Lest We Be Damned

Presenting the Reformation from the viewpoint of ordinary Catholics torn between salvation and damnation, sovereign and pope and faith and social position, this study reveals the daily realities faced by ordinary believers and the clergy who attempted to provide realistic opportunities for Catholics to remain Catholic in Protestant England. Through compelling personal stories and in rich detail, McClain reveals the give-and-take interaction between the institutional church in Rome and the needs of believers and the hands-on clergy who provided their pastoral care within England. In doing so, she illuminates larger issues of how believers and low-level clergy push the limits of official orthodoxy in order to meet devotional needs.