Conversion in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: Seeing and Believing ed. by Kenneth Mills, Anthony Grafton, and Conversion: Old Worlds and New ed. by Kenneth Mills, Anthony Grafton
Holly Crawford Pickett
REVIEWS 205 Conversion in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: Seeing Believing , ed. Kenneth Mills Anthony Grafton, Studies Comparative History (Rochester: University of Rochester Press 2003) x + 283 pp.; : Old Worlds New, xvii 301 pp. Although, between them, these two companion volumes cover at least seventeen centuries five continents, they still bear much more than their origins general theme common. Both are “collections essays on religious conversion drawn from activities Shelby Cullum Davis Center for Historical Princeton University, 1999 2001.” But specifically, both books—despite vast range topics approaches— offer some key recurring insights into study across various “subfields history” (Old New ix). offers eight Christendom second to ninth centuries, while Conversion: presents eleven that thirteenth-century England late twentieth-century India. Although global its scope, heft book is devoted pre-modern early modern world, with only four subjects after 1700. In books, moreover, line old new beliefs becomes harder draw, Christianization an intra-faith as well inter-faith endeavor. Many contributors argue classic definitions conversion, such Arthur Derby Nock’s 1933, place too emphasis upon discontinuities involved process. Nock argued “implies a consciousness great change involved, was wrong right.”1 The scholars assembled volumes, however, frequently argue, Richard Lim succinctly puts it his contribution, “the not always bad” acceptance one tradition does imply denunciation another (Seeing 85). Allan Greer, example, argues Iroquois Christians seventeenth-century France adoption form prayer or view creation rejection others” 177). And Raymond Van Dam reminds us Constantine ’s Christianity did complete unwavering paganism 127–151). main insight developed by many intrinsic extrinsic Often major lines conflict non-Christians, but within Christian community itself. As Neil McLynn afterword first volume: “When A. D. published he could treat ‘Christianity’ given: here sits squarely center problem” 225). John Engen, medieval Europeans, word often meant intensify one’s commitment joining order, 1 Nock, Religion Alexander Great Augustine Hippo (1933; repr. London 1961) 7. 206 simply join faith 30– 65). It signified shift Christianity, it. Similarly, Valerie I. J. Flint English devotion Precious Blood may have been bid convert women greater ecclesiastical conformity Xenophobic response Crusades 1–29). Julia M. H. Smith also focuses use relics, this time Carolingian empire around year 830, Christianize Christians: task sense baptism pagans, rather upgrading observance” 211). difficult do justice rich contributions sentence two, brief summary chapters will nonetheless convey...
Comitatus-a Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies