by W. R. Ward (Author)
This book marks a major development in our understanding of the religious history of both Europe and North America during the first half of the eighteenth century. It studies the early history of the Protestant revival movements from a pan-European, as well as Anglo-American viewpoint, and shows the interrelationships and movements among the major Protestant communities. It is a contribution to the history not only of religious belief and practice, but also to that of the successes and failures of eighteenth-century statecraft in dealing with problems of religious excitement and division during an age of enlightenment. It is based on a vast range of archival resources and published scholarly work ranging from Eastern Europe to the American colonies.