The Medieval Academy Blog

International Conference

The Ten Commandments in medieval and early modern culture

Ghent University, Belgium

April 10-11, 2014

Key note speakers:
Robert J. Bast (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Uta Störmer-Caysa (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz)

Call for Papers

The Department of Literature at Ghent University is pleased to announce that it will host an international conference on the Ten Commandments in medieval and early modern culture on April 10-11, 2014. We kindly invite paper proposals exploring this theme from any field of medieval and early modern studies. Selected papers will be published in a volume to be included in the peer-reviewed series Intersections. Interdisciplinary Studies in Early Modern Culture (Brill Publishers).

The rise to prominence of the Ten Commandments dates back to the 12^th century. In that period exegetes such as Hugh of Saint Victor emphasized the importance of the Decalogue as a list of moral principles. A century later the Ten Commandments permeated scholastic learning as well as catechetical teaching. They became a useful instrument for the examination of conscience in preparation for the mandatory annual confession introduced by the Fourth Lateran Council (1215). By the second half of the 15^th century, the Commandments were omnipresent in religious culture. Their diverse textual  and visual manifestations were found in a variety of media, from manuscripts and printed books, to wall paintings and wooden panels. The prominence of the Decalogue continued amongst the Protestants, albeit with a different emphasis than in Catholic teaching.

The heterogeneity of the preserved Decalogue material inspires numerous research questions, many of which are vital and yet largely unexplored. It also poses methodological challenges to scholars who seek to explore and understand the role of the Ten Commandments within a broader context of medieval and early modern culture. Bearing this in mind, we would like to invite papers that elaborate on various aspects of textual – both Latin and vernacular – and visual manifestations of the Decalogue in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period. It is particularly important that the proposed papers put emphasis on the broader cultural context in which the Decalogue functioned, as well as on the methodological and theoretical aspects of the discussed piece of research. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• The relationship (or lack of it) between scholastic and vernacular writings on the Ten Commandments. Recent research has shown that some vernacular writings on the Ten Commandments contain elaborate theological content. Which themes found their way from academic to vernacular theology? Were there independent developments within the vernacular writings on the Decalogue? In which milieus were the ‘learned’ vernacular treatises written and what was their audience?
• The Ten Commandments in various textual genres. The typological diversity of writings on the Decalogue is astonishing. These Old Testament tenets were explored in scholastic summae, catechetical mirrors and sermons, put into simple rhymes, combined with images and even interwoven into stage plays. How did different genres treat the Commandments? Was there any genre-specific emphasis on certain aspects of the exegesis of the Decalogue?
• The Ten Commandments in visual arts. The act of breaking or obeying the precepts was depicted in diverse media. Did the iconography and/or function of the Ten Commandments scenes change depending on the medium? Did the Reformation and Counter-Reformation affect the iconography of the Decalogue-scenes?
• The Decalogue in medieval and early modern popular culture. The Ten Commandments, like other tenets, penetrated popular (religious) culture. How did the abundantly preserved Decalogue rhymes, some of which could in fact be sung, and cheap prints containing a combination of text and image function? Who used them?
• The Ten Commandments in early modern theology. The Decalogue played a vital role in Protestant theology. Did the reformers postulate any major shifts in the interpretation of the Old Testament precepts? If so, did it cause any reaction by the catholic theologians?

Papers should be given in English and should be 20-25 minutes long. Please submit an abstract (max. 300 words) accompanied by a brief CV before October 1, 2013 by e-mail to Marta Bigus (marta.bigus@ugent.be). Successful applicants will be notified by November 1, 2013.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts, and to a productive meeting on April 10-11, 2014. We hope that you will support our efforts by notifying your colleagues and students about the conference. You are most welcome to contact the organisers for further details.

Organising committee:

Marta Bigus, MA (marta.bigus@ugent.be)

Prof. dr. Youri Desplenter (youri.desplenter@ugent.be)

Prof. dr. Jürgen Pieters (jurgen.pieters@ugent.be)

The 20th Annual ACMRS Conference
February 6–8, 2014

CATASTROPHES and the APOCALYPTIC
in the middle Ages and Renaissance

Call for Papers

ACMRS invites session and paper proposals for its annual interdisciplinary conference to be held February 6–8, 2014 in Scottsdale, Arizona. We welcome papers that explore any topic related to the study and teaching of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and especially those that focus on this year’s theme of catastrophes and the apocalyptic.

Conference Publication:
Selected papers related to the conference theme will be considered for publication in the conference volume of Arizona Studies in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a series published by Brepols Publishers (Belgium).

Keynote Speaker:

Professor Jaime Lara, Research Professor, ACMRS and the Hispanic Research Center (HRC), Arizona State University (beginning Fall 2013). Professor Lara’s research interests include art, architecture, liturgics, and anthropology. His studies have focused on early Christianity, the Spanish Middle Ages, medieval theater, and the colonial era of Latin America.

Pre-Conference Workshop:
Before the conference, ACMRS will host a workshop on manuscript studies led by Professor Timothy Graham, Director of the Institute for Medieval Studies at the University of New Mexico. The workshop will be held on the afternoon of Thursday, February 6, and participation will be limited to the first 25 individuals to register. Email acmrs@acmrs.org with “Pre-Conference Workshop” in the subject line to be added to the list. The cost of the workshop is $30 and is in addition to the regular conference registration fee. Because this popular workshop fills quickly, early registration is recommended.

Deadlines:
The deadline for proposals is 9:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on November 21, 2013. Please submit an abstract of 250 words and a brief CV to ACMRSconference@asu.edu. Proposals must include audio/visual requirements and any other special requests; late requests cannot be accommodated. Visit our web page at www.acmrs.org/conferences/annual-acmrs-conference for further details and updates.

Questions? Call 480-965-4661 or email erin.a.mccarthy@asu.edu

Please visit our website: www.acmrs.org/conferences/annual-acmrs-conference

The Fourth International MARGOT Conference

June 18-20, 2014

Barnard College, New York City

Women and Community in the Ancien Régime: Traditional and New Media

Scholarly Focus

This three-day conference will feature research and teaching approaches that explore how women participated in and contributed to different kinds of community in medieval and early modern Europe.  Conference sessions will feature presentations based on texts and images in traditional manuscript and print format, as well as work that employs new technology and media projects. The conference will be interdisciplinary, and will consider the function and importance of female communities in the natural and social sciences, religion, literature, history, music and fine arts.

Presentation topics may explore women in:

• Medical communities; midwifery
• Religious communities and non-orthodox or heretical groups
• Salons and académies
• Women and the Republic of Letters
• Epistolary communities
• Literary circles
• Artists’ and performing artists’ communities
• Guilds
• Oral communities; storytelling
• Print and Manuscript format
• Digital resources of all kinds
• Online publication of texts and images
• Database design and creation
• Material culture and artifacts
• Film

Resources and approaches used may include:

This conference is co-sponsored by the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL:

We welcome three types of submissions:

1. Demonstrations/showcasing of existing projects which will include discussion of their creation and implementation for research and/or teaching
2. Abstracts for regular paper presentations
3. Proposals for entire sessions (including the names, titles, and abstracts of three/four presenters)

Regular papers will last for 20 minutes, and will be followed by 10 minutes of discussion. Project demonstrations will last for 30 minutes followed by 15 minutes of discussion. We ask participants to include the following information in their proposal:

1. Paper or Session title
2. Session type – Regular or Project Demonstration
3. 250 word abstract
4. Contact information and bio paragraph

The Committee will look at all the proposals and their compatibility with the sessions that are planned. As far as possible, we will try to avoid parallel sessions.

The language of the Colloquium will be English.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION:

The deadline for submitting your proposal is October 1, 2013.

Please submit proposals by e-mail to the conference committee:

Prof. Laurie Postlewate: lpostlew@barnard.edu.

Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by October 15, 2013. Information about the conference, including registration, accommodation at negotiated favourable rates, will be provided early in 2014. We will periodically update information here.

We look forward to your participation,

The Conference Committee:

• Christine McWebb (University of Waterloo)
• Laurie Postlewate (Barnard College, Columbia University)
• Catherine Dubeau (University of Waterloo)

For more information, please see http://margot.uwaterloo.ca/conference-2014/