REL 231 - History of the Christian Church
Course Notes
Week 7
The period covered by Chapter 6 is a rather confused one, with tribal groups moving across Europe, dynasties emerging, and power structures being reorganized.
What I'd like you to get from this week's study is a picture of the main streams of events in two general geographic areas :
- Britain and Ireland
- Continental Europe
Christianity in Britain and Ireland
Britain had been invaded by Julius Caesar in 55 BC, and there were Roman Legions and settlements in Britain by the time of Christ. There are no records of who first brought Christianity to Britain, but it is probable that Roman Legions which had been stationed in the East (including Palestine) were moved to the Western front (Britain) and brought Christianity with them. Inscriptions found in some of the Roman villas and army buildings seem to indicate that there were Christians among the soldiers and their families.
The first British martyr of whom we have record is St. Alban, who was killed during an early persecution - either the Diocletian persecution of AD 305, or earlier under Septimius Severus (AD 209)
When the power of Rome crumbled under invasions of Huns, Goths, and other marauding tribes, the Roman Legions were withdrawn from Britain (AD 383-410) and a period of isolation began. However, even while the British Celts were under attack from Saxons and Angles, they were sending Christian missions westward to Ireland.
The next generation of Irish Christians sent missions to the Isles of Scotland, and founded the monastery of Iona (AD 563). Monks from Iona went back East as missionaries to the mainland of Scotland, and to Northumbria (northern England)(AD 640). This was shortly after Augustine came as a Missionary from Rome to the Anglo-Saxons of southern England (AD 597)
In the succeeding generations, Northumbria became a center for learning and missionary activity, with missionaries going not only to other parts of Britain, but to northern Europe (Boniface, Willibrord). Alcuin was called from York to go to what is now France/Germany as an advisor to Charlemagne in 782.
Northumbria and all the East coast of England, however, came under attack from the Danes and other invaders. Norsemen (Vikings) had already invaded Ireland, and also crossed to northern England, so many centers of Christianity were destroyed. It was only through the tenacity and courage of Alfred the Great (king of Wessex 871-899) and his successors that the Danish invasion was stemmed and Christianity was re-established in England.
The Church in Britain during most of this time was independent of the Roman hierarchy. Monastic settlements followed the patterns of Eastern monasticism, which tended to have hermits (monks living alone), or cenobitic communities - monks lived in a loose association, under the direction of an Abbot, but did not live in a closed community as the Benedictines. They were able to move about more freely from one place to another. Their focus was on missions and learning, rather than on the strict adherence to hours of worship which was a feature of Roman Benedictine monasticism.
Another difference between the early British and Roman Churches was the hierarchical structure - the Roman Church had an authority structure built on Bishops, who had oversight of a particular region (the See of a Bishop) and who were under the direction of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. (Italian "Papa", Father). The Bishops were responsible for appointing Priests to serve local towns and villages, with Church buildings for worship in the towns.
Because of the way in which British/Celtic Christianity spread, its hierarchical structure depended more on local monasteries. The Abbot of a monastery was the authority for those in the monastery. He was elected by the monks themselves, rather than appointed "from above". Abbots tended to make decisions for themselves, rather than acting under orders from a superior. The local population would go to the monastery to attend worship services.
The Council of Whitby (AD 664) started to bring the Celtic Church into line with the Roman.
A thorough reorganization of the Church in England, introducing the Parochial system of local churches under the direction of Bishops who were appointed by Rome, was carried out by Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 669
Christianity in Continental Europe
Although the Roman Empire gradually fell to invading barbarians, the Church survived. The Popes of Rome were a stabilizing influence, and local Bishops throughout Europe became leaders of their regions, with the courage to meet with barbarian leaders and negotiate treaties with them. It is to their initiative and leadership that the Western Church owes its increasing political power.
Some of the barbarian tribes had been evangelized by Wulfilas in the fourth century, although he taught the Arian heretical view that Jesus Christ was a created being rather than truly part of the God-Head. Various tribes of Goths settled throughout Europe, and in the third century the tribe of the Franks settled in what is now France.
John Cassian (360-435) traveled to Palestine, Egypt, Constantinople, and Rome, and experienced the monastic life of the Eastern Church, On coming to Europe he founded a monastery in Southern Gaul, near the town now called Marseilles. His writings and example influenced Benedict of Nursia when the latter wrote out guidelines for monasteries and their organization.
Remigius (437-533), Bishop of Reims and Apostle to the Franks, was born to a Christian family in one of the territory conquered by the pagan Franks. He became friends with Clovis, and was instrumental in bringing him to faith in Christ.
In 493 AD Clovis (466-511), King of the Franks, married a Christian Burgundian princess, Clothilde. In 496 Clovis became a Christian and was baptized by Remigius (St. Remy) of Reims. He defeated Alaric II, King of the Visigoths, and extended his empire over most of western Europe. The Merovingian dynasty founded by Clovis was plagued by strife, and succeeding rulers were weak. Power was gradually taken over by men whom the kings appointed as "Mayor of the Palace" or Majordomo.
Benedict of Nursia (480-547) and his twin sister Scholastica (480-543) were born in Nursia in central Italy. Benedict became disillusioned with the hedonistic life of a Roman noble, and turned to a deeper life of dedication to God, first becoming a hermit, and then a monk. Eventually he set up twelve monasteries, including the one at Monte Cassino in southern Italy, where he lived until his death in 547. His "Rule" was written to help the monks live a life centered on Christ, and also to give them advice on the administration of a monastery - how to organize the day-to-day life of the community. The "Rule of Benedict" was so clear to understand, and so well-written that most later monastic organizations used it as a guide.
Back in the land of the Franks, Charles Martel (686-741) became Mayor of the Palace around the year 717 (there was a period of civil war involving kings and rival mayors). Charles was a great general and a military genius. He attacked and took the lands of the Saxons and the Frisians (present-day Belgium and Holland), and sent Willibrord of Utrecht as a missionary to the Frisians in 719. Then he then took parts of what is now Germany, and consolidated his territory
However, the Moslem Moors of Spain began an invasion in the West, getting as far as the city of Toulouse. From 725 to 737 Charles fought off the Moorish invasions, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of Tours in 732 (also called the Battle of Poitiers - the actual battlefield lay between the two towns). It is from this Battle that Charles won his nickname "Martel" (Hammer). Had Charles not won this battle the Moslem invasion would probably spread all across Europe and possible also Britain, and subsequent history would have been very different.
Peppin the Short (714-768), also called Peppin III or Peppin the Younger (and his name may also be spelled Pippin or Pepin), son of Charles Martel, became Mayor of the Palace in 741. In 751 he decided to bring the question of the title and the authority to a head, and wrote to Pope Zachary to ask "Who should be King - He who has the title, or he who makes the decisions?". The Pope at that time depended on Peppin and the Franks to support him in fights with the Lombards of northern Italy and the Byzantine Empire in the East, so he gave his opinion in favor of Peppin. Peppin used this decision to engineer his election as King of the Franks, and his anointing as King by Archbishop Boniface of Mainz. Pope Zachary died in 752. His successor Pope Stephen II was still having problems with invading Lombards in the north of Italy, and bad relations with the Byzantine Empire, so he too needed the support of the Franks. In 754 Pope Stephen II traveled to Paris to consecrate Peppin as King and ordained protector of the Church, with the additional title of Patrician of the Romans. In the same ceremony the Pope also anointed Peppin's two sons Charles (Charlemagne) and Carloman. Peppin continued his conquests of neighboring countries, and continued to drive the Moors out of Gaul until his death in 768
Peppin the Short's son, Charles I, the Great, Charlemagne (742-814), became King of the Franks in 768 continued his father's program of expansion and conquest, including Italy. In AD 800 he was proclaimed Imperator Augustus and crowned as "Holy Roman Emperor" by Pope Leo III, thereby not only recognizing Charlemagne as ruler over most of Europe, but also implying that the Pope had the power to appoint and crown kings. Charlemagne's rule was marked by reforms and advances in administration, government, the military, finances, culture, education, scholarship, and the Church. In these he was helped and advised by Alcuin of York and Paul the Deacon (a Benedictine monk).
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
