introduction trust in God and his providence for individual salvation was strangely weak compared to a more orthodox view, at least among Lutherans.45 The question: ”How am I to be saved?” – tends among pietists and neologians to in a substantial part to lead the eyes to the individual. Although the theologies differ on this point – are we to look for the quality of the faith of the individual and the closeness to God in spiritual life or are we to look at the moral righteousness through a well-handled trusteeship also known as life – the result is the same. It is in the individual signs of salvation is to be sought. Life in one aspect becomes a struggle for salvation, and if salvation is taken seriously there is not that much trust and peace in God as we might imagine. The struggle goes on and the result at the end of the game stands. How prosperous would it then be to know of that moment in advance, and be able to prepare for it? Probably some readers will think that this study contains too much theological material and questions. The excess can be defended by it often being underrepresented in studies of this kind and that theology, the Church, and salvation were still of great interest for those not swayed by the Enlightenment, and who for example generally not regarded suicide a solution to a devastating situation. For many, at least in situations of high tension and existential doubt, some kind of spirituality would probably have been significant. In spirituality martyrs had a role, widely differing between churches and groups, but always relevant for executions and their interpretation. Preparation for execution was a process that could be made up of many steps, generally designed to deliver the hope, the acts, and the ending many criminals longed for; it was thus of great interest for those adhering to a faith with transcendent hope, longing that hope would be realised soon. Many historical studies, including those dealing with crime and punishment, are devoid of any theology or treat it in a limited fashion if abso45 From an Anglophone perspective Bruce Hindmarsh describes a similar development as a ”debate about the anthropocentric and theocentric poles” and concludes: ”The seventeenth century witnessed a significant anthropocentric turn as theology increasingly concerned itself with the sequencing of salvation and mapped this understanding onto experience as an order of conversion.” Hindmarsch 2012 p 15. 32
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