Gaspar Juan Escolano (1560-1619) et la question des conversions forcées au Moyen Âge

Abstract

Conversion to Christianity is closely linked to the ritual of baptism, the sacrament by antonomasia of the new law, even if it is not reduced to it. It involves repenting of one's sins, accepting Jesus as saviour and committing oneself to following his teachings as set out in the New Testament. In this article, we will explore the fact that, far from being a simple religious change, conversion encompasses a complex process of ‘turning around’ and moving back towards the point from which we had strayed. It does this by looking at the three stages in individual conversion journeys: 1) the break with the past; 2) the discovery, through various social actors, of a new religious reality; 3) the interaction of the convert with his or her new adopted environment.

Keywords: Escolano, Middle Ages Escolano, Middle Ages, Spain, Conversion, Baptism.