Catherine Rosbrook presents: "Ruptures, reflections and resolutions: the path to monastic conversion as represented in tenth century hagiography" with a response from Prof. Michael Penn (Religious Studies)

As monastic communities of post-Carolingian Europe gained in prominence, and their members faced heightened public scrutiny, ecclesiastical milieus grew increasingly pre-occupied with not just preserving, but communicating, the privileged moral status of monastic agents. Taking the regions of Lotharingia and Burgundy as a case study, I show how shifting representations of monastic conversion in tenth- and early-eleventh century hagiographies reflect these burgeoning concerns. Whereas protagonists of earlier texts could be depicted consciously deciding to embrace the monastic life after exploring alternative paths, by the year 1000 the ‘ideal’ conversion entailed an unwavering recognition of monasticism as the superior form of religious living.