Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

Pope Gregory I

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

St. Patrick (c.390-461), Apostle to Ireland

A Celtic Cross

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

C. Irish Monasticism

The Book of Kells

Beginning of Matthew 28

St. Columba, 521-597

Columba Bay on Isle of Iona whereColumba & companions landed

Lindisfarne Priory, founded by St. Aidan in 635

One of the most important centers of early Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

C. Irish Monasticism

D. Gregory’s Missionary work in Britain

Anglo-Saxon tribal kingdoms converted from two sources: Celtic Church from the north & Roman Catholic Christianity from the South (Kent)

…We wish you [Abbot Mellitus] to inform him [Augustine] that we have been giving careful thought to the affairs of the English, and have come to the conclusion that the temples of the idols among that people should on no account be destroyed. The idols are to be destroyed, but the temples themselves are to be aspersed w/holy water, altars set up in them, & relics deposited there. For if these temples are well-built, they must be purified from the worship of demons & dedicated to the service of the true God. In this way, we hope that the people, seeing that their temples are not destroyed, may abandon error and, flocking more readily to their accustomed resorts, may come to know & adore the true God.

- Letter of Pope Gregory I in Bede, Ecclesiastical History

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

C. Irish Monasticism

D. Gregory’s Missionary work in Britain

E. Fusion of Irish & Roman Christianity

Anglo-Saxon tribal kingdoms converted from two sources: Celtic Church from the north & Roman Catholic Christianity from the South (Kent)

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

C. Irish Monasticism

D. Gregory’s Missionary work in Britain

E. Fusion of Irish & Roman Christianity

II. English Missions to the Continent

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

C. Irish Monasticism

D. Gregory’s Missionary work in Britain

E. Fusion of Irish & Roman Christianity

II. English Missions to the Continent

A. Boniface (c.680-755)

St. Boniface:

Baptizing

&

Martyrdom

Sacramentary of Fulda, 11th century

Monks and Their Missions: The Christianization of Northern Europe

I. Setting, Personnel, Strategy

A. Pope Gregory I and Monasticism

B. Ireland and Celtic Christianity

C. Irish Monasticism

D. Gregory’s Missionary work in Britain

E. Fusion of Irish & Roman Christianity

II. English Missions to the Continent

A. Boniface (c.680-755)

B. Role of Women in Missions

Spread of Christianity in Europe, c.600 - c.1300