Piety and sociability in early modern women's devotional writing

The letters of early modern women demonstrate that their experience of religion was essentially social, contrary to the impression created by much modern work on diaries or meditations. The stereotypical melancholic, pious lady is far from the ideal offered by spiritual advisors, women and men, in their correspondence. Letters demonstrate how women created networks of spiritual support within and beyond their families. Letters also testify to the agency exercised by early modern women in religious matters, particularly in their assumption of the role of religious advisor and in their engagement with ecclesiastical politics. While this is far from showing that religion empowered all early modern women, it does offer a corrective to the unduly gloomy view of the role of religion in such women's lives. Letters provide indispensable testimony to the social nature of women's responses to the changing religious culture and politics of the eighteenth century.

Piety and pietism

I will begin with an introductory sketch of pietism, including its nature and its pitfalls, before proceeding to a discussion of a more balanced conception of piety. As will be made clear below, the term ‘pietism’ is intended to have a negative connotation, indicating the transformation of ‘piety’ into something that bears little connection to a genuinely religious way of life.

Types of Jewish-Palestinian piety : from 70 B.C.E. to 70 C.E. ; the ancient pious men

by Adolph Büchler

Patriotism and piety. The speeches of His Excellency Caleb Strong, esq., to the Senate and House of representatives of the commonwealth of Massachusetts; with their answers; and other official publick papers of His Excellency, from 1800 to 1807.

Mode of access: Internet.

The parent's monitor, and teacher's assistant; consisting of biographical sketches, and observations on religious education and personal piety.

Mode of access: Internet.

Parent's monitor: or,Narratives, anecdotes, and observations on religious education and personal piety; designed for the instruction and encouragement of parents, guardians, and teachers. In three parts /

Shaw & Shoemaker (1829): 37698.

Friends' miscellany: being a collection of essays and fragments, biographical, religious, epistolary, narrative and historical; designed for the promotion of piety and virtue ...

Mode of access: Internet.