Routledge - Pain, Pleasure and Perversity: Seventeenth-Century England

Explore the complex history of religious thought and human experience with Pain, Pleasure and Perversity: Discourses of Suffering in Seventeenth-Century England. Published by Routledge, this scholarly work examines how the concept of suffering shaped religious discourse from the Renaissance through the end of the seventeenth century. The book addresses the fundamental question of why a benevolent God allows creation to suffer, a theme central to religious thought since Luther's 95 Theses. By analyzing various works translated into English, primarily from Spanish and Italian sources, the text charts the processes by which religious discussions regarding pain and suffering became marginalized during this transformative era. This study provides deep insight into the roles of translators and editors in shaping these narratives. It is an essential resource for students and historians interested in the evolution of religious thought, the history of England, and the cultural shifts within seventeenth-century Europe.