The Birth of Purgatory by Jacques Le Goff is a detailed study exploring the birth, growth, and development of the doctrine of Purgatory in medieval Europe. The book offers a fascinating account of the creation and gradual adoption of Purgatory, providing ample explanation and reference on a topic that is of particular interest to scholars of history, theology, and art history. Le Goff delves into the history of the Catholic Church and medieval society, tracing the evolution of the idea of Purgatory as a place from ancient times to its culmination in church doctrine and figures like Dante.
Le Goff's writing style in The Birth of Purgatory is thorough, meticulously researched, and offers a neutral perspective on Catholic doctrine. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the conflict between Catholics and Protestants, the role of space in the formation of the concept of Purgatory, and the theological evidence for its existence. With a focus on historical context and cultural beliefs, Le Goff presents a comprehensive exploration of how the idea of Purgatory evolved over centuries and its significance in shaping medieval society and religious thought.
From The Publisher:
In The Birth of Purgatory , Jacques Le Goff, the brilliant medievalist and renowned Annales historian, is concerned not with theological discussion but with the growth of an idea, with the relation between belief and society, with mental structures, and with the historical role of the imagination. Le Goff argues that the doctrine of Purgatory did not appear in the Latin theology of the West before the late twelfth century, that the word purgatorium did not exist until then. He shows that the growth of a belief in an intermediate place between Heaven and Hell was closely bound up with profound changes in the social and intellectual reality of the Middle Ages. Throughout, Le Goff makes use of a wealth of archival material, much of which he has translated for the first time, inviting readers to examine evidence from the writings of great, obscure, or anonymous theologians.
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