Scholars have long conveyed the notion of an antagonism between the 'regular Church' and the 'secular Church’. This vision was based on the preconceived idea of a clerical institution compromised – and thus weakened – by its ties to the world, from which only a reformed monasticism could preserve it from corruption. This interpretative framework, however, fails to reflect the ecclesiastical realities and experiences of the Tenth century, which were shaped by the close connections between monks and secular power, the permeability of different forms of religious life, and the demands for purity and reformist aspirations that extended well beyond the monastic sphere. The social relations between these two groups were not limited to conflict, but were equally characterized by collaboration and competition. Both secular and regular clergy also shared strategies of distinction aimed at asserting their membership within a dominant group and affirming the superiority of the whole clergy within the social order.
University Paris Nanterre, France - ORCID: 0000-0001-6092-2427
University of Rennes 2, France - ORCID: 0000-0002-3595-9436
Chapter Title
Dans les pas de l’Église primitive? Église ‘régulière’ et Église ‘séculière’ au Xe siècle
Authors
Laurent Jégou, Isabelle Rosé
Language
French
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-1094-2.20
Peer Reviewed
Publication Year
2026
Copyright Information
© 2026 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Book Title
Repenser le Xe siècle. États des lieux et perspectives / Ripensare il X secolo. Bilanci e prospettive
Editors
Gianmarco De Angelis, Tiziana Lazzari
Peer Reviewed
Number of Pages
490
Publication Year
2026
Copyright Information
© 2026 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Publisher Name
Firenze University Press
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-1094-2
ISBN Print
979-12-215-1093-5
eISBN (pdf)
979-12-215-1094-2
eISBN (xml)
979-12-215-1096-6
Series Title
Reti Medievali E-Book
Series ISSN
2704-6362
Series E-ISSN
2704-6079