Voices Of The Turtledoves: The Sacred World Of Ephrata (Arbeiten Zur Geschichte Des Pietismus) - Hardcover

Jeff Bach

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 3525558279 ISBN 13: 9783525558270

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003

Synopsis

J. Bach examines Pennsylvania's Ephrata Cloister during the colonial period through the lens of religious literature and practices. The book proposes that religion is the key to understanding the unique social community that emerged at Ephrata and also helps us to interpret some of Ephrata's remaining material culture, such as their architecture and manuscript art.This is the first book to examine Ephrata's religious thought based on extensive reading in all of the major printed works by Ephrata authors. Expanding the focus beyond just Conrad Beissel, Ephrata's founder, has led Bach to conclude for the first time that a core of similar religious thought was broadly shared at Ephrata, even by critics within the community who were dissatisfied with Beissel's personality.The central point of the book is that the Ephrata community advocated a mystical Christian life, preparing for and anticipating an awareness of God's immediate presence.

About this title

Review:

"Bach uses the unique, mystical language of Ephrata to present a comprehensive view of this sacred community." --Susquehanna Life "Bach's book is a hard read, but not because he does not handle his subject deftly and with competence. Rather, as Beissel's successor Peter Miller observed about the mystical language of Ephrata, 'Those who speak it are hard to understand.' Thanks to Bach, their voices (likened as they are to the cooing of turtledoves) become much more intelligible." --Edsel Burdge, Jr., Mennonite Quarterly Review "For the serious student of colonial Pennsylvania, the Brethren movement, communal societies, or Pietism in early America, Bach's work is essential reading. The excellent bibliographical essay alone (pp. 197-217) makes it indispensable for academic libraries." --David B. Eller, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography "The virtues of Bach's book are considerable; however, its chief value is in providing a solid intellectual history of the Ephratan experiment. Bach's clear understanding of the tenets of mysticism and of Boehmist thought allows him to explain elements of Ephratan life and thought which would otherwise be unexplainable." --James Gallant, Utopian Studies "No one, however, has set out the community's history or illuminated its ideological basis and coherence nearly as well as Bach has. This book will be the standard work on the subject for decades to come, and it constitutes an important contribution to scholarship in American religious history and the history of intentional communities." --Timothy Miller, Journal of American History "Although dozens, if not hundreds, of book and articles have previously told Ephrata's story and attempted to plumb its mystical theology, Jeff Bach's is the first book to do the job comprehensively, empathetically, and accurately. . . . No one, however, has set out the community's history or illuminated its ideological basis and coherence nearly as well as Bach has. This book will be the standard work on the subject for decades to come, and it constitutes an important contribution to scholarship in American religious history and the history of intentional communities." --Timothy Miller, Journal of American History "Jeff Bach allows us to understand the ingredients of Ephrata's theology and challenges us to explore how these particular Protestant Pietists fit into the religious smorgasbord that was colonial Pennsylvania. Voices of the Turtledoves answers many questions and raises still more." --Elizabeth Lewis Pardoe, William and Mary Quarterly "Bach (Bethany Theological Seminary) has mastered the primary sources--many are in German--and deciphered the religious language and images of Ephrata's extensive devotional literature, letters, hymns, and art. The author's narrow focus on interpreting the religious language of Ephata will limit interest in this monograph to advanced students and scholars." --W.B. Bedford, Crown College, Choice "Where numerous scholars failed in past centuries to write a definitive work about Ephrata Cloister during its peak years as an ethnic, religious, and cultural curiosity in America, Jeff Bach successfully articulates the context in which Ephrata was created and functioned. His research is grounded in thorough knowledge of the European religious thought, practice, and writing that heavily influenced Ephrata's founder and spiritual leader, Conrad Beissel." --Nadine A. Steinmetz, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Site Director of Ephrata Cloister, 1984-1995

About the Author:

Jeff Bach is Associate Professor of Brethren and Historical Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary. During the summer of 1995, he served as Scholar in Residence at the Ephrata Cloister.

About this edition

• Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 3525558279
• ISBN 13: 9783525558270
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 282