Farář jako člen venkovské elity? K otázce postavení katolického kléru ve venkovské společnosti českých zemí v 17. a 18. století // The parish priest as a member of a rural elite? On the position of the catholic clergy in the rural society of the Czech lands in the 17th and 18th century

Abstract

A priest administering a parish did not live in the Early Modern times, despite the ideals of the post-Tridentine Church, in isolation from the surrounding world. Following this initial thesis, the study focuses on analysing various factors that integrated the clergy with the rural society, on the one hand, and those that separated it from it, on the other hand. The status of the parish priest as an elite member of rural society is explored both in the context of his exclusive position as a spiritual administrator and his economic activities and, last but not least, of his relations with his superiors, parishioners and patron.

Keywords

• Catholic parish clergy
• Czech Lands
• 17th–18th century
• rural society