially songbooks, among rank-and-file Anabaptists in the late 16th century. Anabaptist songbooks are especially fruitful to study, as they point to the communal character of early modern reading in general – far more than nowadays, reading was a social activity and the lines between reading, praying, preaching, discussing and, indeed, singing are sometimes hard to draw. These practices were deeply embedded in the Anabaptists’ lived experiences, which have been studied far less than the doctrinal teachings of their leaders.
The clergyman Johan Frosterus is known in Finnish literary history as the eloquent author of the ... more The clergyman Johan Frosterus is known in Finnish literary history as the eloquent author of the first vernacular book on natural history (1791). Less well-known is his autobiography that yields extraordinary book-historical insights into one 18th century individual’s life with books on the Northern fringes of Europe. The paper analyzes Frosterus’ descriptions on the specific contexts of reading in his life, thus contributing to the history and practices of reading in early modernity. The most spectacular setting for his reading were the long months in the summer of 1741, when Finland as a part of Sweden was at war with Russia: Frosterus lay seriously ill in the manor of his employer that had been deserted in fear of invading enemy troops. He spent his time reading, preparing for his funeral and discussing his life with God.
The paper asks how the different contexts of reading relate to the reading experiences and emotions that Frosterus describes (e.g. reading as a religious or healing experience). Attention is paid, among other things, to the social setting of reading (reading alone vs. reading with friends or family), and to the stages of life/social roles while reading (reading as a child, a student, a Pietist, a professional cleric, and a man of science). While the autobiography describes reading ex post, it can be analyzed fruitfully in regard to the meanings Frosterus as an old man gave books, reading and religion when narrating his life.
The experiences of lay men and women labelled as “radicals” or “heretics” in the 16th century off... more The experiences of lay men and women labelled as “radicals” or “heretics” in the 16th century offer largely unexplored opportunities to broaden our picture of the Reformation(s) “from below”. Among such people the Anabaptists stand out as the most important and most feared group. My paper explores the potential of Anabaptist history to the larger Reformation and early modern historical scholarship. I will focus on issues of gender, family and local networks, drawing from my doctoral dissertation.
I argue that although these people have, firstly, long been banned to the margins of Reformation historiography and, secondly, Anabaptist scholarship has emphasized their withdrawal from the world, many of them actually continued to live and work in their home villages even after joining a forbidden religious group. As the basic social unit, the family was crucial to the survival of Anabaptists and their possibility to pursue their religious practices. This was known also to the authorities, who laid down detailed instructions on how to track down, admonish and re-convert Anabaptists sheltered by their family members. Württemberg ordinances also discuss how the authorities should treat families torn apart by Anabaptism and those where Anabaptists were protected by family. I will outline the authorities’ main concerns, but the main focus will be placed on the statements of the Anabaptist men and women who were questioned for their own or their relatives’ religious activities. These interrogations yield insights into how these rank-and-file people understood themselves as wives and husbands, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. It also becomes clear that both men and women could act very actively and self-consciously in spreading Anabaptists ideas and texts, organizing meetings and sheltering fellow believers. This they did largely in the course of their everyday life in the village.
The paper examines the chronicle by the Catholic schoolmaster Hermann von Kerssenbrock about one ... more The paper examines the chronicle by the Catholic schoolmaster Hermann von Kerssenbrock about one of the most shocking and discussed events in 16th century Germany: the Anabaptist kingdom in Münster 1534/35, where adult baptism, community of goods and polygamy were established as new social and religious norms. Kerssenbrock's narrative, describing sinful sexuality in the besieged city, is here understood as a process of negotiating moral, sexual and religious norms within the own, emerging ‘confessional identity’ or culture. The focus is thus less on the Anabaptist ‘insider’ view of the events than on the ‘outside’ contemporaries discussing and denouncing Münsterite practices.
Call for contributions ends: February 28th, 2017
Workshop: Villa Lante, Rome, May 2018
Final subm... more Call for contributions ends: February 28th, 2017 Workshop: Villa Lante, Rome, May 2018 Final submission of articles: Autumn 2018
Studies on medieval social and cultural history have already for several decades demonstrated the rich possibilities hagiographic material can offer the historian interested in everyday life, lived religion and society. Since the late fifteenth century, this material has experienced an unprecedented growth in volume. Nevertheless, there is still a great need for studies on lived religion and everyday life portrayed through early modern catholic hagiographic material.
To address this need, we invite abstracts for contributions on the subject from scholars working with early modern (ca. 15th–18th centuries) hagiographic material, such as beatification and canonisation processes, other miracle accounts, art, vitae, and other spiritual (auto)biographies. The aim is to produce a high-quality collection of articles, which offers cutting-edge and fruitful insights into early modern social and cultural history, using hagiographic texts and art as sources. We especially welcome contributions, which have a sensitive approach to gender, age, health and social status.
The deadline for submitting abstracts is the end of February 2017. Twelve most promising abstracts will be selected. If funding can be secured, the article drafts will be discussed in May 2018 in a workshop organised at the Finnish Institute in Rome (Villa Lante). The collection of articles will be submitted to an international publisher following the peer-review process soon after the meeting, in autumn 2018.
Suitable article topics for the collection will include, but are not limited to: ● family and household, gender roles ● health, body, dis/ability, illness, and cure ● death and salvation ● religious practices and materiality of religion ● identity and community
Please send an abstract of no more than 300 words for an English article and a short biography including name, affiliation and the most important publications, to earlymodernhagiography@gmail.com by Tuesday February 28th, 2017.
Editors and contact information:
Jenni Kuuliala PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher (Academy of Finland) Faculty of Social Sciences / History FI-33014 University of Tampere tel. +358 50 3313 929 e-mail jenni.kuuliala@uta.fi
Päivi Räisänen-Schröder PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher (Academy of Finland) Faculty of Theology P.O. Box 4, 00014 University of Helsinki FINLAND tel +358 02941 23053 e-mail paivi.raisanen@helsinki.fi
Rose-Marie Peake PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher University of Helsinki Office: Meritullinkatu 29 A 25, 00170 Helsinki, Finland Tel. +358 44 3771745 rosemarie.peake@gmail.com
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Papers by Päivi Räisänen-Schröder
The history of especially early modern laity’s reading is methodologically challenging, but I argue that the sources available, if read carefully, do allow at least some glimpses into what books and texts the people suspected of forbidden Anabaptism owned, borrowed, distributed, read and discussed. I will present preliminary findings from the duchy of Württemberg with its persistent Anabaptist minority as a case study and discuss the importance and uses of books, especially songbooks, among rank-and-file Anabaptists in the late 16th century. Anabaptist songbooks are especially fruitful to study, as they point to the communal character of early modern reading in general – far more than nowadays, reading was a social activity and the lines between reading, praying, preaching, discussing and, indeed, singing are sometimes hard to draw. These practices were deeply embedded in the Anabaptists’ lived experiences, which have been studied far less than the doctrinal teachings of their leaders.
The paper asks how the different contexts of reading relate to the reading experiences and emotions that Frosterus describes (e.g. reading as a religious or healing experience). Attention is paid, among other things, to the social setting of reading (reading alone vs. reading with friends or family), and to the stages of life/social roles while reading (reading as a child, a student, a Pietist, a professional cleric, and a man of science). While the autobiography describes reading ex post, it can be analyzed fruitfully in regard to the meanings Frosterus as an old man gave books, reading and religion when narrating his life.
I argue that although these people have, firstly, long been banned to the margins of Reformation historiography and, secondly, Anabaptist scholarship has emphasized their withdrawal from the world, many of them actually continued to live and work in their home villages even after joining a forbidden religious group. As the basic social unit, the family was crucial to the survival of Anabaptists and their possibility to pursue their religious practices. This was known also to the authorities, who laid down detailed instructions on how to track down, admonish and re-convert Anabaptists sheltered by their family members. Württemberg ordinances also discuss how the authorities should treat families torn apart by Anabaptism and those where Anabaptists were protected by family. I will outline the authorities’ main concerns, but the main focus will be placed on the statements of the Anabaptist men and women who were questioned for their own or their relatives’ religious activities. These interrogations yield insights into how these rank-and-file people understood themselves as wives and husbands, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. It also becomes clear that both men and women could act very actively and self-consciously in spreading Anabaptists ideas and texts, organizing meetings and sheltering fellow believers. This they did largely in the course of their everyday life in the village.
Workshop: Villa Lante, Rome, May 2018
Final submission of articles: Autumn 2018
Studies on medieval social and cultural history have already for several decades demonstrated the rich possibilities hagiographic material can offer the historian interested in everyday life, lived religion and society. Since the late fifteenth century, this material has experienced an unprecedented growth in volume. Nevertheless, there is still a great need for studies on lived religion and everyday life portrayed through early modern catholic hagiographic material.
To address this need, we invite abstracts for contributions on the subject from scholars working with early modern (ca. 15th–18th centuries) hagiographic material, such as beatification and canonisation processes, other miracle accounts, art, vitae, and other spiritual (auto)biographies. The aim is to produce a high-quality collection of articles, which offers cutting-edge and fruitful insights into early modern social and cultural history, using hagiographic texts and art as sources. We especially welcome contributions, which have a sensitive approach to gender, age, health and social status.
The deadline for submitting abstracts is the end of February 2017. Twelve most promising abstracts will be selected. If funding can be secured, the article drafts will be discussed in May 2018 in a workshop organised at the Finnish Institute in Rome (Villa Lante). The collection of articles will be submitted to an international publisher following the peer-review process soon after the meeting, in autumn 2018.
Suitable article topics for the collection will include, but are not limited to:
● family and household, gender roles
● health, body, dis/ability, illness, and cure
● death and salvation
● religious practices and materiality of religion
● identity and community
Please send an abstract of no more than 300 words for an English article and a short biography including name, affiliation and the most important publications, to earlymodernhagiography@gmail.com by Tuesday February 28th, 2017.
Editors and contact information:
Jenni Kuuliala
PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher (Academy of Finland)
Faculty of Social Sciences / History
FI-33014 University of Tampere
tel. +358 50 3313 929
e-mail jenni.kuuliala@uta.fi
Päivi Räisänen-Schröder
PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher (Academy of Finland)
Faculty of Theology
P.O. Box 4, 00014 University of Helsinki
FINLAND
tel +358 02941 23053
e-mail paivi.raisanen@helsinki.fi
Rose-Marie Peake
PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Helsinki
Office: Meritullinkatu 29 A 25, 00170 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 44 3771745
rosemarie.peake@gmail.com