Monastic institutions (monasteries, abbeys, nunneries, etc.) are not simply quiet refuges for the practice of collective piety but centres of industry and economic activity in various forms. In the period commonly called “Anglo-Saxon” as well as the centuries following the Norman Conquest, the numbers of such institutions that are active and flourishing fluctuate but remain constantly high enough for them to be relevant players not only in the religious landscape but also in the cultural, societal and economic spheres. They contain all manner of individuals of differing status, from royal to (presumably) so-called ‘peasant’. They contain, reproduce, and institute hierarchies; they at the same time mirror society and are their very own microcosm. At the same time, they are both integrated into secular societal structures, economy and politics, as well as of course being a vital part of the religious institutional landscape. 

The institutional church as a whole, but especially monastic institutions, are small entities that encompass many of the usual structures and drivers of human society, something that can at times get forgotten, when they are regarded purely for their pastoral role in wider society, while their economic and political strength is treated as secondary. Using the lens of competition allows us to throw a light on different aspects of the interaction of the individuals within communities, on these communities’ interaction with each other, with the wider institutional church, and with God. There is also an argument to be made about the role that gender plays (or does not play) within these competitive interactions.

As in every sphere of society, there are numerous and different instances of competition (defined as the attempts of two or more parties to achieve an object – material or immaterial – that is, or is perceived by at least one of the competitors, to be finite). What is interesting in the religious sphere, is that there can be what is described as competition even for resources that would appear at first glance to be infinite – such as piety. However, precisely in this sphere, we see that piety or the perception of someone’s piety, can be coupled with social standing and hierarchy, which can very well be the object of competition. Thus the analysis of what situations are described in terms of competition can give insight into the details of social interaction.