The Clergy in Early Modern Scotland
New College, Edinburgh
12 May, 2017
Parish clergy in early modern Scotland were central figures in communicating religious practice and understanding to their parishioners. As the early modern period progressed, priests and, later, ministers had to respond to a variety of changes in theology, socioeconomic circumstances, and political processes. As early modern studies has embraced a range of different models of religious, social, and political change-from top-down to bottom-up-the role of the minister remains ripe for further investigation.
This one day conference organised by the University of Edinburgh and Newman University, Birmingham, seeks to explore these issues through a range of papers and workshops covering the period from the early sixteenth to the late seventeenth century. The organisers invite proposals for papers (twenty minutes) or panels of three papers on the following themes:
- Clerical negotiation of key theological and political changes
- Ministers as agents of reform within the parish
- Clerical education and teachings
- Ministerial self-identification
- Clerical piety
- Preaching and its impact
- Pastoral care
- Ministers and charity
- Inter- and intra-parish relationships (dissent, concord, indifference)
- Clerical families
Other topics relevant to the theme of the conference will also be considered.
The conference seeks to attract a range of established and early career scholars as well as doctoral students. The organisers hope to be able to offer postgraduate and unwaged speakers small bursaries to contribute towards travel and conference expenses.
Please send proposals of no more than 250 words to clergy2017@gmail.com by 28 February, 2017. Submissions should include the name of the presenter, their institution and a short profile.
