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Reclaiming Catholic History #3
The Church and the Dark Ages (430–1027): St. Benedict, Charlemagne, and the Rise of Christendom
What if the Dark Ages weren’t really dark after all?
You may have learned in world history class that the fall of the Roman Empire led to centuries of violence, ignorance, and barbarism in Europe. But that’s not all that happened during that time! The period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the High Middle Ages also was characterized by institutional, spiritual, and cultural advancements such as the rise of monasticism with St. Benedict of Nursia and the first encyclopedia by a Christian writer, St. Isidore of Seville.
In The Church and the Dark Ages (430–1027), author Phillip Campbell explains that the Dark Ages were not only a period of great political and cultural transition but also an era of great transformation in the Catholic Church. Campbell highlights key personalities of the Dark Ages such as St. Gregory the Great, Charlemagne, King Alfred the Great, St. Patrick, and St. Brigid.
You will learn that:
Benedictines were responsible for technical and scientific advancements such as the mechanical clock, human flight, and eyeglasses.
The Dark Ages was a period of great evangelization throughout Europe.
Christianity elevated the status of women, particularly through mutual consent in the Sacrament of Marriage.
The Church preserved literacy—and literature—throughout the chaotic centuries of early medieval Europe.
Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time.
You may have learned in world history class that the fall of the Roman Empire led to centuries of violence, ignorance, and barbarism in Europe. But that’s not all that happened during that time! The period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the High Middle Ages also was characterized by institutional, spiritual, and cultural advancements such as the rise of monasticism with St. Benedict of Nursia and the first encyclopedia by a Christian writer, St. Isidore of Seville.
In The Church and the Dark Ages (430–1027), author Phillip Campbell explains that the Dark Ages were not only a period of great political and cultural transition but also an era of great transformation in the Catholic Church. Campbell highlights key personalities of the Dark Ages such as St. Gregory the Great, Charlemagne, King Alfred the Great, St. Patrick, and St. Brigid.
You will learn that:
Benedictines were responsible for technical and scientific advancements such as the mechanical clock, human flight, and eyeglasses.
The Dark Ages was a period of great evangelization throughout Europe.
Christianity elevated the status of women, particularly through mutual consent in the Sacrament of Marriage.
The Church preserved literacy—and literature—throughout the chaotic centuries of early medieval Europe.
Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 17, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
recommended
April 13, 2023This was recommended by Colleen and it does look good. Thank you!
February 6, 2022
At the very end of this book, I find out that it is part of a series called Reclaiming Catholic History. I wish I'd been notified of this (or paid better attention) going in. It would have drastically altered my expectations.
The title of this book is The Church and the Dark Ages. Considering the contents, I have two problems with the title alone. First of all, the book should not have been called "The Church" but rather "the Western Catholic church." The Eastern Orthodox church is viewed as those eastern upstarts who consistently refuse to acknowledge the "God given" authority of Rome. The eastern non-orthodox churches, as well as Western splinter groups or reform movements, are completely ignored. And Arian groups or cultures in Western Europe are acknowledged as Arain but considered just as much in need of conversion as pagan groups or cultures. While not explicitly stated (that I noticed), the implication is clear that anyone who is not a part of the RCC or rather, the proto-RCC is not a Christian.
My second complaint is with the use of the term Dark Ages. Unless being used ironically, no self-respecting historian would use that term. For at least the last two hundred years, the term Early Middle Ages has supplanted it. But this book is not really a history. I mean, it is, but it is more a type of history book you might expect to be used as a middle school or high school catechism class. I would guess that this is exactly what the book's intended audience is. Anyone outside that audience might consider it overly simplified, completely one-sided, and ahistorical. It treats hagiographic material (like St Martin's cloak) as historical fact.
In all, if the book is meant to be a Catholic school textbook, then it has hit its audience well. If it is meant to be a church history book for a more general audience, then I would strongly recommend against it. Justo Gonzalez's Story of Christianity is still the gold standard. If one is looking for a recent book that covers largely the same time period, I would recommend The Global Church by Donald FairBairn. If you are catholic or looking for a more intelligent book on church history from a Catholic perspective, you might prefer How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. This one... take a pass.
.
I have received a free advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This in no way influenced my rating or the above review.
The title of this book is The Church and the Dark Ages. Considering the contents, I have two problems with the title alone. First of all, the book should not have been called "The Church" but rather "the Western Catholic church." The Eastern Orthodox church is viewed as those eastern upstarts who consistently refuse to acknowledge the "God given" authority of Rome. The eastern non-orthodox churches, as well as Western splinter groups or reform movements, are completely ignored. And Arian groups or cultures in Western Europe are acknowledged as Arain but considered just as much in need of conversion as pagan groups or cultures. While not explicitly stated (that I noticed), the implication is clear that anyone who is not a part of the RCC or rather, the proto-RCC is not a Christian.
My second complaint is with the use of the term Dark Ages. Unless being used ironically, no self-respecting historian would use that term. For at least the last two hundred years, the term Early Middle Ages has supplanted it. But this book is not really a history. I mean, it is, but it is more a type of history book you might expect to be used as a middle school or high school catechism class. I would guess that this is exactly what the book's intended audience is. Anyone outside that audience might consider it overly simplified, completely one-sided, and ahistorical. It treats hagiographic material (like St Martin's cloak) as historical fact.
In all, if the book is meant to be a Catholic school textbook, then it has hit its audience well. If it is meant to be a church history book for a more general audience, then I would strongly recommend against it. Justo Gonzalez's Story of Christianity is still the gold standard. If one is looking for a recent book that covers largely the same time period, I would recommend The Global Church by Donald FairBairn. If you are catholic or looking for a more intelligent book on church history from a Catholic perspective, you might prefer How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. This one... take a pass.
.
I have received a free advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This in no way influenced my rating or the above review.
January 1, 2022
I have greatly enjoyed the other four volumes in this series that I have read. The Church and the Roman Empire by Mike Aquilina and The Early Church by James L. Papandrea were the first two released, and the two that proceed this one in a timeline. The books are being released in a random order. There will be seven volumes in this series. Mike Aquilina is the general editor of the series. This was a volume I was really looking forward to. I have studied the periods prior and the periods after this time frame, but have not had as much focus on these 600 years. I must state that this volume was an excellent read. This book and the whole series are great reads. I spent 20 years as an undergraduate, for the most part because I loved learning. My last degree was in Religious Studies with a focus on Roman Catholic Thought. I would have loved this book and those I have read in this series as resources, for several of the courses I did.
Many years ago when I did an Introduction to Church History course at Conrad Grebel College at the University of Waterloo, our professor, Arnold Snider, often said throughout the year, “I do not care as much about dates and names and places, as the story of Christianity. On your final exam the main question will be ‘Your uncle Billy at Christmas dinner says: ‘I hear you did the history of Christianity, tell us the story in your own words?’” And that was the one essay question on the exam. This book and the others I have read in the series would have been great resources for that course. Maybe could have even served as textbooks if the course had not been taught at a Mennonite College, if it had been offered at St Jerome’s University I could see these being the books used today. If I had had them they would have been pulled out often for essays, papers and research. This is a great read in an excellent series. But the books are written in such an engaging manner that any Catholic could pick them up and benefit from reading them. And this one is on a very hard time frame in Church history.
This is the fifth volume published in this series, Reclaiming Catholic History, though it is the third book in the series. The series is being edited by Mike Aquilina and the first published volume was by him as well. About this series we are told by Aquilina:
“The history of the Catholic Church is often clouded by myth, misinformation, and missing pieces. Today there is a renewed interest in recovering the true history of the Church, correcting the record in the wake of centuries of half-truths and noble lies. Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time.”
Each of the book I have read so far I have benefited from greatly and recommended to several friends and family members. The chapters in this volume are:
Reclaiming Catholic History: Series Introduction
Chronology of The Church and the Dark Ages (430–1027)
Map
Introduction: Anything but “Dark”
Chapter 1: Our Roman Heritage
Up Close and Personal: St. Augustine of Hippo
You Be the Judge: Did Christianity cause the collapse of the Roman Empire?
Chapter 2: The Church among Gauls and Goths
Up Close and Personal: The Cloak of St. Martin
You Be the Judge: Did St. Augustine invent the doctrine of original sin?
Chapter 3: The Age of St. Benedict
Up Close and Personal: The Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great
You Be the Judge: Did Christianity cause a decline in education and literacy in the early Middle Ages?
Chapter 4: Missionary Monks
Up Close and Personal: Sts. Cyril and Methodius
You Be the Judge: Were monks “useless”?
Chapter 5: The Church of Rome
Up Close and Personal: Pope Gregory the Great and Gregorian Chant
You Be the Judge: What really happened when Pope Leo the Great met Attila the Hun?
Chapter 6: East and West
Up Close and Personal: St. Maximus the Confessor
You Be the Judge: Did the Eastern churches ever affirm the primacy of Rome?
Chapter 7: The Carolingian Renaissance
Up Close and Personal: The Faith of Charlemagne
You Be the Judge: Wasn’t the Church consumed with worry over the spread of Islam?
Chapter 8: Imperium and Sacerdotium
Up Close and Personal: King Alfred the Great
You Be the Judge: Do bad popes disprove papal infallibility?
Chapter 9: Sacramental Controversies
Up Close and Personal: St. Paschasius Radbertus
You Be the Judge: Is the dogma of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist a late medieval invention?
Chapter 10: The Cluniac Reform
Up Close and Personal: St. Berno
You Be the Judge: Was priestly celibacy an innovation of the late Middle Ages?
Conclusion: Transformation and Continuity
Notes
The introduction to this book states:
“This book is about the period of European history, roughly from the death of St. Augustine in 430 to the Peace of God in the year 1027, commonly known as the Dark Ages. Merely by making this statement, we have already opened up a can of worms. What do we mean by “Dark Ages”? Dark in comparison to what? Dark according to whom? If these ages were dark, was this a bad thing? If so, from whose point of view? And by what criteria are we judging whether such-and-such era was good or bad, light or dark?”
Further on it raises questions:
“The questions we raised pertain not to the study of history properly but to another related discipline called historiography. What is historiography? While the discipline of history studies the people and events of the past, historiography studies how historians have perceived these people and events. History concerns itself with historical data, while historiography is more concerned with how historians themselves have tended to view or interpret this data. Thus we could say historiography is the history of history—a way of stepping back and reflecting on the methods and preconceptions we bring to the table when we study history.
For example, to ask what sort of impact the Spanish conquistadors had on the Native American tribes they encountered is to ask a historical question. To ask why the Spaniards are often portrayed as villainous in English-language literature and film is to ask a historiographical question. Now we are asking not about history (What happened?) but rather about historiography (What do we think about what happened?)”
And still further on:
“When people refer to the “Dark Ages,” they are making a value judgment about a historical epoch, whether they know it or not. As we may gather from the use of the word dark, that judgment is negative. Why is this?
The centuries of the Dark Ages are sandwiched between the late classical era—characterized by the decline and fall of the Roman Empire—and the High Middle Ages and Renaissance, which succeeded them. The idea of this time as a period of darkness goes back to the early Renaissance writer Petrarch (1304–1374). Petrarch was a talented scholar of Greek and Latin who had great admiration for the achievements of the Greeks and the Romans. Compared to the high culture of ancient Greece and Rome, Petrarch viewed the Christian Middle Ages with disdain—as a time of barbarism in society, impoverished literature, and ignorance among men. According to Petrarch, those unfortunate enough to be born after the fall of Rome lived in an age “surrounded by darkness and gloom.”
Petrarch spent the better part of his literary career translating and republishing classical Latin and Greek texts. He hoped that his own age would be followed by a brighter time, a time when mankind would enter into a fuller knowledge of himself and the world.”
And most importantly we are told about the source of the name ‘Dark Ages’:
“The term Dark Ages ironically came from the pen of a great defender of the Middle Ages, the Catholic Reformation-era historian Caesar Cardinal Baronius. To counter Protestant claims, Baronius wanted to write a history of the Catholic Church that emphasized the harmony and beauty of the medieval world. And thus he composed his magnum opus, the Annales Ecclesiastici. First published in 1588, this encyclopedic work covered the history of the first twelve centuries of Christianity. In it, Baronius referred to the tenth and eleventh centuries as a saeculum obscurum (“dark age”) because there were relatively few written sources about this period compared to earlier centuries.
Though Baronius meant the phrase as a neutral term referring only to the scarcity of written records—and only of two centuries—the term caught on and took on a meaning beyond what he intended. The “dark ages” became the de facto designation of the Middle Ages during the Enlightenment. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, rationalist thinkers of the Enlightenment believed religion to be completely antithetical to reason. The “light” of pure reason was contrasted with the “darkness” of religion and superstition. And hence the entire epoch of Christendom came to be designated as the Dark Ages.”
And those few quotes are from the introduction alone. This book is masterfully written. It grabs your attention, draws you in, and will have you hooked from the beginning. Phillip Campbell is a master of this material and he writes in engaging style. Once you start reading you will not want to put the book down, and if you look at the titles of other books he has penned you will likely want to add several to your ‘to be read’ list.
This book, as are all in the series, is an excellent resource. It can be read by late high school students or undergrads and used as a resource. It can be read by anyone interested in church history. It is very engaging and entertaining. An excellent resource! Most chapter’s follow the same format or the main history. Then two focused sections. The first is Up Close and Personal and is a profile of a specific person or people. Usually saints or blessed. The next is a section called You Be The Judge, which goes deeper into a question, point of interest or conflict. The book would be worth reading for either of these sections alone. But as a whole thing is very well written. Phillip Campbell does an excellent job of presenting a balanced view. It is terribly well researched.
I greatly benefited from reading this volume, and already plan to read it again. And I am certain you will as well. I know that I will be reading the remaining two volumes in the series as they release. And will likely circle back and reread them all in order. But I have a feeling this one will get an extra reading in before then.
A great read in an excellent series!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
November 13, 2021
The Church and the Dark Ages ( 430–1027 )
430–1027
St. Benedict, Charlemagne, and the Rise of Christendom
by Phillip Campbell
03 Dec 2021 |
Ave Maria Press
Christian | History | Religion & Spirituality
I am reviewing a copy of The Church and the Dark Ages (430-1027) through Ave Maria Press and Netgalley;
In School we learn about the fall of the Roman Empire and the impact it had on society but The Church and the Dark Ages goes well beyond that, this book shows us how Benedictines were responsible for technical and scientific advancements such as the mechanical clock, human flight, and eyeglasses. We learn too that throughout Europe in the Middle Age, great Evangelization was taking place, and how Christianity elevated the status of women, particularly through mutual consent in the Sacrament of Marriage.
·The Church preserved literacy—and literature—throughout the chaotic centuries of early medieval Europe.
The Church and The Dark Ages speaks of the grown of the Catholic Church in the middle age, and how it exploded to become a super power amongst those in Europe as well as other regions.
I give The Church and the Dark Ages five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
430–1027
St. Benedict, Charlemagne, and the Rise of Christendom
by Phillip Campbell
03 Dec 2021 |
Ave Maria Press
Christian | History | Religion & Spirituality
I am reviewing a copy of The Church and the Dark Ages (430-1027) through Ave Maria Press and Netgalley;
In School we learn about the fall of the Roman Empire and the impact it had on society but The Church and the Dark Ages goes well beyond that, this book shows us how Benedictines were responsible for technical and scientific advancements such as the mechanical clock, human flight, and eyeglasses. We learn too that throughout Europe in the Middle Age, great Evangelization was taking place, and how Christianity elevated the status of women, particularly through mutual consent in the Sacrament of Marriage.
·The Church preserved literacy—and literature—throughout the chaotic centuries of early medieval Europe.
The Church and The Dark Ages speaks of the grown of the Catholic Church in the middle age, and how it exploded to become a super power amongst those in Europe as well as other regions.
I give The Church and the Dark Ages five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
November 29, 2021
The so called Dark Ages are usually considered a barbaric age but they are fundamental in the construction of the world we are living in.
It's the age of Benedict, Augustinus, Gregorius and Charle Magne. I don't always agree with the author but I appreciated this well researched book as it's well written and compelling.
An interesting book if you want to learn about the seminal ages of Catholic Church in the West.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's the age of Benedict, Augustinus, Gregorius and Charle Magne. I don't always agree with the author but I appreciated this well researched book as it's well written and compelling.
An interesting book if you want to learn about the seminal ages of Catholic Church in the West.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 18, 2023
This book was so hard to put down! I am reading this series to learn more about the history of my Catholic faith, and the way the author wrote this book encourages me to learn even more. I am passing these books on to friends who really enjoy reading them. I can't wait to read the next one. This little book is just packed with so much information, the person reading it will learn so much, not only about the Catholic faith but the history during the time period of the book. Enjoy!
December 31, 2021
A fascinating glimpse into the history of the Catholic Church during the so-called Dark Ages. Part of a series on the history of Catholicism, this book is an easy and enjoyable read. I do wish I’d started from the beginning of the series. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Catholicism or more generally In history, #TheChurchandtheDarkAges4301027 #NetGalley
August 9, 2023
This book is easy to read, in an engaging series. Philip Campbell writes well, and tells stories in an appealing way, and makes the dark ages come alive as a real time in history, not just a caricature. It was a period of time I knew little about, and this book was a great introduction to this period.
January 17, 2026
Always good to read a history book from the Catholic perspective. This one was my least favorite of the three I’ve read from this series so far but I think my issues with how it was written have more to do with the transitory nature of this time period and the authors attempt to translate that to book that tells a continuous flowing story.
September 25, 2022
Good survey of the Church in the Middle Ages
The author does a good job of explaining the significance of the Church in the Middle Ages and the many changes the Church experienced during that time. Enjoyable to read.
The author does a good job of explaining the significance of the Church in the Middle Ages and the many changes the Church experienced during that time. Enjoyable to read.
July 23, 2022
A good series. Well written and just enough information for the average reader interested in church history. I appreciated the occasional nod to Eastern Christianity as well.
January 5, 2022
It's a good good. It's a very historical one.
I admit that I took longer that I thought to read it. I needed to have patience.
I don't know to explain but I'll try. It's a very dense book. It had a lot information and I wasn't expecting.
But if you're interested to learn more about the Church, it'll help you. So, give it a chance.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for free ARC in exchange of honest review. All thoughs are my own.
🇧🇷
É um bom livro. É bem histórico. Eu admito que demorei mais para ler do que eu imaginava. Eu precisei ter paciência.
Eu não sei explicar mas eu vou tentar. É um livro muito denso. Teve muita informação e eu não esperava por isso.
Mas se você está interessado a aprender mais sobre a Igreja, o livro vai ajudar você.
Então, dêem uma chance.
Obrigada a Netgalley e a editora pela ARC para uma resenha. Todas as opiniões são minhas.
I admit that I took longer that I thought to read it. I needed to have patience.
I don't know to explain but I'll try. It's a very dense book. It had a lot information and I wasn't expecting.
But if you're interested to learn more about the Church, it'll help you. So, give it a chance.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for free ARC in exchange of honest review. All thoughs are my own.
🇧🇷
É um bom livro. É bem histórico. Eu admito que demorei mais para ler do que eu imaginava. Eu precisei ter paciência.
Eu não sei explicar mas eu vou tentar. É um livro muito denso. Teve muita informação e eu não esperava por isso.
Mas se você está interessado a aprender mais sobre a Igreja, o livro vai ajudar você.
Então, dêem uma chance.
Obrigada a Netgalley e a editora pela ARC para uma resenha. Todas as opiniões são minhas.
January 12, 2026
All the things I should have been taught during my 12 years in Parochial schools! I love this series!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews