Miracles And The Venerable Bede

The subject of this book is the concept of miracles in the thought of the Venerable Bede. Its specific focus is Bede's understanding of the miracles of modern saints, miracles of the sort that he himself describes for us in his Ecclesiastical History.

Gregory, a 6th-century bishop of Tours, was a great collector of saints' lives. The Gallic saints he described would heal the sick, protect fugitives, and release prisoners. However, these saints were also quick to take offense and to punish - paralyzing, crippling, and even killing those who slighted them or threatened their interests. This book reconciles these two aspects of Gregory's saints, allowing for a better understanding of the place of miracles of punishment (Strafwunder) within the broader theological context of the early medieval Latin West. (Series: Theologie - Vol. 110) [Subject: Religious Studies, Christianity, Medieval Studies]

Bede ( 672? - 735), also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede, was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria. Bede's monastery had access to a superb library which included works by Eusebius and Orosius. He is well known as an author and scholar, and his most famous work,The Ecclesiastical History of the English People gained him the title "The Father of English History".

Biblical Exegesis and Mystical Theology in the Venerable Bede brings together 17 essays by Arthur Holder exploring the theology and spirituality found in Bede’s biblical commentaries and homilies. The volume shows that Bede was both a masterful student of received tradition and a creative thinker concerned to address the needs and interests of his audience of Christian pastors and teachers in the eighth-century Northumbrian church. Although Bede is best known as the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, the last half-century of scholarship has demonstrated the sophistication and vast influence of his work in the fields of grammar, biblical interpretation, hagiography, poetry, computus, natural science, and theology. The chapters in this volume show how Bede’s exegesis was integrally connected with his work in all those genres and with the monumental artistic productions of his monastery such as the illuminated bible manuscript known as the Codex Amiatinus. The five parts of the book deal with Bede as teacher and biblical scholar, his interpretations of the tabernacle and the temple, his commentary on the Song of Songs, his attitudes toward philosophy and heresy, and his mystical theology. This book will be of interest to students of Christian theology, mysticism, the development of biblical interpretation, and the history of early medieval England.

"This volume inventorises the whole historiographical production of Late Antiquity. The 'Clavis Historicorum Antiquitatis Posterioris', part of the Brepols 'Claves', is an inventory of all attested works of historiography from Late Antiquity (300-800 AD), in any state of preservation. It offers full coverage of works written in Latin, Greek, Syriac, Armenian, Georgian and Coptic, while also including Jewish and Persian works. Containing information on author and work, it provides guidance on authorship, social and religious context, genre, sources, manuscript tradition, and editions and translations. A substantial introduction discusses genres in late ancient historiography, and numerous indices facilitate the use of the 'Clavis'. In this way, the 'CHAP' will be an essential research tool for scholars working on the history of historiography, Late Antiquity and Patristics, and it will facilitate further research on the genre."--

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII THE LIFE OF ST. CUTHBERT Stories of miracle--Many of these stories not miraculous--Melrose and Boisil--Alchfrith and Ripon--Prior of Melrose--Abbat of Lindisfarne--His rule there--Retirement to a small island-- Bishop of Lindisfarne--At Carlisle--His death and burial--Relics of St. Cuthbert--Coffin--Pectoral cross--Portable altar--Robes. BEDE'S Life of St. Cuthbert was undertaken at the request of the bishop and monks of Lindisfarne. We have already seen the extreme care which he took to make it accurate. The story is full of miracles from beginning to end, and each miracle comes down to us with the solemn attestation of those who knew Cuthbert well, and had lived under his personal rule. Thus there can be no doubt that in that age the frequent occurrence of miracles was accepted as an incontestable fact. Bede's own feeling in the matter seems to have been that it was, perhaps, as well to give his authority for any miraculous story he related; but, beyond that, there is no appearance of an expectation on his part that his accounts of miracles would be disbelieved. Even when he describes in a circumstantial manner the steps he took to secure perfect accuracy in his Life of St. Cuthbert, he does not in the most remote way suggest that without such explanations of his method of procedure his account might be doubted because of the miracles it contained. And in his Ecclesiastical History, the latter part of which contains many miraculous stories, there is no sign to indicate that a miracle was less likely to be believed than the fact that two comets appeared in the year 729. But as we proceed with the life of St. Cuthbert, we shall see that the great mass of what is called miracle is susceptible of a simpler explanation, even...