Are you alone wise? : the search for certainty in the early modern era /

This erudite, wide-ranging study by Schreiner (Univ. of Chicago; The Theater of His Glory, 1991) explores the quest for certainty about God, self, and the natural world in early modern European history and theology. The book's significant contribution is in broadening readers' understanding of the quest for certainty, rooting it in developments in early modern philosophy and culture. Schreiner shows how questions of certainty and fears of self-deception about one's status before God, Scriptural interpretation, and the discernment of spirits were not only a Lutheran preoccupation but a central theme in John Calvin's writings and for the Council of Trent, Martin Luther, and Teresa of Avila. In order to show the ways debates over certainty took place in a broader cultural context, the book also explores certainty in Montaigne's philosophy and in Shakespeare's plays. This broad range of sources allows Schreiner to show both surprising commonalities and sharp disagreements in the works of early modern authors. All students of Reformation theology will need to read and digest this book; it is a must for any collection supporting graduate programs in theology. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty. A. W. Klink Duke University