

Emily Vine, "Birth, Death, and Domestic Religion in Early Modern London" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
10 snips Sep 24, 2025
Emily Vine, a historian specializing in early modern Britain, dives into the fascinating world of domestic religion in London from 1605 to 1780. She reveals how families of diverse faiths practiced their rituals at home due to public worship restrictions. Emily discusses childbirth as a deeply religious experience, highlighting the crucial role of female networks and midwives. She also uncovers how death practices maintained communal bonds, showcasing the importance of home in sustaining vibrant religious communities, especially among women.
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Homes As Core Religious Sites
- Early modern London homes hosted vital religious life alongside churches and synagogues.
- Emily Vine argues domestic practice shaped communal religion across denominations.
Why 1605–1780 Matters
- Vine frames the study from 1605 to 1780 to track community changes across two centuries.
- This span captures Jewish readmission, Huguenot immigration, and the Toleration Act effects.
Life-Cycle Moments Made Homes Permeable
- People practiced religion at home for different reasons: supplementing public worship or because public worship was inaccessible.
- Vine focuses on childbirth and death as universal life-cycle moments that made homes communal religious spaces.