The Spread of Christianity

1. The Spread of Christianity A.D 400-699 Amy Allen Anthony Quintanar Charisa Gates Veronica Valdez

2. In the beginning: • Christianity was adopted by Europe with its adoption by Constantine, the emperor of Rome in the early 4th century • Because Rome was the center of the enlightened World, Christianity spread all over, including to the Islands of Britain • However, its presence would only linger as the Romans withdrew from the British Isles as they faced incursions by Germanic Tribes.

3. Anglo-Saxon Rome • As the Romans left, the Isles became vulnerable and Anglo-Saxons found it easy to take the territory • Originally, most Germanic tribes were Arian Christians until they were converted to Catholicism by missionaries

4. Missionaries and Important People • These missionaries were commissioned by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 AD • One of the missionaries was St. Augustine, who succeeded in converting Kent and Essex • St. Patrick preached Christianity in Ireland in the late 5th century

5. Missionaries and Important People: Ethelbert and Bertha • Bertha, a Merovingian Princess, brought with her Bishop Liudhard, who restored an old Roman Church for use by the Anglo-Saxons • However, as King Ethelbert passed so did the region’s faith, as his son Eadbald took the throne and returned to the old Pagan ways of his people. • It wasn’t until King Eorcenberht, Son of Eadbald, that Paganism was outlawed and Christianity was established as the Kingdom’s permanent religion.

6. Good King Edwin • There was the Good King Edwin, who, much like the conversion of King Aethelbert, was converted by his wife, Princess Ethelburga of Kent, daughter of King Aethelbert • Shrewd at the beginning, Edwin saw the light of Christ after he was plagued by terrible visions, until he uncharacteristically submitted to conversion.

7. Irish Missionaries • In the 500’s and 600’s AD, Irish missionaries were sent to Germany, Scotland, Gaul, and England and established a monastery in Iona in 563 • Various English rulers began to steadily convert, and the last region in England to convert to Christianity was Sussex, which was led to Christianity by Saint Wilfrid, the Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery at Ripon This is Niall Horan he’s Irish and you’re welcome

8. Bishop Aidan and Others • Leading up to his death in 651, Aidan was successful in the attraction of new members and the building of new Churches and Monasteries, drawing attention all the way from Iona • Both St. Wilfrid and Archbishop Theodore of Tarsus focused on the establishment of monasteries • Most monasteries were centers of local religion, but also were centers of learning and scholarship • Monks in Anglo-Saxon monasteries often worked as scribes, producing copies of the Bible and other religious works

9. King Oswy • The worship of Christ continued with King Oswy assuming the throne of the Northumbrian Court from King Edwin, which he had to reclaim after Edwin had been usurped by a pagan King • In 664, King Oswy convened with a group of clergy and adopted Roman doctrine and therefore associated England with the Roman Catholic church • It was at this Synod of Whitby that King Oswy chose to side with Rome rather than the Irish Monks • He who had helped Oswy covert his people to Christianity was Bishop Aidan, who, knowing no English, was aided by the King in explaining Christianity to his subjects

10. WorksCited • http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/123/123%206%20anglo-saxons%20iii.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_Christianity • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great_and_Christianity • https://sites.google.com/site/englishliteratureatschool/the-old-english-period/runes • http://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/history/benedictine-order/spreading-christianity http://www.academia.edu/3727157/Anglo-Saxon_Christianity_the_Role_of_Kings_in_Englands_Conversion • http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/uk_1.shtml