The stripping of the altars

'The Stripping of the Altars' by Eamon Duffy is a study of the traditional religious culture of England in the years leading up to the Reformation.

The book examines the beliefs and practices of ordinary people, highlighting the importance of ritual, imagery, and community in their spiritual lives.

Duffy challenges conventional narratives of the Reformation as a straightforward triumph of Protestantism, arguing that late medieval Catholicism was a vibrant and deeply rooted faith.

The book explores the ways in which religious devotion was expressed through liturgical ceremonies, the veneration of saints, and participation in parish life.

Through meticulous research and vivid prose, Duffy reconstructs a world of shared beliefs and communal rituals that was irrevocably altered by the religious changes of the 16th century.