Traditional Orthodoxies and New Approaches

Before I begin to offer my analysis of what the Encyclopedia of the Reformation tells us about Reformation studies, I should first explain my role in its production. I have been one of six senior editors, responsible for what was loosely termed "social history and popular religion." Four of the other editors have been in charge of specific geographic areas, and David Steinmetz has been in charge of theology, so I have generally thought of my role as the editor for "other." That meant "my" articles began with "alchemy" and ended with "women," including in between entries on such topics as capitalism, death, divorce, drama, Jews, miracles, music, polygamy, printing, science, sexuality, and time. I was in charge of fewer entries than most of my coeditors-102 out of 1200-but more words, as I ended up with nearly all the longest articles. That alone, I think, indicates the clear acceptance of one "new approach," an approach picked up by the marketing department at Oxford, whose banner head describes the Encyclopedia as "the definitive reference on society in early modern Europe." It was also noted at a very early editors' meeting, where one of the consulting editors commented-not exactly with dismay, but not exactly with triumph either-"do you realize we've given witchcraft more words than Luther

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• On the Margin

  Lee Patterson•Speculum•1990

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• Desire and discipline

  Open Access•Katharine Park•Journal of the History of the…•2000

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