Divided Loyalties? Pushing the Boundaries of Gender and Lay Roles in the Catholic Church, 1534-1829

Explores how Catholic women and men managed the competing demands of church, family and state by pushing the boundaries of gender and laypeople's roles Focuses on the experiences of individuals across three centuries to reveal patterns of evolving gender and religious norms Offers timely historical perspectives on change within the Catholic Church

Lisa McClain is Professor of History and Gender Studies at Boise State University, USA, specializing in the history of Catholicism and the intersections of gender, religion, and popular culture. Her previous works include Lest We Be Damned: Practical Innovation and Lived Experience among Catholics in Protestant England 1559-1642.

1 Introduction: Devout Outlaws.- Part I.- 2 The New Normal.- 3 Disobedient Women.- 4 Wodehouse's Choice.- 5 Amending the Marriage Contract.- Part II.- 6 The 'Good Catholic'.- 7 Sharing the Job: Cooperation between the Priesthood and Laity.- 8 Where the Catholic Church Draws the Line: Mary Ward vs the Priesthood.