History and Presence

In History and Presence, religious studies scholar Robert Orsi examines how Catholics throughout history have experienced divine presence in their everyday lives. The book focuses on Catholics' relationships with saints, the Virgin Mary, Christ, and other divine figures who they believed were tangibly present in the material world. Through case studies spanning several centuries, Orsi investigates how modern secular society and academic frameworks have dismissed or rationalized these experiences of divine presence. He draws from historical records, ethnographic research, and personal accounts to document how Catholics engaged with the sacred in schools, homes, churches, and public spaces. The book analyzes specific Catholic practices and beliefs, including the veneration of relics, Eucharistic devotion, and interactions with religious statues and images. Orsi uses these examples to challenge the boundaries between presence and absence, past and present, heaven and earth that shape contemporary understandings of religion. This study raises fundamental questions about how scholars study religion and suggests new ways to understand experiences of the divine beyond the constraints of modern secular assumptions. The work bridges historical research with theoretical insights about materiality, embodiment, and the nature of religious experience.

Readers appreciate Orsi's detailed examination of Catholic concepts of real presence and his challenge to modern assumptions about religion. Many found his case studies compelling, particularly those about Catholic immigrants and healing shrines. Religious studies scholars noted the book offers fresh perspectives on materiality and embodiment in religious practice. Criticism focused on the book's dense academic writing style and theoretical framework, which some found difficult to follow. A few readers wanted more exploration of non-Catholic traditions. One reviewer on Amazon noted the book "gets bogged down in academic jargon." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (23 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (8 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Helps explain why secular frameworks fail to capture religious experience" - Goodreads review "Important contribution to religious studies but not accessible to general readers" - Amazon review "The historical examples breathe life into complex theoretical concepts" - Goodreads review

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🔹 Robert Orsi developed this book from his 2001 Merle Curti Lectures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, exploring how modern people experience divine presence in their everyday lives. 🔹 The book challenges the common academic assumption that modernity equals disenchantment, showing how Catholic believers continue to experience the "real presence" of saints, gods, and the divine in tangible ways. 🔹 Through vivid case studies, including accounts of survivors of clerical sexual abuse, Orsi demonstrates how religious experiences of presence can be both healing and harmful. 🔹 The author grew up in the Bronx during the 1950s and 1960s, and his personal experiences with Italian-American Catholicism significantly influenced his understanding of lived religion. 🔹 The book introduces the concept of "abundant events" - moments when the supernatural breaks through into ordinary life - drawing from extensive archival research and oral histories spanning the 19th and 20th centuries.