The reformation of suffering

"Focusing especially on Wittenberg Christianity, The reformation of suffering examines the genesis of Protestant doctrines of suffering among the leading reformers, traces the transmission of these doctrines from the reformers to the common clergy, and examines the reception of these ideas by laypeople. Rittgers underscores the importance of consolation in early modern Protestantism and seeks to challenge a scholarly trend that has emphasized the themes of discipline and control in Wittenberg Christianity." -- Book jacket.