Impact of Christianity During the age of saints, 600-800

Discuss the Age of Saints: 600-800 Why were there so many saints in Bede’s account? How did stories about saints promote Christian belief? How do saints compare to other types of heroes, such as warrior heroes like Beowulf?

Discuss Bede Who were Bede’s heroes, and what types of heroes did he identify? Who were the anti-heroes? In what sense were saints heroes, and how did stories of their lives help to spread and to reinforce the faith? What were the most notable effects of Theodore’s tenure as archbishop? What impression do you get from his descriptions of monasteries How were the founded? What happened there?

Was Hilda of Whitby one of Bede’s heroes? If so, what were the consequences? If not, why did he write so much about her?

Saints Oswald and Aidan Responsible for the spread of Christianity to Northumbria in 630s and 640s Worked closely and established Lindisfarne

St. Cuthbert 635-687 Most popular saint in England until Thomas Becket

St. Boniface 680-754

St. Boniface converts the continental Saxons c. 720

St. Boniface c. 754 Baptizing & Martyrdom

Features of Early Christianity Book religion Asceticism Martyrdom Evangelical Hierarchical

Skellig Michael in Ireland

Monastic cells at Skellig Michael

Charlemagne’s Empire

Alcuin of York (735-804)

Carolingian Manuscript c. 800

Discuss Northumbrian Renaissance What does the term Renaissance indicate? What would a Renaissance from England in the 700s CE look like? Where did it take place What were its preoccupations How did it compare to the Italian Renaissance of the 1400s and 1500s?

Monastic scribes

Book of Kells c. 800 Illuminated Manuscript Irish Minscule Produced during a 30 year period by a team of perhaps 6 monks Uncial Script for capital letters

Laws of Aethelberht of Kent c. 600 CE

Charters

Anglo-Saxon Charter

Chirograph

The Ismere Diploma 736 Charter during Aethelbald’s reign 716-757

Consider for final exam How did charters increase peace and royal authority? When and where were they first introduced in the British Isles? What kept the Anglo-Saxons from adopting them rapidly? What factors led to increased adoption?

Tribal Hidage c. 700 Hwinca syfan þusend hyda. 7,000 Ciltern sætna feower þusend hyda. 4,000 Hendrica þryu þusend hyda ond fif hund hyda. 3,500 Unecungaga twelf hund hyda. 1,200 Arosætna syx hund hyda. 600 Bilmiga syx hund hyda. 600 Widerigga eac swa. 600 Eastwilla syx hund hyda 600 Westwilla syx hund hyda 600 East engle þrittig þusend hida 30,000 Eastsexena syofon þusend hyda 7,000 Cantwarena fiftene þusend hyda 15,000 Suþsexena syufan þusend hyda 7,000 Westsexena hund þusend hyda. 100,000

Bede 672-735

What happened to Celtic Christianity after the Synod of Whitby? The Celts fought a war and against the Roman Christians The Celts returned to their strongholds, such as Iona and Ireland Celtic Christians adopted Roman customs The Roman Christians formally excommunicated the Celts.

How did Bede describe the influence of Archbishop Theodore? What are the signs that a renaissance was taking place in England beginning around 670? How did Bede describe the influence of Archbishop Theodore? Why was Theodore an unlikely person to become archbishop?

Codex Amiatinus c. 700

How did Book Four of Bede begin? With a search for a new archbishop of Canterbury With the pope’s excommunication of the Celts With the death of King Oswy in battle against the pagans With the arrival of the vikings

How did Theodore establish his authority in England? He visited every bishop and corrected erroneous practices He held councils or synods to establish unity He encouraged instruction in Latin and Greek He encouraged knowledge of Christian music All of the above None of the above

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms c. 700

Coins of Offa

What do you make of Bede’s accounts of miracles? I believe as a matter of faith They seem like preposterous lies that undermine his credibility They fit into his ideological world view and are therefore understandable They yield valuable clues to the beliefs of the Age of Saints Some of the above

What was the fate of Archbishop of Theodore who came to Canterbury from Rome at age 66? He died at sea on his journey from Rome Upon arrival in Kent, he was attacked and killed by savage pagans He brought Kent back into the Christian fold before dying at age 70 He ruled as archbishop of Canterbury for another 20 years

What is your impression of the miracles recounted in Bede? How do we make sense of his miracles? How were they connected to the purposes of his book?