DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0039
INFLUENCE OF POPE GREGORY'.
no^S10I| °^ tne idolatrous Anglo-Saxons to be an object of the first importance,
• ° ^ on *ueir own account, but because their subjection to his ecclesiastical
jurisdiction was likely to contribute effectually to the establishment of the papal
n y °ver the refractory British and Irish churches : and this, in fact, was the
• A tavourable opportunity was afforded for attempting the enterprise
prince6 m&rriage of ^thelbyriht, or Ethelbert, king of Kent, with a Christian
was ^Gr^a' tne daughter of Charibert, king of Paris. Augustine the monk
ki A 60 ^ Gregory for the mission, and he proceeded to the Anglo-Saxon
Ethelb"1 ^ ^6nt' ^" D' 597' wnere' throu&n tlie mediation of the queen, King
faitl *nc^uce^ to listen to nis arguments, and eventually to adopt the
ai 1 he preached ; and the royal example was speedily followed by great
u itudes of the people of Kent.7 But Augustine was less successful in his
attempt to subjugate the British Christians to the jurisdiction of the Roman see.
^ 's authority was peremptorily rejected; and in the anguish of disappointed zeal,
^ threatened the British prelates that the Saxons should prove the ministers
° their destruction. It is suspected, that, like other ill boding prophets, he did
ln "is power to produce the fulfilment of his predictions; for they were acci-
"tally verified about eight years after his death : when about twelve hundred
ritish monks of Bangor were massacred by the Northumbrians at the battle
°f Chester.8
In the conversion of Kent, Augustine boasted that he had been assisted by
tmracles ; and Gregory in his letters countenanced the imposture.9 The gross and
Peistitious notions of both appear too obviously in the inquiries and instructions
jQct r Dy Bede, which ought to convince every disinterested reader that their
n^y. Were far from Christian,—that they were more conversant with the
ceremonies tV.
ferable t substance of religion; and that their morals, however pre-
To facT10Se °^ ^e '^axons' were far removed from Christian perfection.10
amon t\ ^ gleat oDject, tne establishment of the Roman Catholic faith
the "it 1 ^ ^aX°n c°nquerors of England, Gregory adapted his instructions to
perf0]° a r°US uaDits of his intended converts; by allowing them to sacrifice and
many other superstitious ceremonies as before, but changing the object
!f;dB6^kEccl-Hist. Book i.e. 26.
» R i .° J'" C- 2' Stillingfleet's Origines Britannicae, p. 356.
.o^E-l-Hist. Book i.e. 31.
0 c. 27. See the 8th and 9th questions and answers.
no^S10I| °^ tne idolatrous Anglo-Saxons to be an object of the first importance,
• ° ^ on *ueir own account, but because their subjection to his ecclesiastical
jurisdiction was likely to contribute effectually to the establishment of the papal
n y °ver the refractory British and Irish churches : and this, in fact, was the
• A tavourable opportunity was afforded for attempting the enterprise
prince6 m&rriage of ^thelbyriht, or Ethelbert, king of Kent, with a Christian
was ^Gr^a' tne daughter of Charibert, king of Paris. Augustine the monk
ki A 60 ^ Gregory for the mission, and he proceeded to the Anglo-Saxon
Ethelb"1 ^ ^6nt' ^" D' 597' wnere' throu&n tlie mediation of the queen, King
faitl *nc^uce^ to listen to nis arguments, and eventually to adopt the
ai 1 he preached ; and the royal example was speedily followed by great
u itudes of the people of Kent.7 But Augustine was less successful in his
attempt to subjugate the British Christians to the jurisdiction of the Roman see.
^ 's authority was peremptorily rejected; and in the anguish of disappointed zeal,
^ threatened the British prelates that the Saxons should prove the ministers
° their destruction. It is suspected, that, like other ill boding prophets, he did
ln "is power to produce the fulfilment of his predictions; for they were acci-
"tally verified about eight years after his death : when about twelve hundred
ritish monks of Bangor were massacred by the Northumbrians at the battle
°f Chester.8
In the conversion of Kent, Augustine boasted that he had been assisted by
tmracles ; and Gregory in his letters countenanced the imposture.9 The gross and
Peistitious notions of both appear too obviously in the inquiries and instructions
jQct r Dy Bede, which ought to convince every disinterested reader that their
n^y. Were far from Christian,—that they were more conversant with the
ceremonies tV.
ferable t substance of religion; and that their morals, however pre-
To facT10Se °^ ^e '^axons' were far removed from Christian perfection.10
amon t\ ^ gleat oDject, tne establishment of the Roman Catholic faith
the "it 1 ^ ^aX°n c°nquerors of England, Gregory adapted his instructions to
perf0]° a r°US uaDits of his intended converts; by allowing them to sacrifice and
many other superstitious ceremonies as before, but changing the object
!f;dB6^kEccl-Hist. Book i.e. 26.
» R i .° J'" C- 2' Stillingfleet's Origines Britannicae, p. 356.
.o^E-l-Hist. Book i.e. 31.
0 c. 27. See the 8th and 9th questions and answers.