Call for Papers: Conference: Bishops’ Identities, Careers and Networks
Centre for Scandinavian Studies, University of Aberdeen
26 May and 27 May 2017
Bishops were powerful individuals who had considerable spiritual, economic and political power. To be a bishop was to be a leader who might crown kings or foment rebellion. So who became bishops? What were their family backgrounds, educational attainment, social networks? What was the impact of international Church events such as the Great Schism or the Council of Basle on the types of bishop appointed in individual dioceses?
The aim of this two-day conference, funded by an AHRC Early Career Research Grant, is to stimulate discussion on how individuals achieved a bishopric in Europe, including Scandinavia and the British Isles. An edited volume is the planned outcome for the conference.
Topics for the conference include, but are by no means limited to:
- Family origins
- Education
- Pre-episcopal careers
- Social networks
- Spiritual networks
- Political networks
- the centralisation of the Papacy
- international Church events
- Diocesan patrons
- Election of bishops
We invite proposals between 250-300 words for individual 20 minute papers relating to the conference theme. Please send abstracts to bishopscareersnetworks@gmail.com.
Please send abstracts by Friday 27th January 2017.
Please direct any queries to Sarah Thomas and Michael Frost at bishopscareersnetworks@gmail.com.
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