“Cruel sacrifices of popish preests”. Theology and the Eucharist debate in Reginald Scot ´s The Discoverie of Witchcraft

Abstract

The next pages will attempt to shed light on the theology developed by Reginald Scot in his The Discoverie of Witchcraft from one of the key topics of the 16th century: the Eucharistic affair. One of the goals is to demonstrate that the way the Englishman understands the divinity is not only the cause of his dismantling of radical demonology, but also of a similar approach to the catholic dogma of transubstantiation. It is suggested here that Scot rejected the intellectual basis of the witch-hunts for the very same reason he negates the transformation of bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood. As a result of the historical context of his intellectual production, the author uses his theology as an anti-catholic proselitism tool, relating papism with every religious error. Furthermore, it became possible to find out if Reginald Scot propounds a positive Eucharistic stance, and –if he does– how it relates with that of the English church and the continental Reform mainstream