SC - Fw: [Trimaris] Recipe Help

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

> Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 10:01:10 -0400
> From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler at chesapeake.net>
> Subject: Re: SC - Holy Feast and Holy Fast-OT
> 
> I do question your statements that Christianity did not pervade the
> whole population of the various European countries.  Early on, in the Medieval
> period, you are probably correct.  But, as time went on, my understanding is that
> it became so much a part of the lives of everyone that, when King John was
> excommunicated by the Pope and an Interdict was laid on England, the people,
> common and noble, all suffered from this as no one could be buried in holy ground
> and no one could be married.  The availability of "sanctuary" was another
> religious "right" that was available to one and all, again both noble and
> peasant.

I believe one of Martin Luther's points of contention with the Church
was that the selling of indulgences was elitist and unfair to the poor.
Which would not have been an issue if the poor in question weren't
Christians.  
> 
> The use of the holy days from the old religions was a calculated action on the
> part of the Church as it made the acceptance of Christianity and its festivals
> easier for the common people as they already celebrated those days, and it was an
> easy transfer.

Especially in Ireland, whose rulers in the (I think) 4th century _asked_
for missionaries to be sent specifically to convert the peasantry. Most
of the rest of Europe had been Romanised before Christianity became the
state religion of the Empire. The justification given was, essentially,
that Christianity was the wave of the future and that they wanted to
become part of a larger world. It made sense to their situation, as far
as they were concerned.

Since we've been discussing late examples, we could probably profit from
a discussion on the various Vulgate scriptures and the eventual King
James Bible in the vernacular of Great Britain.

Now, of course folkways of older religions can remain after some nominal
or effective shift in belief systems has occurred, but that doesn't mean
a forced conversion has occurred or that the conversion is incomplete.
Just as a random example, ask any Baptist who put up a Christmas tree
last winter.   

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com