Dissent and Order in the Middle Ages: The Search for Legitimate Authority

by Jeffrey Burton Russell

The study of the conflict between religious orthodoxy and heresy in the Middle Ages has long been a controversial field. Though the sectarian differences of the past have faded in intensity, the varieties of academic correctness that today inform historical studies are equally likely to give rise to a number of interpretations, sometimes providing more information about the sympathies of contemporary historians than the beliefs, feelings, and actions of Medieval people. In this book, Jeffrey Burton Russell provides a fresh overview of the subject from the Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) to the eve of the Protestant Reformation. The fruit of many years of thought and scholarship, 'Dissent and Order in the Middle Ages' is a concise introduction to the full range of religious and social phenomena encompassed by the book's title. While tracing the intellectual battles that raged between the champions of orthodoxy and the partisans of dissent, Russell grounds these conflicts, which often seem rather recondite to the modern reader, in the evolving social context of Medieval Europe. In addition to discussing conflicts within Christianity, Russell sheds new light on such vexing topics as the origin of anti-Semitism and the persecution of alleged witches. More than just an overview, Russell's study is also an original interpretation of a complex subject. Russell sees the conflict between dissent and order not as a war of binary opposites, but rather as an ongoing dialectic, a creative tension that, despite the excesses it entailed on both sides, was essential to the development of Christianity. Without this creative tension, Russell argues, Christianity might well have stagnated and possibly died. Dissent and order, then, are perhaps best seen as symbiotically joined aspects of a single living, healthy organism. 'Dissent and Order in the Middle Ages' will appeal to, and challenge, all readers interested in European history, from beginning students to seasoned scholars, as well as those concerned with Christianity's past - and future.

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1992

About the author

Jeffrey Burton Russell was an American historian of medieval Europe and religious studies scholar.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Jeffrey Burton Russell would probably get mad at me for saying so - he explicitly rejects the phrase in his book - this book works pretty well as a primer for the history of medieval heresies. Russell is right that such a phrase is questionable (heresy isn't really a 'thing,' so it's hard to have a history of it), but it's probably the most helpful way to look at it for prospective readers.

I had mixed feelings, overall. It's a good overview, and Russell is a good writer. I like that he framed his short essay around the idea of tension between dissent and order. I think he's right that it's one of the most important concepts to grasp if you want to understand what drove the Middle Ages (at least the religious and cultural end of things).

Because it's so broad and sweeping, though, details sometimes get sacrificed. He notes, for example, that Arnold of Brescia "used his charismatic leadership to drive the pope out of Rome and to declare a republic there" and that he was a "prophet as politician," which really isn't all that true. Arnold of Brescia was a politician only by default & circumstance, and he certainly didn't found the Roman commune, which existed for several years before he arrived in the city.

Despite that, though, this is a nice & readable work for anyone looking to get a quick overview of the religious tension that pervaded the Middle Ages & was inherent in Christianity from the time it became associated with the Roman Empire.

[Stuh217 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good introduction to medieval "heresy"/dissent and it's conflict with established ecclesiastical order. Its short, so don't expect to learn lots and lots, but if you know very little or nothing about the subject, this is a great start.