Published on Reviews in History (http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews ) Church, Society and Religious Change in France, 1580-1730 Over the past 15 years Joseph Bergin has produced two monographs on French bishops which are notable for their ambitious scopes and for their contributions to our understanding of the French Church in the 17th century.(1) His new work Church, Society and Religious Change in France, 1580?1730 is an even more monumental study that only a scholar with his past achievements could contemplate undertaking. A survey of the French Church and its impact on society over the course of the 17th century must take into account the legacy of the church?s long-established roots in France, the substantial regional and local variations in church structures and practices and its sheer ubiquity. Perhaps the most telling sign of the difficulties faced by any scholar seeking to produce such a study is the lack of comparable books in French or English. This reviewer is aware of only one such work, Bernard Hours? L?église et la vie religieuse dans la France modern, xvi-xviii siècle.(2) Hours? much shorter work in the ?Collection Premier Cycle? series was intended as a brief introduction for undergraduates to the topic. Bergin?s study provides a more substantial survey appropriate for undergraduates, but also much more. One of the great merits of this book is that at 500 pages it is a sharp, focused study. Considered alongside John McManners? impressive 1700 page survey of the Catholic Church in 18th-century France, one can see that Bergin had to make choices to shorten his account.(3) Much of its sharpness derives from Bergin?s style. He eschews any effort to be encyclopedic and instead frequent draws upon substantial examples to Review Number: 916 Publish date: Tuesday, 1 June, 2010 Author: Joseph Bergin ISBN: 9780300150988 Date of Publication: 2009 Price: £35.00 Pages: 506pp. Publisher: Yale University Press Place of Publication: New Haven, CT Reviewer: Eric Nelson