We still have much to learn about the pace, timing and up-take of the conversion to Christianity in Perth and Kinross.
Priority 1:
Recent decades have seen a multitude of studies focusing on specific monumental sculptures, groups of sculptures, more mobile material culture, sites and groups of sites, including Meigle, Gellyburn, Crieff/Strowan, and the Iona-linked monasteries of Glenlyon, Forteviot and St Madoes. Few works of synthesis have been attempted at this regional level (but note Hall 2005) and a symposium that draws these together would lay the grounds for a new wider synthesis of early Christianity in Perth and Kinross. A second route to this end would be the completion of the regional corpus of early medieval sculpture, either for Perth and Kinross only, or in conjunction with the contiguous areas of Angus, Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Fife.
Priority 2:
Greater clarity should be sought on the transition pagan cultures to Christian ones through fieldwork and survey. There also needs to be a close examination of aspects of paganism which were carried through into Christianity, both in continuing magical practices and in more formal aspects of monumental art.
Priority 3:
We need to refine our understanding of how kingship and the Church worked together to define routes to the supernatural as part of the wider dynamics of defining and enacting power.