hedge sermons

Noun

hedge sermon (plural hedge sermons)

1. (historical) An open-air religious service held by Calvinists in the Low Countries during the Reformation, typically in rural areas beyond the reach of civic authorities.
   • Fearing an escalation of the unrest, the city administrators made some important concessions to the Protestants: the Catholic churches were closed after the removal of all religious images; the Calvinists were permitted to hold their hedge sermons, albeit only outside the city […].1999, Geert Mak; Philipp Blom, transl., Amsterdam: A Brief Life of the City, London: Harvill Press, ISBN 978-1-86046-598-7; republished London: Vintage Books, 2001, ISBN 978-1-86046-789-9, page 82