A Companion to the Great Western Schism (1378-1417)

This collection presents the broadest range of experiences faced during the Schism, center and periphery, clerical and lay, male and female, Christian and Muslim, theology, including exegesis of Scripture, diplomacy, French literature, reform, art, and finance.

Review:

Since its initiation in 2006, the series to which this volume belongs has established itself as a major reference point for scholars working on Christian history. The volumes offer comprehensive reviews of the state of play in a specific field of research without sacrificing quality and originality in their contributions. This track record of success is maintained by the collection of essays under review, which provide the reader with a stimulating introduction to the most fruitful areas of current research on the Great Schism. Norman Housley, University of Leicester. In: The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 62, No. 2 (April 2011), pp. 385-386. Given the deeply contested historical interpretations of the Schism ... the present volume develops a welcome methodological commitment to an antipartisan (or benignly a-confessional) approach to this historically contested field...engages both the history and the historiography of the Great Schism while simultaneously presenting a fresh methodological approach to this previously contentious era of ecclesial history. John T. Slotemaker, Boston College. In Religious Studies Review, Vol. 37, No.3 (September 2011), pp. 223. This volume adds to an already large and impressive collection in Brill's series of companions to the Christian tradition, which cover mostly the medieval and Reformation periods, giving attention to such topics as quodlibetical disputations, prayer, penance, indulgences, and several important historical figures. This volume is a welcome addition to the series, gathering together as it does several intelligently written chapters by leading scholars engaging with the most up-to-date scholarship. The volume aims to be introductory, and it achieves this aim admirably. Sean Otto, Wycliffe College, Toronto School of Theology. In: Toronto Journal of Theology, Vol. 27, No. 1 (2011), pp. 117-118. This wide-ranging and fascinating collection deserves a large readership, offering much to everyone from neophytes to seasoned scholars. Each of the eleven contributors examines and carefully evaluates earlier research, and then presents new contexts and materials for analyzing various aspects of the Schism. Alison Williams Lewin, Saint Joseph's University. In: Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 63, No. 4 (Winter 2010), pp. 1332-1333. Mit diesem Sammelband ist es Herausgebern und Autoren zweifellos gelungen, einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Erforschung des Schisma-Ausbruchs und seines Verlaufs zu liefern. Die auch methodisch ambitionierten Ansatze zeigen Wege auf, wie es moglich ist, lange schon ungeloste Probleme auf innovative und produktive Art und Weise anzugehen. Ansgar Frenken, Ulm (H-Soz-u-Kult, 1 August 2010)