In the first edition of this now-classic text, Richard Peterson offered an important revaluation of the poetry of Ben Jonson and a new appreciation of the way in which the classical doctrine of imitation-the creative use of the thoughts and words of predecessors-permeates and shapes Jonson's critical ideas and his work as a whole. The publication of the original book in 1981 led to a reinterpretation of the poems and a coherent view of Jonson's philosophy; the resulting portrait of Jonson served as a corrective to earlier views based primarily on the satiric poems and plays. This second edition of Imitation and Praise in the Poems of Ben Jonson makes Peterson's important scholarship available to a new generation of scholars and students.

Pope's overriding concern is with the role of the church in social affairs ...he contributes insights into many related issues, including the distinction between church and sect, the relation between social class and religion, the impact of economic development and technological change on the community ...and the causes and consequences of mob behavior.-from the new Introduction This reprinting in paperback form of Pope's classic study in the sociology of religion is a true joy.-Concordia Theological Monthly