Routledge - Public Religious Disputation in England 1558-1626

Explore a unique aspect of Reformation history with this scholarly work from the St Andrews Studies in Reformation History series. This book examines the practice of direct, scholarly disputation in England from the accession of Elizabeth I through the mid-1620s. While much of the religious controversy following the Reformation is often viewed as a mass of subjective polemic, this volume rehabilitates a neglected form of discourse. It focuses on the formal debates held between opposing clergy, including Catholic, Protestant, and nonconformist Puritan divines. By analyzing these antagonistic yet structured academic exchanges, the text provides a new perspective on how religious ideas were contested and communicated during a transformative era in Great Britain. It is an essential resource for students and historians interested in the Stuart Britain period and the evolution of religious debate.