God, Money, Offerings and Economies of Salvation

The Religion and Money project came to Durham, in the north-east of England, in November, with two workshops, one public, the other a research workshop within the University. The public workshop was held at Durham Cathedral, as part of the regular study-day series, on Saturday 22nd November. 'God, Money and Offerings' included three presentations; the first by Giles, on the the nature of prayer and offering, from biblical injunction to medieval practice, and examining the notion that the form overlapping acts: both have an intimate and private dimension, both also have a public and ritual aspect.  The second presentation by Svein, introduced the coin finds in churches, what the Economies of Salvation project explores, and the somewhat different circumstances of church history in Scandinavia compared to the UK, or indeed, the rest of Europe. The third presentation was given by Rosalind Green, a PhD Candidate at Durham, on the Carthusian order, and their attitudes towards wealth; an order espousing extreme poverty, and withdrawal from the world, and yet, of necessity, with their place within the worldly economy. 

We had a lively discussion with the audience, which include the EoS project member Alf Tore Hommedal (Bergen), Cathedral Clergy and staff, including those engaged in modern-day fundraising, students from Durham University, bankers and a former director of Tradefair. How to measure gifts within churches in the past, and now, proved a particularly engaging topic. Sophia Stovell from the Cathedral talked about the plans to monitor gift-giving, in ways that had fascinating resonance with the concerns of the twelfth and thirteenth century past. Where to place offering boxes, what the funds they collected were given for and used for (gifts for the fabric, gifts made for more specifically devotional or ritual purposes, gifts for the clergy), and the differences that festivals make are all questions where our project has useful insight from the past to offer. They are also areas where the measurement of and reflection upon contemporary practice might sharpen our historical interpretation.

We are extremely grateful to the Cathedral and to Canon Rosalind Brown, for organising the study day, and to the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies and Department of History at Durham University. A wonderfully stimulating way to pass 5 hours!