The Spoken Word, the Book and the Image in the Work of Evangelization
Jerzy Strzelczyk
Little is known about the ‘material’ equipment of early missionaries who set out to evangelize pagans and apostates, since authors sources focused mainly on successes (or failures) missions. Information concerning ‘infrastructure’ missions rather occasional fragmentary nature. The major part in process evangelization must have been played by spoken word preached indirectly or through an interpreter, at least areas milieus remote from centers ancient civilization. It could not otherwise when coming into contact with communities which did know art reading, still less writing. A little more attention devoted other two media, that is, written images. significance was manifold, – as basic liturgical books are concerned (the missal, evangeliary?) manuscripts were indispensable elements missionaries’ equipment. In certain circumstances had their disposal acquire special even magical significance, most comprehensible Christianized people examples given: evangeliary St. Winfried-Boniface face death hands a pagan Frisian, episode manuscript story Anskar’s mission Rimbert). role plastic representations (images) during much frequently mentioned sources. After quoting few relevant (Bede Venerable, Ermoldus Nigellus, Paul Deacon, Thietmar Merseburg), author also cites interesting, although entirely successful, attempt use drama instruct Livonians faith while converting them Christianity, reported Henry Latvia.
Folia Historica Cracoviensia|DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)|Folia Historica Cracoviensia (Uniwersytet Papieski Jana Pawła II w Krakowie)