The Medieval Church: A Brief History

by Joseph H. Lynch

Book Overview

International, multi-national and yet intimately local, the Church was the central institution of the European Middle Ages, and the foundation of medieval life. No aspect of the medieval world, or the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0582494672
• ISBN13: 9780582494671
• Release Date: August 1992
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

From Sunrise to Sunset

From Sunrise To Sunset By Ralph E. Hawkins/ Hawk Book Review: Lynch Joseph H. The Medieval Church. A brief history: London and New York: Longman , 1992 Joseph H. Lynch text The Medieval Church, A brief history is a wonderful book that covers Christianity from its early Christian origins all the way up to the eve of the reformation. The writer takes you right into how Christianity made its transition from Judaism, and became a living breathing organism, and the corporation that I believe it is today. The writer also shares in great detail the power of the Catholic Church, and their definition of the Catholic (`Universal') church, and their strong belief that Peter pass them, and them only the keys to the church. He also shares with his readers how the Catholic Church believed that salvation could only come through the Catholic Church and through the pope. Lynch covers in great detail the persecution that the Christians endure from its pagan neighbors, and the beginning of Monasticism and how important it was to not only the early and medieval church, but to the laity as well. Lynch shows the power of the Papacy and the means by which it used to obtain that power. The reform of the church was a major era within the Catholic Church, but it did not come without strong resistance. The writer gives the reader an insight into the different schools, and how they got started, and the major difference between the Cathedral Schools and the Monastic Schools, and how education along with the teaching of the liberal arts began to empower the people, which I believe began to lay the foundation for the reformation, which came later. The writer shares the events in this book as if you are reading a narrative, and the reading from chapter to chapter is a good as any movie you can watch. In each chapter he leads you into a more fascinating story of the history of the church, from the three popes all claiming to have power at the same time, to those who were called heretics simple because they disagreed with the church. Towards the end the writer shares with the reader the importance of the sacraments and what they each meant to that society. I wish Lynch had cover more in detailed the reaction of the people when the papal authority was out of control particular when they had the three popes, and how that affected the credibility of the church. In his book he spent a great deal of time on the Monastic life, and what all it entail. I believe this was somewhat over the top, but over all I believe he did a great job. He had a cliffhanger at the end, because if you had not read any information on the reformation there is no way you can just stop with this book. It begs you to read more information about the history of the church, and why you as a Christian believe what you believe, regardless of what your particular denomination may be. I found this book very enjoyable to read, and it was extremely informative, and would be a blessing to any scholar, or laity to

A Captivating Glance into the Medieval Church History

Book Review The Medieval Church: A Brief History by Joseph H. Lynch Reviewed by Betty Vattakunnel Lynch, Joseph H. The Medieval Church: A Brief History. London: Longman, 1992. Joseph H. Lynch is a Professor of History at Ohio State University and is also the author of the following books: Early Christianity: A Brief History, Christianizing Kinship: Ritual Sponsorship in Anglo-Saxon England, and many other books.Through the reading of his book, The Medieval Church, Lynch's passion to teach the history of Christianity is evident in his writings. Lynch's books provide readers an in depth, yet readable glance into the history of Christianity. He provides his readers a captivating viewpoint of the history that took place and changed the world and the growth of the church. The importance of studying the history of Christianity is illustrated through Lynch's books that display the necessity to learn about our church history in order to understand where we are today. The book, The Medieval Church, provides readers a chronological and fairly detailed look into the medieval era of the history of Christianity. Lynch does an excellent job in setting out the facts without providing a stale encyclopedia historical outlook, but uses a language that entices the readers interest by bringing to life the realities of the history of Christianity. From Ancient Christianity to the eve of the Reformation, Lynch descriptively introduces his readers to what the world was like for the church during this era. Lynch divides his book up into twenty sections that are divided by time periods and also important events that took place. This book provides good historical facts with a timeline that guides readers through the history of the church and at the same time introduces readers to the various movements that took place that affected the overall growth of the church. Lynch does an outstanding job in exploring all areas of the medieval era including monasticism, missions, growth of the schools, details in regards to the church structure, and illustrates details of the challenges faced by the church from opposition outside of the church and even within the church. As the medieval era is the precursor for the reformation, Lynch does a beautiful job in building up the climax of this era towards the eve of the Reformation era. The use of clear and concise language throughout the book grasps readers attention and sustains their interest in learning about the medieval era. When reading this book, readers should have some background of the early church history to completely understand the language and conflicts that arise during this time period. Lynch provides his readers in the preface a list of books to reference while reading this book as it uses language and refers to events that the reader should have some knowledge of. Taking this into consideration, The Medieval Church: A Brief History is a book that should not be read individually. As this book is historically built upo

The Medieval Church, A brief history

Lynch, Joseph H. The MedievalChurch. A Brief History. London and New York: Longman, 1992, 385 pp. Paper, 38.87. Joseph Lynch is professor of History at Ohio State University. He is also the author of Early Christianity, A Brief History and Christianizing Kinship: Ritual Sponsorship in Anglo-Saxon England. Lynch states in the preface that his book "is intended to be an introduction for beginners and, to be frank, beginners with neither Latin nor extensive knowledge of modern foreign languages. He regrettably restricted footnotes and suggested reading almost entirely to works in English, since he wanted to provide interested students with sources and secondary works which they could read with profit" (xii, xiii). Lynch gives the reader "an up-to-date survey, within the covers of a single manageable volume, explaining the history of the Church as an institution and also exploring its all-pervasive role in medieval life and this book now convincingly fills the gap". The book begins with ancient Christianity including the origins of Christianity to the late medieval church with the inclusion of maps and a suggested reading section. The author examines many aspects of the Christian faith and its progression. In discussing ancient Christianity, Lynch explores Christian origins, catholic Christianity, persecution, normative Christianity and the beginnings of monasticism. Lynch states "the notion of a 'Medieval Christianity', like so many attempts to chop history into manageable pieces, is a modern one created by historians. People living between the fifth and fifteen centuries might have been aware of some change, but saw no significant break between their religion and that of the earliest Christians. In one sense they were correct: Christianity had developed organically, step by step from the little community in Palestine in the late first century. However, the modern perception that Christianity in 900 or 1200 was different in significant ways from Christianity in 200 or 300 is also correct. Christianity's history had shaped it (and continues to shape it) in ways that no one in first-century Palestine could have predicted" (p.1). "The book traces the development of Christianity, and the Church that embodied it in western Europe, from the decline of the Roman Empire to the fifteenth century. The emphasis throughout the book is on change and development, for medieval society was no more static than is the society of today. In the course of the thousand years covered in this book the medieval culture evolved from primitive and complex roots into a dynamic culture that is poised on the threshold of the remarkable expansion of early modern times, when European civilization began to figure in a new world role. The Western Church evolved along with that society, sometimes in opposition to it, sometimes incorporating its structures and values into itself, and always ordering and shaping them in the process". The reader of this book

great intro book

This is a primary course text for a church history class I am currently taking. Lynch's explanations of different major movements and figures are clear, articulate, and informed. This book isn't an exciting read, but is one of the most informative and least trying upper-level history course books I've read. Considering the range and breadth of the topic, Lynch does not do justice to many medieval religious topics, but with this book he provides a good starting point for further research.

Excellent, readable introduction to the subject

This is an excellent introduction to medieval Church history that assumes an interest but little background in the subject. The deatils on any specific subject are necessarily limited, but a thorough bibliography is included. Unlike many authors in the field, Lynch's writing style is entertaining and readable without sacrificing content. He remembered that no one goes to the ball game to watch the umpire, and the resulting book is informative, clear, and understandable.