Clerical old age and the forming of rites of passage in early modern Scotland

Langley, Chris R. (2023). Clerical old age and the forming of rites of passage in early modern Scotland. Studies in Church History, 59 pp. 244–264.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/stc.2023.12

Abstract

This article investigates the rites that marked the end of a clerical career in early modern Scotland. It discusses what would take place when a minister had accepted that he was too old for his charge. It explores the ways in which ministers described their aging bodies, the impact of age on their vocation and how parishioners observed them. The article argues that the bureaucratic machinery devised to address the challenges of clerical old age created personal and professional rites of passage.

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