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The Age of Bede
This volume contains Bede's Life of Cuthbert and Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow; Eddius's Life of Wilfrid; and The Voyage of St Brendan.
They are all set in the sixth and seventh centuries - a period which witnessed the clash between Roman episcopoal orthodoxy and the democratic monasticism that was spreading over Ireland and Northern England. Brendan's whimsical travelogue shows us Celtic monasticism before it was challenged; Bede describes its canalization into missionary activity by Cuthbert at Lindisfarne; and Eddius tells of Wilfrid's enforcement of decisions made by the Synod of Whitby. The individual character of each of these three classics of the early Church is clearly preserved in J.F. Webb's translation.
An earlier version of this volume, entitled The Lives of the Saints, was previously published in the Penguin Classics.
This selection of writings from the seventh and eighth centuries AD provides a powerful insight into the early history of the Christian Church in England and Ireland. From Bede's Life of Cuthbert and Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow to the anonymous Voyage of St Brendan a whimsical mixture of fact and fantasy that describes a quest for paradise on earth these are vivid accounts of the profoundly spiritual and passionately heroic lives of Christian pioneers and saints. Both vital religious writings and a revealing insight into the reality of life at a formative time for the church, they describe an era of heroism and bitter conflict, and the rapid spread of the Christian faith.
They are all set in the sixth and seventh centuries - a period which witnessed the clash between Roman episcopoal orthodoxy and the democratic monasticism that was spreading over Ireland and Northern England. Brendan's whimsical travelogue shows us Celtic monasticism before it was challenged; Bede describes its canalization into missionary activity by Cuthbert at Lindisfarne; and Eddius tells of Wilfrid's enforcement of decisions made by the Synod of Whitby. The individual character of each of these three classics of the early Church is clearly preserved in J.F. Webb's translation.
An earlier version of this volume, entitled The Lives of the Saints, was previously published in the Penguin Classics.
This selection of writings from the seventh and eighth centuries AD provides a powerful insight into the early history of the Christian Church in England and Ireland. From Bede's Life of Cuthbert and Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow to the anonymous Voyage of St Brendan a whimsical mixture of fact and fantasy that describes a quest for paradise on earth these are vivid accounts of the profoundly spiritual and passionately heroic lives of Christian pioneers and saints. Both vital religious writings and a revealing insight into the reality of life at a formative time for the church, they describe an era of heroism and bitter conflict, and the rapid spread of the Christian faith.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
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March 8, 2019Nice companion book to Bede's ecclesiastical History of the English Peoples. St Cuthbert's auster life is well complimented by the rich goods found in his grave, St Wilfred comes across as a great Prince of the Anglo-Saxon church and there are fine details in the lives of the Abbots like the shipping in of glass from mainland Europe for the windows of the monastery which was then under construction.
January 31, 2013
This collection of various documents (mostly biographical works) gives a helpful look into early Medieval Christianity (600s mostly) in England. I particularly enjoyed Bede's Life of Cuthbert and The Voyage of St. Brendan. The church then had its strengths and weaknesses, a particular strength being their familiarity with the Bible and the constant use of the Psalms.
December 23, 2014
You didn't expect to see this on my shelves, eh?
Well, I'm a Scot and I'm a Northumbrian. We were both much more civilised than much of the rest of Europe in the 7th and 8th centuries. Indeed, it was Bede's chronicles, written in Jarrow, that ended the Dark Ages. Everyone associates Jarrow with the eponymous 1936 March.
It's hard to fathom just how big the schism was between Rome and the Celtic monasticism of Ireland, Scotland and Northern England. Here are the Venerable Bede and his contemporaries writing the stories of their time. Wonderful, wonderful tales on some of which a nation was founded. One day I shall base some fiction on these. One day soon...
Well, I'm a Scot and I'm a Northumbrian. We were both much more civilised than much of the rest of Europe in the 7th and 8th centuries. Indeed, it was Bede's chronicles, written in Jarrow, that ended the Dark Ages. Everyone associates Jarrow with the eponymous 1936 March.
It's hard to fathom just how big the schism was between Rome and the Celtic monasticism of Ireland, Scotland and Northern England. Here are the Venerable Bede and his contemporaries writing the stories of their time. Wonderful, wonderful tales on some of which a nation was founded. One day I shall base some fiction on these. One day soon...
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June 9, 2025I'm Nortbumbria-pilled now.
February 9, 2025
It's the details that fascinate in this collection of Anglo-saxon writings, particularly the unmistakeable signs that, although the powerful were building monasteries and shopping in Rome for relics and religious art to decorate them with, many of the English weren't actually christian.
St Cuthbert comes across as a proto-superhero, zapping all potential setbacks with the power of his faith, in contrast with St Wilfrid whose story of political manoeuvring is almost miracle free. To me it seemed as if the author of the latter, Eddius Stephanus, was a bit of a sceptic, while Bede who wrote the life of St Cuthbert was building a brand, telling it like he wanted it to be. As for the anonymous author of the voyage of St Brendan, who can help wondering whether they were cultivating magic mushrooms in the monastery garden.
St Cuthbert comes across as a proto-superhero, zapping all potential setbacks with the power of his faith, in contrast with St Wilfrid whose story of political manoeuvring is almost miracle free. To me it seemed as if the author of the latter, Eddius Stephanus, was a bit of a sceptic, while Bede who wrote the life of St Cuthbert was building a brand, telling it like he wanted it to be. As for the anonymous author of the voyage of St Brendan, who can help wondering whether they were cultivating magic mushrooms in the monastery garden.
November 19, 2014
Interesting hagiographies. Bede is on his own level with storytelling and detail in comparison to the other authors collected here. Also it's amusing how sassy people even were in 6th and 7th century England. Glad to have rediscovered this on my bookshelf. It also makes me wonder if someone could write a short story that echoes this type of writing.
April 23, 2019
A splendid collection of writings focussed on clerics but not confined to their lives but also the social and political events which surrounded them.
February 18, 2020
An Enthralling read good tales my most favourite St Cuthbert and the voyage of St Brendan
September 28, 2024
This book is a mixture of history and legend, The Age of Bede offers an interesting look at past Saints in their lives of Anglo Saxon England. The various saints looked at include Saint Cuthbert, Saint Wilfred and the Voyage of St Brendan. The stories vary based on believability and historical facts but offer an intriguing overview of Anglo-Saxon church life.
Bede's Life of Cuthbert is by far the weirdest and legendary of the books. Saint Cuthbert's story is largely of a man that performs many wonders and miracles throughout the land of England around the time of the Anglo-Saxons. These include healings, casting out demons and even rebuking birds. It is the rebuking of birds that I find to be the most curious miracle. The reason why I find it so curious is because of how mundane and easily explainable they are. Saint Cuthbert could have scared the birds off and that would have been interpreted as a miracle, which would have made an amazing Monty Python sketch similar to the Life of Brian.
Does the Life of Cuthbert contain any history in it? Interpretation from a modern perspective would leave room for doubt. I don't know if secular historians have written any interpretation of such accounts but I would likely say the most likely event in this book was probably the bird miracle as it seems to be the most likely from the view point of Ockham's Razor. The Life of Cuthbert has questions for Christians of all denominations. For Catholics, Orthodox and High-Anglicans, the question is why are miracles so prevalent in an age without modern science but not today? For Evangelicals and Reformed Christians, why is it that the older church age has so many miracles and yet today, Protestantism rejects Catholicism? If these didn't happen, why do you believe in the miracles in the Bible and not here?
I think it is fair to say that The Life of Cuthbert is a religious legendary tale since belief in this text is going to be determined if you are Catholic or not. What is more interesting is the Life of Wilfred. This falls into church history. The account unlike the Life of Cuthbert is far more based on historical events. There are tales of miracles (as with the Life of Cuthbert) but it isn't the basis of the writings and follows St Wilfred on his trials as he travels to Rome after being excommunicated.
The Lives of the Abbots of Weadmouth and Jarrow is also a better work by Bede as it is more historical than The Life of Cuthbert. Information of development of knowledge such as glass making and how landgrants were vital for developing a monastery show us the historical realities of church development. The orders of developing a library of books also highlights how the church spread knowledge and education at a time when ignorance was widespread. Clearly it is something that the Catholic church and other denominations can argue as a positive contribution by the Christian church.
The Voyage of St Brendan also mixed legend with reality. I liked the sea otter 🦦 though. The mention of animals throughout these writings show how connected these ancient people were with nature. However, given the general negative association throughout the writings towards animals, I am not sure that these texts give a positive view of the past.
Overall a mixture of legendary religious tales and history that the modern reader can enjoy.
Bede's Life of Cuthbert is by far the weirdest and legendary of the books. Saint Cuthbert's story is largely of a man that performs many wonders and miracles throughout the land of England around the time of the Anglo-Saxons. These include healings, casting out demons and even rebuking birds. It is the rebuking of birds that I find to be the most curious miracle. The reason why I find it so curious is because of how mundane and easily explainable they are. Saint Cuthbert could have scared the birds off and that would have been interpreted as a miracle, which would have made an amazing Monty Python sketch similar to the Life of Brian.
Does the Life of Cuthbert contain any history in it? Interpretation from a modern perspective would leave room for doubt. I don't know if secular historians have written any interpretation of such accounts but I would likely say the most likely event in this book was probably the bird miracle as it seems to be the most likely from the view point of Ockham's Razor. The Life of Cuthbert has questions for Christians of all denominations. For Catholics, Orthodox and High-Anglicans, the question is why are miracles so prevalent in an age without modern science but not today? For Evangelicals and Reformed Christians, why is it that the older church age has so many miracles and yet today, Protestantism rejects Catholicism? If these didn't happen, why do you believe in the miracles in the Bible and not here?
I think it is fair to say that The Life of Cuthbert is a religious legendary tale since belief in this text is going to be determined if you are Catholic or not. What is more interesting is the Life of Wilfred. This falls into church history. The account unlike the Life of Cuthbert is far more based on historical events. There are tales of miracles (as with the Life of Cuthbert) but it isn't the basis of the writings and follows St Wilfred on his trials as he travels to Rome after being excommunicated.
The Lives of the Abbots of Weadmouth and Jarrow is also a better work by Bede as it is more historical than The Life of Cuthbert. Information of development of knowledge such as glass making and how landgrants were vital for developing a monastery show us the historical realities of church development. The orders of developing a library of books also highlights how the church spread knowledge and education at a time when ignorance was widespread. Clearly it is something that the Catholic church and other denominations can argue as a positive contribution by the Christian church.
The Voyage of St Brendan also mixed legend with reality. I liked the sea otter 🦦 though. The mention of animals throughout these writings show how connected these ancient people were with nature. However, given the general negative association throughout the writings towards animals, I am not sure that these texts give a positive view of the past.
Overall a mixture of legendary religious tales and history that the modern reader can enjoy.
February 28, 2021
These pieces written by Bede and others from similar timeperiods are tantalising glimpses into what life was like back then. Some parts are clearly myth, while other parts are prosaic accounts of journeys and politics. The latter are probably true, even if we can't trust details such as timings, although they are probably one-sided and biased towards the protagonists. One of the most curious events was on Brendan's voyages when it sounds like they encountered an iceberg. Their description adds a lot more fantastical details to it, but it is plausible that their boat could have reached one.
The translations were easy to read. I hope they did not lose too much in translation. The editor's footnotes were useful to put things into context. The introduction was interesting but it would have been easier if it was split out, so we could read the relevant section immediately before each work.
The translations were easy to read. I hope they did not lose too much in translation. The editor's footnotes were useful to put things into context. The introduction was interesting but it would have been easier if it was split out, so we could read the relevant section immediately before each work.
November 7, 2022
Historically fascinating collection.
Life of Cuthbert is a hagiography and descends into a catalogue of miracles which are of little interest...
The life of Wilfrid raises lots of interesting questions about the politics of the time.
The lives of the abbots and the life of Coelfrith feel like the best history. They compare interestingly.
The voyages of Brendan is a flight of fancy and I'm not sure the blurb is right to say it blends fact and fiction: not many facts at all. But like Mandeville it is an interesting story and the reason for writing it aren't to be literal.
Hard work at times but fascinating.
Life of Cuthbert is a hagiography and descends into a catalogue of miracles which are of little interest...
The life of Wilfrid raises lots of interesting questions about the politics of the time.
The lives of the abbots and the life of Coelfrith feel like the best history. They compare interestingly.
The voyages of Brendan is a flight of fancy and I'm not sure the blurb is right to say it blends fact and fiction: not many facts at all. But like Mandeville it is an interesting story and the reason for writing it aren't to be literal.
Hard work at times but fascinating.
March 14, 2024
An anthology of accounts, stories and hagiography in which facts and devotional embellishment meet old storytelling.
What can I add to the canon of commentary on this?!
This is, in itself, history; a primary source for historians and students of insular Christianity for over a century and inspiration to many; saints and pilgrims alike.
With a little hermeneutical application, it sheds light on a scarcely documented period of history; when Britain was a living reality and neither it's concept nor the nation state existed.
What can I add to the canon of commentary on this?!
This is, in itself, history; a primary source for historians and students of insular Christianity for over a century and inspiration to many; saints and pilgrims alike.
With a little hermeneutical application, it sheds light on a scarcely documented period of history; when Britain was a living reality and neither it's concept nor the nation state existed.
November 13, 2025
Hard to rate this- it’s not a terribly gripping novel but it’s fascinating to read about all these things Monks were getting up to many years ago, what their world was like. I’ve also read Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, partly while sat next to his grand tomb in Durham Cathedral’s Galilee Chapel, can’t get closer than that to these histories!
May 26, 2023
I don't know that I have anything to say about the Venerable Bede that hasn't been said already. It was neat reading material that I have heard about but never read in its (translated) original.
February 8, 2024
Christians love suffering… and a miracle
April 20, 2024
Interesting snapshot of 7th century Briton and its politics, religious life, and probably no shortage of religious exaggerations.
March 7, 2023
This book follows multiple different Christian leaders, mainly bishops, saints, and an abbot, as they go out to convert people or tell their life stories. It gives a good idea of the fundamentals of Christianity in the early sixth and seventh centuries, in my opinion. I, however, felt this book followed a similar storytelling format. The stories of these individuals are always holy, and they always have the correct answers to everything. These miracles also seem to be formatted in similar ways to Jesus' but feel unrealistic as no one in modern times is able to raise the dead. Brendan raised someone from the dead with prayer. Cuthbert were "tested" by the temptation of food when fasting. This relates to people being tempted, but it does not mention any ideas of how to recover from sinning or be better. These idols are a good example of those who are interested in the Christian faith or history, but it just feels unrealistic to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2025
It was a drag to finish the book. The writing styles of the authors are not my cup of tea, and the historical narratives are quite repetitive and boring. A good introduction into English Ecclesiastical history though, for the history buffs.
September 16, 2021
starting note: Feel I need a break from fiction - though the writings in this collection are not known to be radically factual. I am interested in this time period and want to know more. Purchased book secondhand.
October 1, 2012
This is a useful supplement to study of Bede. It provides some of his shorter works, including his "Lives of the Abbots" and "Life of Cuthbert," along with selections by some of Bede's contemporaries.
March 16, 2010
Includes Brendan's *Navigatio* and Bede's *Life of Cuthbert*, among other important works. Five stars because of Cuthbert!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews