The Cambridge Companion to the Jesuits

This Companion explores the religious and cultural significance of the Society of Jesus or 'Jesuits'.

Thomas Worcester (Edited by)

9780521673969, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 20 March 2008

374 pages, 13 b/w illus.
22.5 x 15.5 x 2.3 cm, 0.606 kg

'The Cambridge Companions to Religion, a subset of the extensive Cambridge Companions series, aim 'to provide an accessible and stimulating introduction to the subject for new readers and non-specialists' through 'specially commissioned chapters by international scholars.' This volume fulfils its task admirably.' Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu

Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) obtained papal approval in 1540 for a new international religious order called the Society of Jesus. Until the mid-1700s the 'Jesuits' were active in many parts of Europe and far beyond. Gaining both friends and enemies in response to their work as teachers, scholars, writers, preachers, missionaries and spiritual directors, the Jesuits were formally suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773 and restored by Pope Pius VII in 1814. The Society of Jesus then grew until the 1960s; it has more recently experienced declining membership in Europe and North America, but expansion in other parts of the world. This Companion examines the religious and cultural significance of the Jesuits. The first four sections treat the period prior to the Suppression, while section five examines the Suppression and some of the challenges and opportunities of the restored Society of Jesus up to the present.

Introduction Thomas Worcester
Part I. Ignatius of Loyola: 1. The religious milieu of the young Ignatius Lu Ann Homza
2. Five personae of Ignatius of Loyola J. Carlos Coupeau
3. The spiritual exercises Philip Endean
Part II. European Foundations of the Jesuits: 4. Jesuit Rome and Italy Paul Murphy
5. The society of Jesus in the three kingdoms Thomas McCoog
6. Jesuit dependence on the French monarchy Thomas Worcester
7. Women Jesuits? Gemma Simmonds
8. Jesuits in Poland and Eastern Europe Stanislaw Obirek
Part III. Geographic and Ethnic Frontiers: 9. The Jesuit enterprise in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Japan M. Antoni J. Üçerler
10. Jesuits in China Nicolas Standaert
11. The Jesuits in New France Jacques Monet
12. Racial and ethnic minorities in the Society of Jesus Thomas Cohen
Part IV. Arts and Sciences: 13. Jesuit architecture in colonial Latin America Gauvin Alexander Bailey
14. The Jesuits and the quiet side of scientific revolution Louis Caruana
Part V. Jesuits in the Modern World: 15. The suppression and restoration Jonathan Wright
16. Jesuit schools in the USA, 1814–ca.1970 Gerald McKevitt
17. Jesuit theological discourse since Vatican II Mary Ann Hinsdale
18. Jesuits today Thomas Worcester.

Subject Areas: Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church [HRCC7], History of religion [HRAX], Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH]