Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England
by A.M. Sellar | 1907 | 112,468 words
Summary: This book chronicles the early history of England and the development of its church. It is divided into five books, each highlighting different phases of ecclesiastical history from the Roman period to Bede's own time in the 8th century. His "Ecclesiastical History of England" draws on various sources, including reports from correspondents and earlier texts, effectively providing a detailed and authoritative history of the English church's formative years.
Book I explores Britain’s early history, the Roman occupation, and the introduction of Christianity with St. Augustine’s mission in 597 AD. Book II describes the expansion of Christianity with missionary work in Kent and Northumbria. Book III focuses on the establishment of Christianity in other British regions despite setbacks like the brief return to paganism. Book IV highlights the church's organizational structure under Archbishop Theodore, marking a period of consolidation. Book V narrates the missionary activities from England to Europe and the widespread adoption of Roman ecclesiastical practices.
Source 1:
Source 2:
Contents of this online book ( + / - )
The full text of the Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England in English is available here and publically accesible (free to read online). Of course, I would always recommend buying the book so you get the latest edition. You can see all this book’s content by visiting the pages in the below index:
Comments: