Jeffrey T. Zalar is Associate Professor of History and the inaugural holder of the Ruth J. and Robert A. Conway Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies at the University of Cincinnati. He writes and lectures on the cultural and intellectual history of Roman Catholicism, the history of modern German religion, and the history of modern knowledge.
'With the scarcity of English language works on nineteenth-century German Catholic culture, Zalar's study is truly welcomed. He has produced a brilliant [and] sophisticated examination of the changing reading habits of Catholics over two centuries.' Kevin P. Spicer, Contemporary Church History Quarterly 'Zalar's work illustrates how German Catholics engaged in a long process of resistance against clerical direction and authority over what lay Catholics read ... This resistance demonstrates fundamental problems with traditional conceptions of clerical authority over the laity, it questions the religious milieu's cohesion and it gives lay Catholics ... much greater agency in their own history as Catholics and Germans.' Eric Yonke, German History 'A fluently written historical narrative ... Zalar's account is a very welcome one that engages with the research on Catholicism and enlarges it in a promising way.' Bernward Schmidt, Historische Zeitschrift 'With the scarcity of English language works on nineteenth-century German Catholic culture, Zalar's study is truly welcomed. He has produced a brilliant [and] sophisticated examination of the changing reading habits of Catholics over two centuries.' Kevin P. Spicer, Contemporary Church History Quarterly 'Zalar's work illustrates how German Catholics engaged in a long process of resistance against clerical direction and authority over what lay Catholics read ... This resistance demonstrates fundamental problems with traditional conceptions of clerical authority over the laity, it questions the religious milieu's cohesion and it gives lay Catholics ... much greater agency in their own history as Catholics and Germans.' Eric Yonke, German History 'A fluently written historical narrative ... Zalar's account is a very welcome one that engages with the research on Catholicism and enlarges it in a promising way.' Bernward Schmidt, Historische Zeitschrift