For virtually the entirety of its existence, Christianity – a religion born on the extreme eastern edge of the Roman Empire – has been influenced, challenged and troubled by its margins and peripheries.
In the history of Christianity, as in other contexts, margins and peripheries are intriguingly paradoxical concepts. To label something or somewhere as ‘marginal’ or ‘peripheral’ is, by definition, to declare it to be of lesser significance or importance. Yet for Christian churches of differing complexions, supposed margins and peripheries have often been sources of experiment, innovation and renewal, places where essential traditions have been preserved, locations of encounter, conversion and resistance, and sites where meaning and worth is negotiated and defined.
The intention of this conference theme is to encourage fresh and creative discussion of Christianity’s past, by considering it in relation to, and from the perspective of, a variety of things within it that historically have been considered marginal or peripheral.
This conference will take place in-person at the University of Warwick. To reserve your place, please fill out a booking form at https://ecclesiasticalhistorysociety.com/2203-2/ by no later than Friday 16 June 2023. Bookings received after these dates may not be accepted. All bookings must be accompanied by appropriate payment. Bookings should be sent by email to Prof Elizabeth Tingle at Elizabeth.tingle@dmu.ac.uk
Image: Wiki Commons – Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
