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A collection of writings dating from the mid-400s to the Norman Conquest introduce readers to the pagan/Christian spirituality of Medieval Europe. Original.
Studying the impact of Christianity on the pagan Germanic warrior peoples who invaded Britain from the 5th century onwards, this text draws on historical evidence to describe the invading Anglo-Saxons' culture and beliefs.
In Compelling God, Stephanie Clark examines the relationship between prayer, gift giving, the self, and community in Anglo-Saxon England.
How Anglo-Saxons in Britain Understood their World 1,500 Years Ago When Anglo-Saxon tribes first settled in Britain in the mid fifth century CE, their beliefs, though varied and developing over time, were essentially pagan and polytheistic. The history of the ways in which the early English understood their world is told here in terms of both the character of specific deities they followed, and the broader nature of their pre-Christian culture. Key themes include the ways in which Anglo-Saxon paganism differed from Scandinavian (Viking) spirituality, and how early English deities compared to those of other early polytheistic cultures, such as the Greek and Sumerian. In order to better comprehend the pagan Anglo-Saxon mind-set, basic Germanic materialist philosophy is contrasted with aspects of ancient Greek idealist philosophy, in particular neoplatonism, and related changing perceptions of the goddess Hecate. Loki's role as an agent of cultural dissent and gender diversity is analysed, and differing views of life after death reviewed. Particular attention is paid to what the Old English Beowulf poem might tell us about English tribal foundation myths, and chapters on the uses of runes and the place of trees in pagan culture are also included. The author seeks to make a case that the early English revered the divine feminine to a degree not found in either Scandinavian paganism or Roman Christianity. As part of this analysis eight north European myths are adapted, retold in short story formats, and evaluated in terms of what they can tell us about important features of early English pagan belief. Early Anglo-Saxon ways of looking at and understanding the world were complex, sophisticated, diverse and pluralistic, and very different from 21st century belief systems. This book seeks to help us comprehend the thought processes of the early English living in Britain one and a half thousand years ago.
Arranged round the Christian year, this is a book to enrich private devotion and public worship. Exquisite imagery and theological learning lightly-worn characterise these prayers and readings from the era of Augustine, Alcuin, Dunstan, Bede and Cuthbert.
Tolkien's enduring vision of Middle Earth was largely inspired by the worldview of ancient Saxon Pagans. In this pagan guidebook, Alaric Albertsson presents a complete introduction to Anglo-Saxon cosmology, deities, spirits, and rituals. Travels Through Middle Earth offers practical information about the Saxon Pagan path, including many ways to incorporate Saxon rituals into contemporary spiritual life. Discover the húsel, a basic ritual for honoring personal ancestors, the Gods, and dwarves and elves. Learn how to set up a wéofod, the Saxon altar, to connect with the Gods. Also covered in this handbook: the concept of wyrd and how it shapes your destiny, the holy tides and how to celebrate them, rites of passage, worship, magic, and even instructions for making mead.
The beauty, the mystery and the power of Anglo-Saxon civilization have long fascinated lovers of history and literature. Now, with this volume in the much-lauded Classics of Western Spirituality(TM) readers are invited to discover the heart and soul of this culture--its spirituality. Extending from the mid-400's to 1066, the Norman Conquest of England, the Anglo-Saxon age demonstrated a fusion of the Christian and the pagan/heroic, rending their literature compelling and their spirituality unique. This volume presents a wide-ranging selection of Anglo-Saxon writings both in poetry and prose. There are sermons extolling the heroism of saints, homilies explaining church festivals and customs, poetical paraphrases of excerpts from the Bible, visions of Judgment Day, allegories, hagiographies and didactic pieces, as well as the celebrated Dream of the Rood and Cædmon's Hymn, the earliest of English poems. All pieces, freshly and engagingly translated by Robert Boenig, are arranged according to the manuscripts in which they can be found. With this extraordinary selection of texts from the Anglo-Saxon tradition, this volume is sure to attract an audience that includes medievalists, church historians and religious professionals, who will appreciate its historical and religious insights. In addition, those who teach or study medieval English literature will want to adopt it for course and research work. +
This book traces the development of religious beliefs in Anglo-Saxon engliand, an dthe influence of religion upon everyday life. (inside flap.).
"The Handbook of Religions in Ancient Europe" surveys the major religious currents of Europe before Christianity - the first continental religion with hegemonic ambition - wiped out most local religions. The evidence - whether archaeological or written - is notoriously difficult to interpret, and the variety of religions documented by the sources and the range of languages used are bewildering. The "Handbook" brings together leading authorities on pre-Christian religious history to provide a state-of-the-art survey. The first section of the book covers the Prehistoric period, from the Paleolithic to the Bronze Age. The second section covers the period since writing systems began. Ranging across the Mediterranean and Northern, Celtic and Slavic Europe, the essays assess the archaeological and textual evidence. Dispersed archaeological remains and biased outside sources constitute our main sources of information, so the complex task of interpreting these traces is explained for each case. The "Handbook" also aims to highlight the plurality of religion in ancient Europe: the many ways in which it is expressed, notably in discourse, action, organization, and material culture; how it is produced and maintained by different people with different interests; how communities always connect with or disassociate from adjunct communities and how their beliefs and rituals are shaped by these relationships. The "Handbook" will be invaluable to anyone interested in ancient History and also to scholars and students of Religion, Anthropology, Archaeology, and Classical Studies.
This volume attempts to throw new light on the mentality of the earliest English - the way they thought, the way they viewed nature and the supernatural. Previous approaches have regarded the English as adherents of two consecutive religions, paganism and Christianity. Paganism held sway among the Anglo-Saxon settlers from the 4th to the 6th century, but Christianity superseded it from the 7th to the 10th century. Of the two Christianity documented itself thoroughly. Paganism failed to do so, and thereby laid itself open to centuries of abuse, conjecture or mindless admiration. Although archaeology does not provide direct access to the mind, it can reveal a great deal about pagan mentalities through analysis of the signals of belief left in material culture. Scrutinising a range of material from locations across northern Europe in Scandinavia as well as England the authors of the current volume demonstrate that beliefs varied from place to place. The conclusion of this volume is that `paganism' does not refer to a specific set of religious beliefs with geographically widespread rules and institutions. Instead `paganism' is a loose term for a variety of local world views and practices. Anglo-Saxon Christianity also appears in a similar light as a source on which communities in different localities drew selectively. Overall the volume offers a new perspective on the preoccupations and anxieties of a crucial age.