Radical Religion in the English Revolution

Book excerpt: Questions of religion lay at the center of the 'glorious flux' of politics and society in the English Revolution. In particular, the radicalism of the period stemmed directly from religious dissent. These eight essays offer a fresh survey of the popular religious movements and ideas between 1640 and 1660 which were the driving force behind the radical politics of the Revolution. Focusing on the Quakers, Levellers, Baptists, and other groups that existed outside the ruling Stuart society, the contributors highlight the social, political, and economic significance of many of these groups in 17th-century England.