Instruments of Devotion: The Practices and Objects of Religious Piety from the Late Middle Ages to the 20th Century

Belief and religion are returning as focal concerns in modern philosophical debate. Interestingly, this 'religious turn' is most clearly seen in so-called post-modern or post-structuralist thinking. Today we are witnessing the dissolution of philosophical theories such as positivist scientism and Marxism, which thought they had definitively liquidated religion. After modernity, there are no more strong philosophical reasons either to be an atheist refusing religion or to be a theist refuting science.

The above, or similar, attitudes form a common point of departure for all the contributors to this anthology, and are the reason they feel that the studies of matters concerning religion in all aspects of life are of importance. Today's situation in Europe illustrates the need for historical knowledge and perspective on culture and religion, particularly Christianity and all its denominational varieties. Christianity's influence on and in European culture cannot be overestimated, particularly understood as a dynamic and multifaceted force. The European Network on the Instruments of Devotion or ENID, is an international research network coordinated from the University of Bergen, Norway.

Henning Laugerud PhD (art) is Senior lecturer at the Department of Cultural Studies and Oriental Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo, Norway. Laura Katrine Skinnebach has an MA in History and Communication from Roskilde University Centre in Denmark. She is currently a research-fellow at the University of Bergen, Bergen Museum, Norway.