Godly Zeal and Furious Rage (RLE Witchcraft) : The Witch in Early Modern Europe

This work offers a conspectus of historical work on witchcraft in Europe, and shows how many trends converged to form the figure of the witch, and varied from one part of Europe to another. At the root of the persecution of witches is the image of Christian society which the various ruling elites were keen to keep pure. All historians will welcome this ambitious work of synthesis of a highly complex topic.

Though it is clearly an exceptionally important part of popular culture, witchcraft has generated a variety of often contradictory interpretations, starting from widely differing premises about the nature of witchcraft, its social role and the importance of higher theology as well as more popular beliefs. This work offers a conspectus of historical work on witchcraft in Europe, and shows how many trends converged to form the figure of the witch, and varied from one part of Europe to another.