1996 NAPS Presidential Address on the Brink: Bede
Joseph F. Kelly
1996 NAPS Presidential Address On The Brink: Bede Joseph F. Kelly (bio) venerable (673–735) occupies a unique place in the history of Christian scholarship. A Germanic barbarian, descendant those warriors who overran Christian, Roman Britain, he spent his life preserving culture ancestors almost destroyed. Indeed, so identified is with that culture, many scholars consider him church father. Clavis Patrum Latinorum has canonized by inclusion and others continue to ratify decision, 1 but Oxford Dictionary Church, edited two leading students Early Christianity, dissents, identifying Isidore Seville (d. 636) as last fathers. 2 This paper will not focus on question, except note only one person could have said confidence whether or was father, Bede, would no. instead scholar brink between worlds, an ancient knew from books which still loved dearly, modern one, frequently criticized, 3 whose inhabitants, English, newest God’s elect peoples, 4 [End Page 85] also dearly. struggled for lifetime bridge gap earning compliment fellow Anglo-Saxon, great missionary Boniface, called candela ecclesiae. 5 indeed light shined brightly, enlightening study early Christianity our own day. That sentence sounds startling, survey Bede’s legacy validate it. His Historia Ecclesiastica provides reliable data career Romano-British Ninian, 6 it preserves important work Gregory Great, libellus responsionum “little book replies” queries Augustine Canterbury about how deal newly converted 7 essential witness Gregory’s policy. Like all Anglo-Saxons, admired Great. Not did make central figure part Ecclesiastica, made extensive use pope’s exegesis even cited works grammar writing, hardly common practice middle ages. 8 Given amount scholarship Gregory, interest does seem remarkable, but, day, popular city. After death 604, clergy another monk pope more than four centuries, choosing their ranks. 9 Liber Pontificalis “scrappy grudging” biography shorter other popes, first full commissioned Pope John VIII (872–882) then after had learned reverence among northern Christians, spread English missionaries Bedes writings. 10 “by efforts (converted English) power 86] Satan,” 11 God worked through such man. He may been biased, Western world take seriously scholar. same Primasius, Apocalypse commentary became known West because used commentary. 12 When Paul Deacon, late eighth-century Carolingian, prepared standard homilarium, included homilies medieval homilists patristic preaching 13 opera exegetica were Anglo-Saxons invent new type minuscule meet demands continent. 14 writer together Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, doctors Church. 15 Because preferred Vulgate various Vetus Latina versions circulation, employed chronological exegetical works, thus increasing its popularity. No less authority than...
Journal of Early Christian Studies