Chapter 6The Conversion of the Barbarian Tribes
evangelization process from the 4
th
century to the 11 century
Should Christianity evangelize?
promoted religious faith as well as civilization and culture
The Churchs Work of Conversion
most of the Germanic tribes were Arians
the monks would be the great missionaries of the period
many missionaries from reland! "ngland! and Germany
Christian #ueens often influenced their husbands conversion and the
population would the follow
Part I
Conversion of France, the Churchs Elest !au"hter#
Conversion of the Franks
$ranks settled Gaul %$rance& in 4'(
pagan when they arrived
united under )eroveus * the )erovingian +ynasty
Clovis! an ancestor of )eroveus! was married to a Christian ,urgundian
princess
Clovis promises to convert if he wins a difficult battle! he does and converts
in 4-.
$irst tribe to convert to Christianity! hence the /Church0s "ldest +aughter1
Part II
$pain
tradition held that St2 3ames the Greater and St2 4aul brought Christianity to
Spain
Arian 5isigoths prove very intolerant of Christians
6ecared %6eccard& was the 5isigothic king who converted to Christianity in
('.
beginning of the '
th
century )uslims enter Spain and remain until the 1(
th
century
)ozarabs or )ozarabic Christians were Christians who chose to remain in
Spain and live under )uslim control
Part III
The Conversion of the Celts
$t% Patrick& The 'postle of Irelan#
4atricius %d2 4-7&
6oman ,riton kidnapped by rish pirates
after si8 years he escapes and returns to ,ritain
a vision calls him back to reland and so he began to study for the priesthood
4atrick returned to reland and within a generation the island was converted
to Christianity
4atrick promoted monasticism in reland and promoted the foundation of
many monasteries
Irish (onks& Protectors an Pro)oters of Western Civili*ation
rish monasticism was more oriented towards the austerity of "astern
monasticism and was not guided by the +ule of Beneict
e8treme penances were the norm
e8empt from many of the trials on the mainland! the rish monks preserved
much of the Greco96oman literary tradition
no diocesan priests emerged in reland! all of the priests were monks
abbots e8ercised most of the governing power of the island
5iking invasions damaged many of the rish monasteries
$t% Colu)ba& The 'postle of $cotlan#
Columba %(:19(-.&
originally from reland but went to Scotland in (;7
(.4 he anoints the new Scottish king that leads to the conversion of Scotland
$t% Colu)banus an the Irish on the Continent
Columbanus %d2 ;1(&
evangelized and renewed Christianity along the northern coast of $rance and
in Switzerland
partially responsible for promoting the fre#uent reception of the sacrament
of 6econciliation
o originates with rish monks
o created Penitentials * books that assigned specific penance to specific
sins
o #uickly became incorporated into the Church
o 1:1( at the $ourth <atern Council it becomes the norm for the
Church and annual reception of the sacrament for serious sin is
mandated
o very similar to today0s rite for the sacrament
Part I,
The Conversion of En"lan
$t% 'u"ustine of Canterbur-& The 'postle of En"lan#
Augustine of Canterbury %d2 ca2 ;=49;=-&
,enedictine monk at St2 Andrew0s monastery in 6ome
brought Christianity to the Anglo9Sa8ons
sent by 4ope Gregory the Great in (-;
through ,ertha the $rankish #ueen of "thelbert! Augustine gained access to
the king
the Sa8ons and "thelbert ultimately converted and the important "piscopal
see of Canterbury was established
The (ission in En"lan Continues
by ;77 the "nglish conversion had regressed
the rish therefore intervened to restore the faith especially in the north
conflict between the rish north and the 6oman south occurred
o settled at the Synod of >hitby %;;4&
o "aster to coincide with 6ome0s date
o ,enedictine monasticism would dominate "ngland
"ngland becomes very linked to the papacy in 6ome and sets the stage for
missionaries to Germany and the <ow Countries
$t% Bee& The Father of En"lish .istor-#
,ede the 5enerable %ca2 ;.79.7(&
scholar indicating the importance of the monasteries for learning
composed Ecclesiastical .istor- of the En"lish People?places the Church at
the foundation of the development of "nglish culture
wrote on many other topics as well
5ikings and weak "nglish kings resulted in "ngland losing its edge by the
year 1===
Part ,
The Conversion of /er)an- an the 0o1 Countries
beginning in the .
th
century "nglish missionaries begin work in northwest
and central Germany
Some Germanic tribes along the ,altic Sea remained unconverted until the
second millennium
$t% Boniface& The 'postle of /er)an-#
,oniface * >infrid %ca2 ;.(9.(4&
converted the Germans with a Church based on monastic models
won the privile"iu) * privilege for German monasteries! i2e2 they were
e8empt from diocesan control and answered directly to the papacy
revitalized the $aith among the $ranks
established the ecclesiastical structure of the Church in Germany
felled the @ak of Ahor! a sacred tree of the pagans! when he was not hurt
many turned to Chrisitianity
Charles )artel assisted ,oniface in his work
his most important missionary monastery was in $ulda
martyred by pagans in .(4
Part ,II
The Conversion of the $lavs
German missionaries converted the rest of Germany and 4oland while Greek
missionaries converted much of "astern "urope
Czechs! Slovaks! Slovenes! Croats and 4oles were directed from 6ome while
Serbs! ,ulgarians! Bkrainians! and 6ussians were focused to Constantinople
$ts% C-ril an (ethoius& The 'postles of the $lavs#
brothers?Cyril %':.9';-& and )ethodius %':;9''(&
first missionaries among the Slavs
Cyril develops Glagolithic alphabet which evolved into the Cyrillic alphabet
used Slavonic! the vernacular language! in both liturgy and a translation of
the ,ible in their missionary efforts
Germanic missionaries denounced the use of the vernacular as heretical
4ope Adrian approved their use of vernacular in ';'
when later popes turned against the vernacular many Slavs turned from
6ome to Constantinople
$t% ,lai)ir& The 'postle of the +ussians an 2kranians#
5ladimir %d2 1=1(&
pagan of 5iking descent
sought to invade the Greco96oman "mpire
also sought a religion to solidify his rule
in late -'=s the ,yzantine emperor! ,asil ! needed military aid and sought it
from 5ladimir
5ladimir set the termsC he would marry ,asil0s sister and in return he would
provide ;!=== soldiers
,asil agreed with the stipulation that 5ladimir be baptized
after his baptism! 5ladimir became a devout convert and set out to spread
the Gospel in his kingdom
by 1=1( Christianity was firmly established in 6ussia
