International Conference in Bergen
We are happy to announce the Conference «Moster 1024 - Crossroads of religion and law in the conversion of Norway», which will take place at the University Aula in Bergen, from 17th to 18th of April 2024. The conference will celebrate the 1000-year-jubilee of the first Christian Law of Norway and aims to present new trends in research relevant to conversion and Christian legislation in Norway and elsewhere.
The conference has an interdisciplinary approach and has attracted scholars from various disciplines relevant to the theme, such as archaeology, legal history (indigenous law as well as Canon law), history, history of ideas, manuscript studies, philology, and theology. Although the conference focuses on Norway and Norwegian law, presentations with a comparative perspective drawing on areas outside Norway has also been highly welcomed. The chronological focus of the conference is on c. 900 – c. 1200.
We are pleased to announce the following program and plenary speakers for the Conference:
17th of April, 2024:
CROSSROADS OF RELIGION AND LAW
09:00
Musical contribution from Grieg Academy in BergenWelcome speech from Jon Askeland, County Mayor in Vestland Count
09.10 – 10.00:
Keynote speaker 1
Chair: Anne Irene Risøy, University of South-Eastern Norway
Lesley Abrams, Oxford University, Conversion Dynamics: Persuasion, Accommodation, Coercion
10.00 - 10.15: Coffee Break / Technical change
10.15 – 11.45
SESSION 1: Early Crosses and Churches in an International Context
Chair: Alf Tore Hommedal, University of Bergen
Iris Crouwers, Independent scholar, Malmö, Stone Crosses at Assembly Sites and Mounds - Their Origins and Long-term Roles.
Kjartan Hauglid and Bjørg Agasöster, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), A New Dating of Moster Old Church
Kristian Reinfjord, Anno Museum, Hamar, Moster and Early Romanesque Norway – Stone Technology and Conversion
11.45 – 12.45: LUNCH
12.45 – 14.15
SESSION 2: Strategies of Conversion
Chair: Torstein Jørgensen, VID Specialized University
Timothy Bolton, Stockholm (Honorary Fellow of Bristol University), The Politics of 1024 that Lead to Moster, and was Olaf’s ’Strategy of Conversion’ there too bold?
Sigrun Høgetveit Berg, The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), Northward Bound: Conversion and Integration iuxta paganos.
Anna Elisa Tryti, Vestland County Council, and Alf Tore Hommedal, University of Bergen, Female Force and Conflicting Female Images in the Conversion of Western Norway
14.15 - 14.30: Coffee Break / Technical change
14.30 – 15.30:
SESSION 3: Text and Narrative in the Conversion of Norway
Chair: Kirsi Salonen, University of Bergen
Peter Sigurdson Lunga, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Counterarguments in Norwegian Conversion Narratives: Tradition, Aesthetics, and Autonomy
Stefan Drechsler, University of Bergen, The “St Olav’s Law” on Parchment and in Literature
15.30 - 16.00: Coffee Break / Technical change
16.00 – 17.00
SESSION 4: Round Table - Religious Transformation from a Global Perspective
Chair: Alexandros Tsakos, University of Bergen
Participants:
Christian Bull, University of Bergen, Eirik Hovden, University of Bergen, Anna Elisa Tryti, Vestland County Council
18th of April, 2024: CROSSROADS OF LAW AND RELIGION
09.00 – 09.50:
Keynote speaker 2
Chair: Anders Winroth, University of Oslo
Torgeir Landro, NLA University College, Law and Religion: The Christian Law at Moster
09.50 - 10.15: Coffee Break / Technical change
10.15 – 11.45:
SESSION 5: Dynamics of Law and Rituals
Chair: Caitlin Ellis, University of Oslo
Brage Thunestvedt Hatløy, University of Bergen,“The Norwegian Kings as Legislators in Relation to Christian and Canon Law after 1024”.
Keith Ruiter, University of Suffolk,Trees Holding Hands: Comparative Historical and Analogical Approaches to Customary Law
Eivor Oftestad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Strategies of Conversion: The Christianization of Time. Memory and Mystery
11.45-12.45 LUNCH
12.45 – 14.15
SESSION 6: Law at Moster and in Europe
Chair: Kirsi Salonen, University of Bergen
Tore Storehaug, University of Oslo, St. Olaf as a Legendary Law Giver
John Burden, Boston College, What Law Book did Bishop Grimkjell Bring to Moster?
Anders Winroth, University of Oslo, To Be Friends with the King, and with God
14.15 - 14.30: Coffee Break / Technical change
SESSION 7: Stories, Chant, and Hagiography about Conversion
Chair: Oddvar J. Jensen, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society
Elizabeth Marie Walgenbach, Institute for Icelandic Studies, Reykjavík, Ari Frodi, Moster, and Micro Narratives on the Establishment and Writing of Christian Laws
Roman Hankeln, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Reflecting and Legitimizing Mission in the Chants of the Medieval Divine Office
Steffen Andre Birkeland Hope, University of Oslo, Stories of a Violent Triumph – The Conversion of Norway in Light of the Hagiographical Tradition
16.00 - 16.15: Coffee Break / Technical change
16.15 – 17.00
CLOSING SUMMARY
Torstein Jørgensen, VID Specialized University, Stavanger, and Anne Irene Risøy, University of South-Eastern Norway, What Did We Learn? A Dialogue About Two Days of Conference.
Tore Storehaug, University of Oslo, St. Olaf as a Legendary Law Giver
John Burden, Boston College, What Law Book did Bishop Grimkjell Bring to Moster?
Anders Winroth, University of Oslo, To Be Friends with the King, and with God
19th of April, 2024:
EXCURSION TO HISTORICAL MOSTER
BERGEN – LYSEKLOSTER– MOSTER – BERGEN
08.00
Departure Bergen, Scandic Byparken Hotel
10.00
Guided tour through the cultural monument Lysekloster, Norway's oldest Cistercian monastery.
12.00
Lunch in Moster Amfi.
13.00
Moster Old Church with a local guide.
13.45
Exhibition in Moster Amfi - "From Paganism to Christianity"
14.30
Coffee break with sweets in Moster Amfi.
15.00
A walk through the marble tunnel and the mine exhibition -
«The Stone Kingdom of Bømlo»
15.30
Moster attractions: Walks to the local lime mime and/ or the old cross monument from the 900th-jubilee at Vetahaugen
16.30
Departure back to Bergen
19.00
Arrival Scandic Byparken
Excursion fee
1500 NOK (includes transportation, food and activities)
Sign up for the excursion by emailing
vilde@moster2024.no
Deadline signing up for excursion
120th of April 2024
The Conference Committee,
Alf Tore Hommedal, Oddvar Johan Jensen, Torstein Jørgensen, Øystein Morten, Torgeir Landro, Anne Irene Risøy, Kirsi Salonen, Anna Elisa Tryti and Anders Winroth.
The conference is also a part of Vestland County celebration of Landslovjubileet
You will find the registration for the conference at the top of the page. The registration will stay open until 10th of April - or until the seats are filled. Be aware of limited seating.
