Religions 1, 2, and 3

Hannah Poff, Jordan MercerBritish Literature

4th blockSeptember 2, 2009

Attraction of Christianity

• Bede’s account states that Christianity offered a life free from pain and struggle coming from the mortal world.

• Eternal life comes from believing in the son.

• Christianity was simple because there was only one god.

• This god was more reliable and fair than the gods before.

Conversions of Countries

• Britain

• Denmark

• Norway

• Sweden

10th and 11th Century Church

• Held daily church services not including the special services; Christmas, Easter, baptisms, and marriages.

• Collected tithes to feed the parish priest and poor

• Church was a way of civil service and an education system

10th and 11th Century Church

• Church officials and Government officials had to know how to read and write English and Latin.

• Power was often over-emphasized

Pagan Elements

• No forgiveness. In the Pagan religions it was honorable to get vengeance.

• Not all men were born equal. Some were destined to become great while others were destined to become poor.

• The raven was a symbol of the god of war and used black magic such as necromancy.

Examples of Christian elements in Beowulf

• The man survives only through the protection of God.

• All earthly gifts flow through God.

• Proper bearing of man was to be humble and unselfish.

• During the battle with Grendel’s mother he says, “The fight would have ended straight away if God had not guarded me.”

Examples of Christian elements in Beowulf

• God’s protection must be earned by the warrior being true to his values, such as courage, honesty, pride, and humility

Works Cited

• http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs1d/CHRIST.html

• http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs1d/PAGAN.html

• http://www.regia.org/church/church5.htm

• http://www.regia.org/church/convert.htm