Religion, Children's Literature & Modernity in Western Europe 1755-2000

In this book some 25 scholars focus on the relationship between religion childrens literature and modernity in Western Europe since the Enlightenment c. 1750. T... » 

In this book some 25 scholars focus on the relationship between religion childrens literature and modernity in Western Europe since the Enlightenment c. 1750. They examine various aspects of the phenomenon of childrens literature such as types of texts age of readers position of authors design and illustration. The role of religion in giving meaning both in a substantive sense as well as through the institutionalised churches is studied from an interdenominational point of view Judaism Roman Catholicism Protestantism and Anglicanism. Finally the contribution of pedagogy and child psychology in the interaction between modernity religion and childrens literature is also discussed. Various articles give a broad overview of the tensions between aesthetics and ethics and the demand for cultural autonomy in the development of childrens literature. Childrens bibles and missionary stories played an important part in the growing diversification of childrens literature as did the publication of illustrated reviews for children. Remarkable differences are highlighted in the involvement of religious societies and institutions episcopally approved publishing houses and supervisory bodies in the publication distribution and supervision of childrens literature. This volume adopts a comparative approach in exploring the underlying religious ideological and cultural dimensions of childrens literature in modern society. «