How did men demonstrate their commitment to God and churches in the Middle Ages? And How did this change in the Early Modern period? Conference aims to shed light on these transformations

‘Transforming Male Devotional Practices’ from the Medieval to the Early Modern

Keynote speaker: Professor Anthony Bale (Birkbeck, University of London)
Confirmed speakers include: Katherine J. Lewis, Rebecca Rist and Sarah Bastow
CfP: Extended deadline for abstracts: 20th July

This conference is co-hosted with the Universities of Reading and Liverpool Hope. It aims to explore the social, economic and spatial factors underpinning the changing way European men demonstrated their commitment to God and the church(es) in a period of significant turmoil. Papers that address male devotional experience from historical, literary, gender studies and material culture perspectives are welcomed. Suggested themes include:

• Religion and Society: Domestic piety and lay/household Catholicism.
• Material Culture and ritual objects.
• The economy of piety: indulgences, relics and paying for piety.
• Personal and public piety: Continuity and change over the medieval and early modern periods.
• Devotional reading, writing and performance.
• Geography, place and space in Catholic piety.

The new deadline reflects the interest we have received in wider European experience. We welcome papers that focus on British and European devotion.

Please send proposals to devotionalpracticeconference@gmail.com.