Focussing on individuals whose ideas shaped intellectual life between 400 and 1500, Fifty Key Medieval Thinkers is an accessible introduction to those religious, philosophical and political concepts central to the medieval worldview. Including such diverse figures as Bede and Wyclif, each entry presents a biographical outline, a list of works and a summary of their main theories, alongside suggestions for further reading. Chronologically arranged, and with an introductory essay which presents important themes in context, this volume is an invaluable reference tool for all students of Medieval Europe.

"...a milestone in American religious publishing." New Catholic World Bernard of Clairvaux-Selected Works translation and foreword by G.R. Evans introduction by Jean Leclercq, O.S.B. preface by Ewert H. Cousins "Lord, you are good to the soul which seeks you. What are you then to the soul which finds? But this is the most wonderful thing, that no one can seek you who has not already found you. You therefore seek to be found so that you may be sought for, sought so that you may be found." -Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Born in Fontaines-les-Dijon in 1090, Bernard had become, by his twenty-fifth birthday, the abbot of a Cistercian monastery which he had founded in the valley of Clairvaux near Aube, France, some four years earlier. There in those isolated and rugged surroundings he became the spokesman for a revival of monastic life in an age when the radical spirit of religious life was endangered by a movement, best seen in the excesses of the monks of Cluny, that stressed the adaptation of the rule of St. Benedict to the exigencies-and taste for princely comforts-of the royal courts of twelfth-century France. But Bernard's dedication to the strict observance of Benedict's rule was mingled not with the abrasive, shrill style of the prophet but with a sweetness and purity of vision that earned him the title Doctor mellifluous. For he possessed a sense of the love of God, the importance of humility, and the sheer beauty of holiness that has made his writings favorites of scholars and laymen alike throughout the ages. Here in a new translation by G.R. Evans are the writings that have had such a major role in shaping the Western monastic tradition and influencing the development of catholic mystical theology. Together with an introduction by the master of Bernard studies, Jean Leclercq, they comprise a volume that occupies a place of special importance in the chronicle of the history of the Western spiritual adventure.

In the ancient world being a philosopher was a practical alternative to being a christian. Philosophical systems offered intellectual, practical and moral codes for living. By the Middle Ages however philosophy was largely, though inconsistently, incorporated into Christian belef. From the end of the Roman Empire to the Reformation and Renaissance of the sixteenth century Christian theologians had a virtual monopoly on higher education. The complex interaction between theology and philosophy, which was the result of the efforts of Christian leaders and thinkers to assimilate the most sophisticated ideas of science and secular learning into their own system of thought, is the subject of this book. Augustine, as the most widely read author in the Middle Ages, is the starting point. Dr Evans then discusses the classical sources in general which the medieval scholar would have had access to when he wanted to study philosophy and its theological implications. Part I ends with an analysis of the problems of logic, language and rhetoric. In Part II the sequence of topics - God, cosmos, man follow the outline of the summa, or systematic encyclopedia of theology, which developed from the twelfth century as a text book framework. Does God exist? What is he like? What are human beings? Is there a purpose to their lives? These are the great questions of philosophy and religion and the issues to which the medieval theologian addressed himself. From `divine simplicity' to ethics and politics, this book is a lively introduction to the debates and ideas of the Middle Ages.

The University of Oxford was a medieval wonder. After its foundation in the late 12th century it made a crucial contribution to the core syllabus of all medieval universities - the study of the liberal arts law, medicine and theology - and attracted teachers of international calibre and fame. The ideas of brilliant thinkers like innovative translator of Greek Robert Grosseteste, pioneering philosopher Roger Bacon and reforming Christian humanist John Colet redirected traditional scholasticism and helped usher in the Renaissance. In her concise and much-praised new history, G R Evans reveals a powerhouse of learning and culture in scintillating detail. Evans brings Oxford's revolutionary events, as well as its remarkable intellectual journey, to vivid and sparkling life. This book traverses the centuries to delve into the history of the University of Oxford throughout the centuries, governments and political climates it has existed within.

Focusing on individuals whose ideas shaped intellectual life between 400 and 1500, Fifty Key Medieval Thinkers is an accessible introduction to those religious, philosophical and political concepts central to the medieval worldview. Including such diverse figures as Bede and Wyclif, each entry presents a biographical outline, a list of works and a summary of their main theories, alongside suggestions for further reading. Chronologically arranged, and with an introductory essay which presents important themes in context, this volume is an invaluable reference tool for all students of Medieval Europe.

A unique introduction to a fascinating subject, Law and Theology in the Middle Ages explores the relationship between law and theology in Medieval Europe. Focusing on legal and theological responses to justice, mercy, fairness and sin, this text examines the tension between ecclesiastical and secular authority in medieval Europe, illustrating areas of dispute in a clear and accessible way.

A unique introduction to a fascinating subject, Law and Theology in the Middle Ages explores the relationship between law and theology in Medieval Europe. Focusing on legal and theological responses to justice, mercy, fairness and sin, this text examines the tension between ecclesiastical and secular authority in medieval Europe, illustrating areas of dispute in a clear and accessible way.

In the ancient world being a philosopher was a practical alternative to being a Christian. Philosophical systems offered intellectual, practical and moral codes for living. By the Middle Ages however philosophy was largely, though inconsistently, incorporated into Christian belef. From the end of the Roman Empire to the Reformation and Renaissance of the sixteenth century Christian theologians had a virtual monopoly on higher education. The complex interaction between theology and philosophy, which was the result of the efforts of Christian leaders and thinkers to assimilate the most sophisticated ideas of science and secular learning into their own system of thought, is the subject of this book. Augustine, as the most widely read author in the Middle Ages, is the starting point. Dr Evans then discusses the classical sources in general which the medieval scholar would have had access to when he wanted to study philosophy and its theological implications. Part One ends with an analysis of the problems of logic, language and rhetoric. In Part Two the sequence of topics - God, cosmos, man - follows the outline of the summa, or systematic encyclopedia of theology.

This comprehensive introduction to medieval theology introduces students to the period through examination of the major individual theologians of the time. Chronologically arranged, it allows students to explore the crucial period between the Church Fathers and the Reformation when theology first emerged as an academic discipline and when important controversies took place. These issues clarified the nature and purpose of the church and the sacraments, and reopened many of the earlier debates about orthodoxy. This was the period which sowed the seeds of the divisions in the church which have persisted until today.

Introduced with an editorial essay from G.R. Evans, this volume will appeal to theologians and historians. Each theologian is presented by a world renowned scholar who also demonstrates the relevance of medieval theological debate to the modern period.

"The First Christian Theologians" offers a comprehensive introduction to the theology of the early Church through an accessible and lively examination of the major individual theologians of the time.
Provides a comprehensive, single-volume introduction to the theology of the early Church.
Features an accessible and lively examination of the major individual theologians from the first five centuries.
Explores how Christian theology came into being - including detailed coverage of the Scriptural canon, preaching, heresies, and the role of ecumenical councils.
Includes an international list of leading contributors.
Edited by a leading academic in the field, with a reputation for producing first-rate, accessible books.

The true story of a British Bishop who declared himself to be a pacifist, and what he did when England entered World War I

The story of Edward Hicks throws a new light on the problems of conscience World War I created. Acclaimed author G. R. Evans reveals how he wrestled with the issues, yet had to watch his sons go off to fight--one not to return. Drawing upon his detailed diaries, full of indiscreet comments--the sort of thing it would now be unwise for a bishop to write in an e-mail--Evans reveals Edward Hicks to be a man who was wrestling with his own conscience and beliefs. He was also a strong supporter of votes for women, which was highly unusual at that time, and a supporter of teetotalism, an unusual stance for a Church of England dignitary--not uncontroversial matters on which a bishop could adopt a high-profile position without inviting trouble. This book provides a fascinating glimpse into the impact the war had on those who waited at home and tried to hold onto their humanity.

Drawing from a range of historical thinkers to illuminate the subject, this study provides readers with a framework of reference to get their bearings and begin to develop a personal response to the task of "doing the right thing." Its topics delve into the wider context of the practical difficulties people face in deciding what to do for the best, analyzing the way this morning's dilemma fits among the big moral issues. Its subjects are divided into three parts, addressing key questions facing society such as "What is fairness? Should I always tell the truth? What are the moralities of war? What are my ecological responsibilities to the planet? "and" Is the good bound to win in the end? "Accessible and lively, this is a compelling look at how people can live well and make wise decisions.

St Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) was one of the greatest Christian writers of medieval Europe. Although best known as the inventor of the famous 'ontological argument' for God's existence, his writings cover all the chief aspects of Christian doctrine and have been a major influence on western theology. Equal to Anselm's theology are his spiritual writings, which are alive with an understanding of the gentleness and mercy of a God who comes to meet humanity in its suffering and striving. In this exceptional and authoritative study, Dr. Evans explores the full range of Anselm's work, expertly placing both the theology and the devotional writings in context for the modern reader.

The art of preaching had become a highly formal science by the late twelfth century. Taught at universities of western Europe, the meticulous construction of sermons satisfied a scholastic desire for order and exactness. Alan of Lille, the Doctor Universalis, was acknowledged by his contemporaries to be an exceptionally learned man. His manual on the Art of Preaching is an explanation of the theory of sermon composition as it was developing in the schools of his day. A handbook for future preachers, it gives moderns an insight into the techniques and the contents of medieval sermons.

`For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe; but I believe so that I may understand. For I believe this also, that unless I believe, I shall not understand.' Does God exist? Can we know anything about God's nature? Have we any reason to think that the Christian religion is true? What is truth, anyway? Do human beings have freedom of choice? Can they have such freedom in a world created by God? These questions, and others, were ones which Anselm of Canterbury (c.1033-1109) took very seriously. He was utterly convinced of the truth of the Christian religion, but he was also determined to try to make sense of his Christian faith. Recognizing that the Christian God is incomprehensible, he also believed that Christianity is not simply something to be swallowed with mouth open and eyes shut. For Anselm, the doctrines of Christianity are an invitation to question, to think, and to learn. Anselm is studied today because his rigour of thought and clarity of writing place him among the greatest of theologians and philosophers. This translation provides readers with their first opportunity to read all of his most important works within the covers of a single volume. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

What did people really believe in the Middle Ages? Much of our sense of the medieval period has come down to us from the writings of the learned: the abbots, priors, magnates, scholastic theologians and others who between them, and across Christendom, controlled the machinery of church and state. For G R Evans too much emphasis has been placed on a governing elite and too little on those - the great mass of the semi-literate and illiterate, and the emergent middle classes - who stood outside the innermost circles of ecclesiastical power, privilege and education. Her book finally gives proper weight to the neglected literature of demotic religion: the lives of saints; writings by those - including lay women - who had mystical experiences; and lively texts containing stories for popular edification. Ranging widely, from the fall of Rome to the ideas of the Reformation, the author addresses vital topics like the appeal of monasticism, the lure of the Crusades, the rise of the friars and the acute crisis of heresy. As Evans reveals, medieval Christianity was shaped above all by its promise of salvation or eternal perdition.

Throughout the nineteenth century the relationship between the State and the Established Church of England engaged Parliament, the Church, the courts and - to an increasing degree - the people. During this period, the spectre of Disestablishment periodically loomed over these debates, in the cause - as Trollope put it - of 'the renewal of inquiry as to the connection which exists between the Crown and the Mitre'. As our own twenty-first century gathers pace, Disestablishment has still not materialised: though a very different kind of dynamic between Church and State has anyway come into being in England. Professor Evans here tells the stories of the controversies which have made such change possible - including the revival of Convocation, the Church's own parliament - as well as the many memorable characters involved. The author's lively narrative includes much valuable material about key areas of ecclesiastical law that is of relevance to the future Church of England.

What did people really believe in the Middle Ages? Much of our sense of the medieval period has come down to us from the writings of the learned: the abbots, priors, magnates, scholastic theologians and others who between them, and across Christendom, controlled the machinery of church and state. For G R Evans too much emphasis has been placed on a governing elite and too little on those - the great mass of the semi-literate and illiterate, and the emergent middle classes - who stood outside the innermost circles of ecclesiastical power, privilege and education. Her book finally gives proper weight to the neglected literature of demotic religion: the lives of saints; writings by those - including lay women - who had mystical experiences; and lively texts containing stories for popular edification. Ranging widely, from the fall of Rome to the ideas of the Reformation, the author addresses vital topics like the appeal of monasticism, the lure of the Crusades, the rise of the friars and the acute crisis of heresy. As Evans reveals, medieval Christianity was shaped above all by its promise of salvation or eternal perdition.

Did the universe start with a bang, or has it existed always? Was there a supernatural being behind it all, or just mindless forces? The beginning of things has forever tested the limits of curiosity, and such questions have both challenged atheists and inspired believers. Ancient cultures resorted to myth and symbolism to tell vibrant stories about human origins. Later civilizations added philosophical and scientific explanations: but these are not definitive. The nature and meaning of existence - the 'why' as much as the 'how' questions - are in the end mysterious.
In this lively and wide-ranging book, G R Evans explores the world's myriad creation stories against the background of the biggest question there is: what are we doing here? Discussing Swahili legends that resemble the Book of Genesis, Greek tales about the Titans, Native American, Inca and Mesopotamian mythologies, and Vedic creation cycles that begin with a cosmic egg or seed, the author surveys polytheist, monotheist and dualist ideas about supernatural power. Tracing the history of humanity as it has struggled, over many millennia, to make sense of itself, "First Light" will attract students of religion, history and philosophy and general readers alike.

This is a sequel to the author's The Language and Logic of the Bible: The Earlier Middle Ages. The period of the reformation saw immense changes of approach to the study of the Bible, which in turn brought huge consequences. This book, seeking to show the direction of endeavour of such study in the last medieval centuries, examines the theory of exegesis, practical interpretation, popular Bible study and preaching, and looks especially at the areas of logic and language in which the scholars of the period had considerable expertise. The condemnation of the scholastics has tended to sink with them a proper recognition of what they achieved. In looking forward to the reformation, Dr Evans demonstrates a greater continuity of attitude than has often been allowed and describes how the enquiries of later medieval scholars opened out into the explorations of the sixteenth century made by Protestant and Roman Catholic thinkers alike.

Alan of Lille was a notable figure in the second half of the twelfth century as a theologian and as a poet and he has seemed as rich and individual a writer to modern scholars as he did to his own contemporaries. This study examines his work as a whole, in an attempt to set his well-known literary achievement in the context of his theological writings. He was in many ways a pioneer, an experimenter with several of the new genres of his day, an innovator both as a teacher and as an author. He was not an original thinker so much as an eclectic, drawing on a wide range of the sources available to his contemporaries. He shows us what might be done by a lively-minded scholar with the resources of the day, within the schools of late twelfth-century France, to bring theology alive and make it interesting and challenging to his readers.

In this impassioned and challenging lecture, Gillian Evans addresses the interdisciplinary nature of the study of medieval texts and its inherent problems, drawing important lessons for teaching and research within the modern university. Through discussion of the practices, philosophy and constitution of the medieval community of authorship, Evans throws into relief the assumptions which surround our current practice of dividing the subject matter of study into discrete educational ???portions??? by discipline and subject. While acknowledging that the task of pursuing the truth through academic study has perhaps been made more manageable by classification, Evans argues that ancient and medieval scholars would not have flourished in a world of single-subject disciplines. Instead, she calls for disciplinary bounds to be broken and for the modern university to lead in the preservation of learning for its own sake and the fostering of a culture of open-ended enquiry.

During the Reformation period many of the fiercest debates centered on the nature of authority. These covered every aspect of Christian faith and life. The authority of scripture; the authority on which disputed points of faith and order could be decided; the authorizing of ministry in the Church; the efficacy of the sacraments, were all contested. Such issues are shown by the author of this study to remain ecumenically significant, both because it proved impossible at the time to resolve them to everyone's satisfaction, and because they continued to represent the focus of mutual hostility among the separated churches.

Individual churches today have a lively ecumenical consciousness, but they often express anxieties about what will become of them in a future united Church. Questions are being asked about the goal of such unity. In this book, G. R. Evans asks what we mean by 'a church', and how different Christian bodies have understood the way 'a church' is related to 'the Church'. She surveys the nature of unity and what the fullness of the communion being reached for might consist of; the place of diversity of faith and order in a united Church, or ways in which there can go on being many churches in one Church and how they might be related to it; and questions about the common structures one Church would need, and the way in which it could come to think and act as a single 'body' of Christ. The book concludes with a discussion of the concept of 'communion', which now looks very hopeful ecumenically as a guide to the way forward.

Problems of Authority in the Reformation Debates shows that in the early sixteenth century much was seen to be wrong with both the doctrine and the practice of authority in the Western Church. A great deal of scholarly effort was devoted at the time to trying to understand the nature of the problem, but this, as the author points out, was largely a piecemeal endeavour. No one succeeded in providing a comprehensive account of the complex 'authority' questions which were being raised about absolute divine sovereignty, the centrality of Christ, the primacy of scripture, the necessity of grace, and so on. Dr Evans aims here to piece together underlying connections in the theology of the Reformation period, as a contribution to ecumenical dialogue. She shows how, as theologians struggle today about words and meanings, the detailed texture of semantic debate similarly underlies many of the Reformation controversies.