I Collegianti nell’Olanda del Seicento: idee e pratiche di tolleranza

This essay examines the history of the Collegiant movement in the Netherlands in the seventeenth century. The Collegiants played a fundamental role in the cultural life of the Dutch Republic but have received only limited attention in historiography. Based on a comparative approach between two of the most important Collegiant groups in the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, this essay offers new perspectives on their history. It first examines where the Collegiants met, how many times a week, how many people attended their meetings, and the social and religious backgrounds of the participants. It then focuses on the number of women who attended these meetings and their role in defending them against the hostility of the Dutch Reformed Church. Lastly, it analyses the organisation and practices of the Collegiant meetings and argues that they contributed to the creation of a religious public sphere based on freedom of expression and tolerance.