What is this project about?
In short, we try to understand the Economy of Salvation in medieval northern Europe through the study of archaeological, numismatic and documentary sources. Economy of Salvation was a way of describing the relationship between Man and God in light of the sinful nature of humanity. The consequences of this conception would, on a collective and an individual level, take many paths, but one universally adopted within most of the Latin West was money-offerings.
Ecclesiastical architecture, art and liturgy formed the physical and habitual framework in which parishioners approached altars, saint’s shrines and crucifixes with their offerings. In medieval Europe coins became a universal token in the economy of salvation and were trusted as a material mediator between Man and God in search for salvation. In Scandinavia more than 60,000 coin finds have been made in 500 medieval churches which form the basis of the study of the relation between religion and money in Northern Europe in the 11th to 14th century.
The project Religion and Money: Economy of salvation in the Middle Ages is based on interdisciplinary and international cooperation using material culture as evidence collected from museums in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Historical and literary sources form the basis for a study of the phonomenon Economy of Salvation. Linking documentary evidence with material culture in new and innovative ways lies at the root of this project.
Who are we?
We are a group of scholars from United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway enthusiastic about church archaeology, coin finds in churches, the medieval church as institution and the potential to use Scandinavia as laboratory for gaining further understanding of how men and women understood their being in medieval society.
The Economy of Salvation is where you'll find what's up in the research group on 'Religion and Money: Economy of Salvation in the Middle Ages', as well as weird facts and the latest research on related subjects. This blog is maintained by a group of scholars from United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway that is enthusiastic about church archaeology, coin finds in churches, the medieval church as institution and is meant for anyone with an interest in the subject!
Bloggers
Dr. Giles Gasper, Durham University
Associate professor Alf Tore Hommedal, Bergen University
Dr. Nanouschka Myrberg Burström, Stockholm University
Dr. Christoph Kilger, Uppsala University
Dr. Håkon Roland, Oslo University
Dr. Henriette Rensbro, National Museum, Copenhagen
Researcher Steinar Kristensen, Oslo University
Researcher Eeva Jonsson, Åbo University
Dr. Jens Christian Moesgaard, National Museum, Copenhagen
Dr. Jon Anders Risvaag, NTNU, Trondheim
Researcher Anette Sættem, Oslo University
Researcher Terje Helland, Oslo University
Dr. Peter Bjerregaard, Oslo University
Professor Svein H Gullbekk, Oslo University
The project is financed by The Norwegian Research Council, project code 222545.