Contents -- Introduction -- PART I. DISCERNING AND CONTROLLING INVISIBLE FORCES: THE IMAGE OF 'SUPERSTITION' IN THE LITERATURE -- 1. The Problems of Pre-modern Life -- 2. A Densely Populated Universe -- 3. Helpful Performances: The Uses of Ritual -- 4. Insight and Foresight: Techniques of Divination -- PART II. THE LEARNED RESPONSE TO SUPERSTITIONS IN THE MIDDLE AGES: ANGELS AND DEMONS -- 5. The Patristic and Early Medieval Heritage -- 6. Scholastic Demonology in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries -- 7. The Demonological Reading of Superstitions in the Late Middle Ages: Areas of Consensus -- 8. The Demonological Reading of Superstitions in the Late Middle Ages: Areas of Difference and Disagreement -- 9. The Pastoral Use of the Scholastic Critique of Superstitions -- PART III. SUPERSTITIONS IN CONTROVERSY: RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATIONS -- 10. Some Renaissance Christian Humanists and 'Superstition' -- 11. Magic, the Fallen World, and Fallen Humanity: Martin Luther on the Devil and Superstitions -- 12. Prodigies, Providences, and Possession: The Sixteenth-Century Protestant Context -- 13. The Protestant Critique of Consecrations: Catholicism as Superstition -- 14. The Reformed Doctrine of Providence and the Transformation of the Devil -- 15. Reformed Catholicism: Purifying Sources, Defending Traditions -- PART IV. THE COSMOS CHANGES SHAPE: SUPERSTITION IS REDEFINED -- 16. Demonology Becomes an Open Subject in the Seventeenth Century -- 17. Defending the 'Invisible World': The Campaign against 'Saducism' -- 18. Towards the Enlightenment -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z.