Popular and Elite Religion: Feastdays and Preaching
David d’Avray
In rejecting the distinction between elite and popular religion, Eamon Duffy’s presidential address echoes a much earlier contribution to Studies in Church History. Arnaldo Momigliano found dichotomy misleading where Christian historians of Late Antiquity were concerned, as Dermot Fenlon points out later this volume, showing that other too thinking along same lines. present volume Professor Duffy makes similar point with great force for different time place, late medieval England. Here his Stripping Altars liturgy has key role argument. He observes Books Hours or Primers are form monastic office. Taking thought further on lines he clearly intends, one could argue psychology prayer is two cases rosary also. all three thoughts need not be about words, focus may different, but words work mantra shut distractions create devout frame mind.
Studies in Church History