Bede (673–735) write it 731 AD in Latin (5 books)
Scholarly monk in north-east of England
He had a vast library for the day, over 200 books
Covers period of Julius Caesar in 60 BC to 731 AD
Best known of Medeival historians in Britain.
Church of St. Paul’s at Jarrow was where he lived and worked all but 7 years of his life.
There is now a museum and re-built monastary at the location http://www.bedesworld.co.uk/
Questions to prepare you for our discussion:
Your Chocolate in My Peanut Butter: Is this a History of Christian Church or Christian History of the Church?
Chapter and Verse: Bede documents entire correspondences from the Pope. Comment on this use of quoting original source material in a history monograph.
Sex in the City: Just for fun, or only for procreation? Pope is clear on this. What would people then do? What would you do? Agree or disagree. Support your answer.
Pelagian Controversy:
Pelagianism is a theological theory named after Pelagius (AD 354 – AD 420/440). It is the belief that original sin did not taint human nature and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without special Divine aid. Thus, Adam’s sin was “to set a bad example” for his progeny, but his actions did not have the other consequences imputed to Original Sin. Pelagianism views the role of Jesus as “setting a good example” for the rest of humanity (thus counteracting Adam’s bad example) as well as providing an atonement for our sins. In short, humanity has full control, and thus full responsibility, for obeying the Gospel in addition to full responsibility for every sin (the latter insisted upon by both proponents and opponents of Pelagianism). According to Pelagian doctrine, because men are sinners by choice, they are therefore criminals who need the atonement of Jesus Christ. Sinners are not victims, they are criminals who need pardon.
Bede Discussion Notes
9/25/09
Background: watch video clip of “Dark Ages” by History Channel. Introduces life of Bede in the context of the dark ages
church was the economic hub – wealthiest, most educated,
no strong system yet to replace the Roman Empire – no one to maintain the infrastructure set up by Rome (sewers, roads, aqueducts)
Bede was perhaps the most highly educated man in Europe in his time; amassed a library of 250 books
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede
Is EH a history of the Christian Church or a Christian history of the Church?
Bk II, Ch. 2 – story about date for celebrating Easter
other writings from the Middle Ages are more critical of the church
Bk 1, Ch. 14 – evil befell miscreants
linking physical tragedy to spiritual dimension is common in Christian writings (and in the church at large) – still occurs today…tsunami in Indonesia, Katrina
OT journey of God’s people shows the world’s need for Christ; NT doesn’t make the same link between man’s “goodness” or obedience and God’s blessing
Maybe there was no other plausible explanation for such darkness and suffering in that time? – Political events must be the direct results of God’s judgment or blessing.
Monasteries were like prisons in that monks could not leave freely, no exercise of free will (couldn’t talk except in extreme necessity because that would be an exercise of the will), but the life of the monk offered protection, purpose, work…
Documenting entire correspondences from the Pope
junior leader trying to learn from a senior leader what church teachings are essential
Pope Gregory was considered the last “best pope”—his heart was with the Angles, couldn’t go himself as a missionary but he made sure to send someone
Sex for fun? Or for procreation only?
Manichean/Gnostic view – flesh is bad, spirit is good
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm
Tolkien tried to recreate the missing mythological approach based on the language (how did words like dwarf, elf originate? What were they?)
Who were the Picts?
North British people
later became part of the Scots
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picts
Bede’s church has been recreated in Jarrow – museum, visitor center, library
http://www.bedesworld.co.uk/
Other comments
descriptions of bishops were interesting and gave insight into their character (Mellitus)
King Edwin – not just facts about him but insight into his character
Bede gives us an interpretive history—his perspective is apparent
Rosy view of the church…but did he have any other choice? Could he have criticized the church as a bishop?
Were there non-Christian writings/stories/histories that didn’t survive (perhaps because they were censored by the Church)? Just as there was likely non-Christian music that didn’t survive because the Church would have censored it.
Summary: Who was Bede?
isolated author with a very narrow perspective on the world
sort of like a homeschooler? stays at home and studies, loves books, reads and writes and majors in letters, quirky, eccentric, not well-rounded, angular, curious
good historian because he’s committed to supporting his claims with evidence
a bright light in a dark spot—he contributes something we could never have gotten in any way
easy for us to be critical of Bede (the cultural rush to attribute divine motives/actions to physical circumstances) but we don’t know what it was like to live in that day