Earning Heavenly Salvation

This book examines the religious culture of Lesser Poland's peasants and the influence of faith on their lives during significant social changes. Earning Heavenly Salvation explores external religiosity and community ethics.

The book Earning Heavenly Salvation provides an in-depth exploration of the religious culture among the peasant community in Lesser Poland during the early modern period. It delves into how religion shaped the lives and attitudes of these peasants amidst significant religious and social transformations. The study spans from the height of the Reformation movements in Poland through the Enlightenment reforms, culminating in the decline of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

A key focus of Earning Heavenly Salvation is the impact of the Tridentine reform of the Catholic Church on this largely illiterate group. The text emphasizes external religiosity, examining how communal beliefs and practices influenced social ethics, individual morals, and folk rituals. By analyzing the social, communal, and economic aspects of religious life, the book paints a vivid picture of how faith permeated everyday existence for the peasant class.

Moreover, the author meticulously discusses the ways in which these religious beliefs were not just personal but were woven into the fabric of community life. The findings shed light on the complex interplay between religion and social structure, offering insights into the formation of collective identity among peasants. Earning Heavenly Salvation ultimately serves as a significant contribution to the understanding of religious dynamics in a transformative historical context.