"Let books be your dining table, / And you shall be full of delights. / Let them be your
mattress,/
And you shall sleep restful nights" (St. Ephraim the Syrian).


Friday, February 6, 2015

Medieval Christianity

Covering as it does the period of acute crisis ("great schism") between East and West, and all the messy history immediately before 1054 and for centuries afterwards, this new collection promises to be of great interest to historians and ecumenists alike (if they win the lottery to afford it): R.N. Swanson, ed., The Routledge History of Medieval Christianity: 1050-1500 (Routledge, 2015), 408pp.
 

About this book the publisher tells us:
The Routledge History of Medieval Christianity explores the role of Christianity in European society from the middle of the eleventh-century until the dawning of the Reformation. Arranged in four thematic sections and comprising 23 originally commissioned chapters plus introductory overviews to each section by the editor, this book provides an authoritative survey of a vital element of medieval history.
Comprehensive and cohesive, this volume provides a holistic view of Christianity in medieval Europe, examining not only the church itself but also its role in, influence on, and tensions with, contemporary society. Chapters therefore range from examinations of structures, theology and devotional practices within the church to topics such as gender, violence and holy warfare, the economy, morality, culture, and many more besides, demonstrating the pervasiveness and importance of the church and Christianity in the medieval world.
Despite the transition into an increasingly post-Christian age, the historic role of Christianity in the development of Europe remains essential to the understanding of European history – particularly in the medieval period. This collection will be essential reading for students and scholars of medieval studies across a broad range of disciplines.

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