Christianity s Arrival in Britain

A talk by Gary Auker To Springfield Park Baptist Church On Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 1

Britain took on its island status 8,500 years (6,500 BC) ago after the English Channel was flooded by the sea cutting Britain off from mainland Europe. This flooding marked the beginning of the geography of the British Isles we know today. During the last 8,500 years many different peoples have journeyed from near & far to make Britain their home. Each group of peoples have brought their own culture language & beliefs to Britain but none has had such a lasting impact as the arrival of Christianity to our shores. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 2

Outline of Talk Pre-Christian Britain Arrival of Christianity in Britain The Christian Bible in Britain Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 3

Pre-Christian Britain Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 4

Britain becomes habitable as Ice Age ends c. 9,500 BC People returned to Britain & were building houses by 8,500 BC before the English Channel flooded c. 6,500 BC making Britain an island again. Reconstruction of Stone Age House Remains of oldest house found in Britain. Scarborough, Yorkshire (~ 10,500 yrs old) Stone Age people are thought to have worshipped their Ancestors not God(s) or Spirits in Nature. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 5

Britain s early farmers : checked their calendar by watching Sun & Moon Contrary to popular belief the Celts & their Pagan Spiritual leaders the Druids did not build Stonehenge which had stood for 1,900 years before the Celts arrived in Britain c. 600 BC from the Alpine region of Europe. Beaker culture extent (2,900 1700 BC) The earlier Beaker people had arrived in Britain c. 2,500 BC Stonehenge erected c. 2,500 BC (about time Great Pyramids built at Giza, Egypt) Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 6

Celtic Paganism in Ancient Britain Wicker man human sacrifice (burning) was described by Julius Caesar as being practised by Celts in Gaul (France). No evidence of this practice has been found. He found Celts also occupied Britain during his expeditions to Britain in 55 & 54 BC Celts believed in many God s (Polytheists) Celts believed that all natural world: Animals, Plants & even Rocks had spirits residing in them. (Animism). Gaius Julius Caesar ( 100-44 BC ) Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 7

Arrival of Christianity in Britain Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 8

How did Christianity who s main focus the Crucifixion & Resurrection occurred over 2,000 miles away from the shores of Britain manage to get here? Roman Empire at its peak (96 A.D. - 180 A.D.), Roman Empire enabled Christianity to spread across most of Europe. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 9

There were Christians in Roman Britain as early as the 3 rd Century AD St. Alban was Britain s 1 st known Christian matyr in Roman Britain. Date of his martyrdom is uncertain.most likely dates are 209, (251-259) AD. In 2006 some Church of England clergy suggested that St. Alban should replace St. George as the patron saint of England. St. Alban Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 10

Constantine s statue in York (Eboracum), UK where he took the title Augustus (Majestic) in 306 AD Emperor Theodosius I Ruled: 378-395 AD Constantine I, the 1 st Christian Emperor (306 337 AD), issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, which proclaimed religious tolerance of Christians throughout the Roman Empire. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Theodosius I ( 378 395 AD). Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 11

The Roman legions left Britain c. 400 AD. The Christians left in Britain developed in isolation from Roman Catholicism. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 12

St. Germanus of Auxerre (c. 378 c. 448) in Gaul (now France) In the 20-30 years after the Romans pulled out of Britain it was alleged that Pelagianism became rife among the British clergy. Pelagianism says that original sin did not taint Human nature and that a person is still capable of choosing good or evil without special Divine aid. Germanus visited Britain in 429 AD to combat the threat of Pelagianism and satisfy the Pope that the British church would not break away from the Augustinian teachings of divine grace. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 13

Dark Age Britain a collection of separate Kingdoms 450 AD From around 450 AD Pagan Germanic tribes Angles & Saxons would start to settle in Britain. These Pagan tribes displaced native British Celtic Christians from Southern Britain The land of the Angles later became known as England. 625 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 14

Anglo-Saxon Paganism The new Anglo-Saxon settlers had many Gods & sacrificed animals. Some Gods had a day of the week named after them. God Woden Modern English name Old English name Meaning God / Goddess of Monday Mōnandæg Mortal Mani day Mortal he angered the Gods Tuesday Tiwesdæg God Tiw's day Combat & victory Wednesday Wōdnesdæg God Woden's day Wisedom, Magic,Poetry, Prophecy, the hunt Thursday Þūnresdæg God Thunor's day Son of Woden, God of Earth Friday Frigedæg Goddess Frija's day Goddess of love & beauty Saturday Sæturnesdæg Saturn's day Roman God of harvest Sunday Sunnandæg Mortal angered Gods Sunna day Mortal she angered the Gods Goddess Frija Anglo-Saxons also believed in other supernatural beings or "wights", such as elves, and household deities. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 15

Converting the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity Missionaries came from Celtic Irish & Roman Catholic traditions. Columba sailed from Ireland to found Iona Monastery 563 AD St. Columba 521 597 AD St. Patrick born in Roman Britain Kidnapped by Irish when 16 Escaped at 22 & later returned to convert Celtic Irish St. Aidan Invited from Iona to found Lindisfarne Monastery 635 AD by King Oswald of Northumbria during 5 th Century AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 16

Catholic Mission to Britain: Augustine landed on Isle of Thanet, Essex. King Æthelberht 540 616 AD Augustine was chosen by Pope Gregory the Great to lead a mission, to Britain to convert the pagan King Æthelberht of the Kingdom of Kent to Christianity. Although the King s Christian wife Queen Bertha probably prepared his heart before Augustine preached. Augustine converted many of the king's subjects, including thousands during a mass baptism on Christmas Day in 597 AD. Augustinebecame thefirst Archbishop of Canterbury in 598 AD. Augustine of Canterbury c. 530 604 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 17

Celtic Mission to Southern Britain King Oswiu of Northumbria sent Cedd to re-evangelise Essex & Kent after they turned away from Christianity. In 653AD St. Cedd sailed down the east coast of Britain from Lindisfarne and landed at Bradwell. Using stone from an old Roman fort he oversaw the building of the chapel we see today in 654 AD. St. Peter s Chapel (built 654AD) Bradwell, Essex The Oldest standing Church in England. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 18

Bede notes: King Oswiu of Northumbria who observed Celtic (Ionian) Easter date wanted to celebrate Easter on same date as his Queen who observed Roman Catholic date. In 664AD the two different strands of Christianity in Northumbria (Celtic & Roman Catholic) met at the Synod of Whitby to decide when Easter should be celebrated. Whitby Abbey, Yorkshire, UK St. Cedd St. Cedd had to act as interpreter for church leaders who spoke different languages: Gaelic,Old English The Roman Catholic view, that the Easter resurrection should always be celebrated on a Sunday won the day. venue of Synod of Whitby in 664 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 19

Pagan Vikings attack Lindisfarne Monastery in 793 AD.the harrowing inroads of heathen men made lamentable havoc in the church of God in Holy-island (Lindisfarne), by rapine and slaughter." -Anglo Saxon Chronicle (9 th Century). Norse Vikings. Languages & Peoples of Britain c. 900 950 AD Danes Celts in Britain Germanic tribes: Angles & Saxons Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 20

Christian victory over the Pagan Vikings & Danes It was Alfred, the Christian King of Wessex, who turned things round. Alfred saw the Viking attacks as punishment from God. Once Alfred secured a victory over the Viking warrior Guthrum at the Battle of Eddington in May 878 AD, he set about creating a new system of Christian learning that would reach the illiterate country people. King Alfred the Great Reign : 871 899 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 21

The Christian Bible In Britain Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 22

The "Vetus Itala" or Old Latin Bible would have been the 1st Latin translation of the whole Bible used by Christians in the Roman Empire/ Britain Vetus Itala Bible was based on the 2 nd Century BC Septuagint for Old Testament, and on Greek manuscripts for the New Testament. Different Church versions began to appear. Pope Damasus I commissioned St. Jerome to study original NT Greek texts & Hebrew OT to correct mistakes (Jerome was criticized by St. Augustine of Hippo & others for not using the OT Greek Septuagint text). Jeromes Latin Vulgate Bible completed c. 405 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 23

Lindisfarne Gospels are presumed to be the work of a monk named Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698 AD and died in 721 AD Lindisfarne Gospels are Latin translations of Matthew, Mark Luke & John s Gospels Lindisfarne Gospels written c.715 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 24

Bede was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter now in Sunderland Bede wrote Ecclesiastical History of the English People in 731 AD Bede translated John s Gospel into Anglo-Saxon (Old English) c. 735AD Venerable Bede, c. 673 735 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 25

Here is the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) version of a piece of scripture, as given in the West Saxon Gospels written c. 990 AD. Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum, Si þin nama gehalgod. to becume þin rice, gewurþe ðin willa, on eorðan swa swa on heofonum. urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg, and forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum. and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge, ac alys us of yfele. soþlice. Modern English NIV (1978 AD) translation of above (Matthew 6:9-13) 9 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 26

John Wycliffe was the first person to translate the whole New Testament, into common English from the Latin Vulgate Bible, whilst his associates translated the Old Testament, completing the so called Wycliffe Bible by 1384AD. He campaigned for biblically-centered reforms in the Catholic Church. Founded the Lollard movement a Precursor to the Reformation. He opposed Papal authority to rule on secular matters. John Wycliffe c. 1324 1384 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 27

Henry VIII King of England 1509 1547 AD Tyndale s translations of the Bible was political & religious DYNAMITE in Henry VIII England. The church and state reacted strongly against Tyndale s work, banning his New Testament of 1526 from England. Tyndale was forced to flee England for the continent where he found safe haven for a while. In addition any copy of his work found in England were to be burned. William Tyndale Translated English Bible from Hebrew & Greek texts Lived c. 1494 1536 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 28

Tyndale s Bible translation stripped away the scriptural basis of Catholic clerical power. Tyndale thought Priests should no longer administer the church: it was the job of the elders, which implied that the power rested in the hands of the people. Many of the popular phrases and Bible verses that people quote today are in the language of Tyndale. e.g Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers. Some scholars say Tyndale is: the man who more than Shakespeare who has molded and enriched the English language. William Tyndale Translated English Bible from Hebrew & Greek texts Lived c. 1494 1536 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 29

William Tyndale Translated English Bible from Hebrew & Greek texts Lived c. 1494 1536 AD William Tyndale Strangled then burn t at the Stake for heresy 1536 AD, nr. Brussels, Belgium Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 30

Tyndale s Bible is responsible for over 80 % of the New Testament & over 70 % of the Old Testament translation in the 1611 AD King James version of the Bible & is still used by many Christians today. King James Bible celebrates it s 400 th Anniversary King James I of England Reign: 1603-1625 AD next year in 2011 AD Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 31

www.springfieldparkchurch.co.uk/events.asp Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 32

Thank you for listening. Do you have any questions about this talk? Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 33

Back-up Slides Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 34

Pre-Christian Britain Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 35

Earliest Britons: Arrived in warmer spells of Last Ice Age Red lady of paviland, (is actually a man in his late 20 s) ceremonially buried with a Mammoth skull, & Ivory jewellery on Gower Peninsula Wales. Ceremonial burial shows these people respected the dead & had a sense of an after life. The skull has been dated from 27,000 to 24,000 BC & is the oldest evidence of Modern Humans (Homo Sapiens) in Britain. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 36

Ice Age : we know next to nothing about people s belief s But we do have their art preserved over 10 to 30 Millennia Lion-Man ~ 30,000 BC Germany Venus of Dolni Vestonice 29,000 25,000 BC Czech Republic Cave paintings at Lascaux, France Dated ~ 17,000 to 15,000 BC Cave carvings Nottinghamshire, Britain 11,000 to 9,000 BC Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 37

Earliest Britons: had to leave Britain Modern People living on the land we call Britain today had to retreat further south into Europe as the 1 mile high Ice Sheet advanced over parts of the land starting around 23,000 BC during the coldest part of the Last Ice Age. Edge of the Ice Sheet in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland today. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 38

Last Ice Age was at its coldest 23,000 to 18,000 BC World was 9 o C colder than today. This has to be compared with today s Global Warming predicted to increase World by ~3 o C by end of 21 st century. Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 39

Tuesday 28 th September 2010 Christianity s Arrival in Britain, a talk by Gary Auker 40