The Medieval Church: A Brief History

by Joseph H. Lynch, Phillip C. Adamo

The Medieval A Brief History argues for the pervasiveness of the Church in every aspect of life in medieval Europe. It shows how the institution of the Church attempted to control the lives and behaviour of medieval people, for example, through canon law, while at the same time being influenced by popular movements like the friars and heresy. This fully updated and illustrated second edition offers a new introductory chapter on ‘the Basics of Christianity,’ for students who might be unfamiliar with this territory. The book now has new material on some of the key individuals in church Benedict of Nursia, Hildegard of Bingen, Bernard of Clairvaux and Francis of Assisi as well as a more comprehensive study throughout of the role of women in the medieval church. Lynch and Adamo seek to explain the history of the Church as an institution, and to explore its all-pervasive role in medieval life. In the course of the thousand years covered in this book, we see the members and leaders of the Western Church struggle with questions that are still relevant What is the nature of God? How does a church keep beliefs from becoming diluted in a diverse society? What role should the state play in religion? The book is now accompanied by a website with textual, visual, and musical primary sources making it a fantastic resource for students of medieval history.

Genres: History, Religion, Nonfiction, Church, Church History, Christianity, Medieval History

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Zombaby Cera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, sometimes I read my boyfriend's college text books. This was informative and detailed just enough to keep it from being too tedious.

[Ryan Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful broad survey that explains some important concepts about medieval Christianity that don't always come out in more detailed treatments. I particularly appreciate the chapter on the New Testament revival of the High Middle Ages.

[Abby Omlor · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 out of 5 Stars

This was pretty dull, but I did read it. Wouldn't recommend unless you're really interested in the medieval church or have to for class.

[JD Waggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much going on in this little book, and no wonder--Lynch is trying to pack a thousand years of information into a 345 page overview. His references are great, if a bit dated, and the background that he gives the reader is very accessible and solid. The narrative voice is funny, a bit snarky, and very easy to read. It doesn't get five stars because sometimes his opinions get the better of him, and cynicism about the church is just uncomfortable in a book about the Church. Also, because he is going over so much information, sometime Lynch is almost telling a secular overview of things and abandoning the focus of the Church in the interest of background--helpful, but not necessarily within his purview. And the amount of information can kind of make your head explode if you try to read a lot of it in one sitting.
Overall, a great introduction and go-to starter, but take his advice and go deeper if you are interested in the topics.

[Brandon Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very concise and readable. Lynch has packed an enormous amount of information into minimal space with this book. It is a great starter book for anyone interested in Church History or Medieval History. I wish it had some information on the development of the Liturgy, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

not bad. but he was a pretty mediocre prof.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor wrote the book

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for people who are just starting to read about this subject. Lynch managed to write a handy overview about the Medieval Church.

[wyclif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for a one-volume overview. It's not easy to pack the history of the medieval Church into one medium-sized volume. The limitations of such a book are obvious.

[Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by a great professor.