Traditionally, the study of hagiographic testimonies was based on the
reconciliation of these texts with the historical "reality" in which
they were written, often dismissing many as fictitious.
However, recent scholarship has started to see these testimonies as fruitful
sources of recognition for a community, and as processes continuously made and
re-made throughout a process of (re)creation, development, and negotiation. In
recent years, hagiographical studies have taken diverse and successful paths
thanks to the methodological shift towards other disciplines and the
development of own and thoughtful methodologies.
Considering this new turn, the Institute of Religious Studies at the
Complutense University of Madrid will foster an international seminar where
international leading scholars present and examine current and future
prospects for the study of hagiography.