The Venerable Bede

The Ecclesiastical History of the English PeopleThe Venerable Bede1The Venerable Bede'The Venerable Bede translates John'J. D. Penrose (ca. 1902)Circa 672May 25, 735a Benedictine monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow (see Wearmouth-Jarrow), both in the Kingdom of Northumbria.

Kingdom of NorthumbriaWearmouth-JarrowBede in The Little Lives of the Saints, illustrated by Charles Robinson in 1904.

2The Venerable BedeHe was placed in the monastery at Wearmouth at the age of seven, he became deacon in his nineteenth year, and priest in his thirtiethWell known as an author and scholarMost famous work, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People) Considered "The father of English history"Regarded as a Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church, a position of theological significance; he is the only man from Great Britain to achieve this designation

3Wrote On the Reckoning of Time (De temporum ratione) which included an introduction to the traditional ancient and medieval view of the cosmos, including an explanation of how the spherical earth influenced the changing length of daylight, of how the seasonal motion of the Sun and Moon influenced the changing appearance of the New Moon at evening twilight, and a quantitative relation between the changes of the Tides at a given place and the daily motion of the moon. Since the focus of his book was calculation, Bede gave instructions for computing the date of Easter and the related time of the Easter Full Moon, for calculating the motion of the Sun and Moon through the zodiac, and for many other calculations related to the calendar. For calendric purposes, Bede made a new calculation of the age of the world since the creation. Due to his innovations in computing the age of the world, he was accused of heresy.Used anno incarnationis dominicae (in the year of the incarnation of the Lord). He never abbreviated the term like the modern AD, however his use caused that era to be adopted thereafter in Western Europe.

The Venerable Bede4Spent his life in Jarrow with his prominent activities evidently being teaching and writing, the two of most interest to him. There he also died, on May 25, 735, and was buried, although his body was later transferred to Durham Cathedral.The Venerable BedeThe Death of St. Bede

Bede's tomb in Durham Cathedral.

5His scholarship and importance to Catholicism were recognized in 1899 when he was declared St Bede The Venerable. His feast day was also included in the General Roman Calendar in 1899, for celebration on May 27th rather than on his date of death, May 25th, which was then the feast day of Pope Saint Gregory VII; however, the 1969 calendar reforms allowed Bede's feast day to move to its proper day.

The Venerable BedeDepiction of Bede from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493.

6Historia ecclesiastica gentis AnglorumThe Ecclesiastical History of the English PeopleFive books and 400 pages of the history of England, ecclesiastical and political.From the time of Caesars invasion (55 B.C.) to the date of its completion (731). The first twenty-one chapters, treating of the period before the mission of Augustine of Canterbury, are compiled from earlier writers such as Orosius, Gildas, Prosper of Aquitaine, the letters of Pope Gregory I and others, with the insertion of legends and traditions. After 596, documentary sources, which Bede took pains to obtain throughout England and from Rome, are used, as well as oral testimony, which he employed with critical consideration of its value. He cited his references and was very concerned about the provenance (origin) of his sources, which created an important historical chain.Originally written in Latin, King Alfred considered the book important enough to have it translated into Old English.

7Comes from Book II of Bedes historyRelates the process by which Christian missionaries converted the Anglo-Saxon kings.Shows the dramatic contrast between the Anglo-Saxons grim view of the afterlife and the positive alternative offered by the missionaries.The pre-Christian or pagan, Anglo-Saxons believed that a warrior who died bravely in battle would go after death to a land reserved for heroes, Valhalla. For others, the future after death was uncertain. The final paragraph of the selection, which compares the time before, during, and after life to the flight of a sparrow, is one of the most famous in all of English Literature.The Conversion of King Edwin8The Conversion of King EdwinAllegoryA work in which each element symbolizes, or represents something else. The last paragraph of the selection contains an allegory comparing human life to the flight of a sparrow. To understand the allegory you need to determine what the characters and objects in the story symbolize.

9What kingdom was ruled by Edwin?Northumbria10Who is Paulinus?A Catholic priest and missionary.11What does Paulinus ask of King Edwin?Paulinus asks Edwin to convert to Christianity.12What does Paulinus promise?He promises Edwin internal peace and eternal life.13Why does Paulinus believe Edwin has a responsibility to embrace the faith?Paulinus thinks Edwin has a responsibility to convert because he has made a promise to do so.14With whom does King Edwin meet?Edwin meets with his friends and closest advisors.15Why does King Edwin hold a meeting?Edwin wants his friends and advisors to convert also.16What does consecrated together in the waters of life mean or represent?It is a reference to baptism17Who is Coifi?The kings advisor and chief priest.18What does Coifi think of the old religion?Coifi thinks the old religion is inferior to the new.19What reason does Coifi give for forsaking the old religion?Although Coifi was the most faithful follower of the old religion, he has achieved little wealth, influence, and power.20In what ways does the new religion differ from the old religion?The new religion promises the certainty of an afterlife of eternal happiness, whereas the old religion promises only death and uncertainty.21What makes the new religion appealing to the elders and to the kings counselors?The elders are attracted to the new religion because they think it offers more spiritual certainty and more worldly advantage.22According to King Edwins advisors, what is the purpose of religion?The purpose of religion is worldly success.23To what does the kings advisor compare the swift flight of a sparrow?A human life24What view of life and of the afterlife is implicit in the counselors story of the sparrow?Human life is brief and insignificant and the what if anything, comes after life is completely unknown.25What does the sparrow symbolize?The soul

26What does the dining room with a door symbolize?Our short life on earthLimits of human knowledge27What do the winter storms symbolize?The unknown periods before and after our lives28What does the supper symbolize?The pleasures of our lives on earth29What do the commanders and ministers symbolize?The pleasures of our lives on earth

30What does the fire symbolize?The pleasures of our lives on earth

31What does our sight symbolize?Our knowledge32