Description
Book V
Book summary
This fifth volume of Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo’s monumental *History of Spanish Heterodoxy* delves into the dissident currents of the 17th century. The reader will find a scholarly and detailed analysis of mystical sects, the survival of Judaizing and Morisco practices, and the influence of witchcraft in Counter-Reformation Spain. The work examines key figures such as Miguel de Molinos and the *alumbrados*, offering an exhaustive view of religious conflicts from a conservative doctrinal perspective.
What is it about?
The book focuses on the manifestations of heterodoxy in Spain during the 17th century. Menéndez y Pelayo meticulously analyzes the currents that deviated from Catholic orthodoxy, dedicating specific chapters to mystical movements, such as the quietism of Molinos, and to the groups of Judaizers and Moriscos that still persisted. Likewise, it addresses the practices of witchcraft and popular superstition, examining their origin and development. Each section combines the presentation of historical facts with a critical analysis that defends the purity of Catholicism, using religious texts, inquisitorial proceedings, and contemporary writings as sources.
Main themes
- Mystical sects and quietism in 17th-century Spain
- The figure of Miguel de Molinos and the *alumbrados*
- The survival of Judaism and Islam (Judaizers and Moriscos) as forms of heterodoxy
- Witchcraft and superstitious practices in the context of the Inquisition
- The analysis of religious dissent from an orthodox and conservative perspective
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at historians, researchers, and students of Church history, theology, and Spanish thought. It is also of great interest to readers specializing in the Spain of the Golden Age, the Inquisition, and dissident philosophical-religious currents. It requires a reader with prior academic training or a deep interest in historical scholarship.
What this book offers
- An exhaustive and documented study of heterodox currents in 17th-century Spain.
- Access to a critical analysis based on primary sources such as inquisitorial proceedings and texts from the period.
- A deep understanding of the conservative and orthodox view on religious dissent within the Spanish historical context.
Technical specifications
- Author: Menéndez y Pelayo, Marcelino
- Publisher: Linkgua Ediciones
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Classic texts
- Collection: Religion
- Binding: Other
- Publication date: October 2006
- Number of pages: 220
- Weight: 278 g
Editorial review
This is an essential reference work for the study of religious heterodoxy in Spain. Its value lies in the immense erudition of Menéndez y Pelayo and in the detail with which he addresses each current, although the reader should be aware of the author's marked orthodox perspective. It is a fundamental text for specialists seeking a primary source of Spanish conservative thought and a detailed analysis of the doctrinal conflicts of the 17th century.