A twelfth-century view of the historical church: Orderic Vitalis
Marjorie Chibnall
When Eusebius set out to write an Ecclesiastical History he claimed be ‘the first undertake this present project and attempt, as it were, travel along a lonely untrodden path’. The claim was justified: there had been little room for religious history, even the history of pagan religions, in works classical historians their imitators. Following rules laid down by Thucydides, they concentrated on political life its military consequences; preferred oral written sources, provided historian either at scene action or heard reports from eyewitnesses. Both method content innovator. Since his starting point beginning dispensation Jesus’ entirely dependent sources more than three hundred years; and, innovating still more, introduced documents such letters imperial edicts into narrative. Far being military, subject matter primarily apostles, succession bishops, persecutions Christians, views heretics. He widening scope historical writing using techniques previously employed biographies philosophers. It is not surprising that, once work translated Latin extended Rufinus Jerome, became writers ecclesiastical generations come.
Studies in Church History