Originally posted by Adrift
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Not sure how pernickety we want to be about whether we attribute the killings to "The Church" or an individual who performs the atrocities in the name of Christ but here are a couple of references for starters
Ramsay MacMullen notes that in 681 a council of bishops at Toledo called on civil authorities to "seize and behead all those guilty of non-Christian practices of whatever sort."
Bernard Walter Scholz Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories. Charlmagne Massacre of Verden
Wilhelm Teudt mentions the site of the massacre in his 1929 book Germanische Heiligtümer ('Germanic Shrines')
Landscape architect Wilhelm Hübotter designed a memorial that was built at a possible site for the massacre.
Alessandro Barbero says that, regarding Charlemagne and the Massacre of Verden. The massacre "produced perhaps the greatest stain on his reputation".
Capitulatio de partibus Saxoniae (Latin "Ordinances concerning Saxony") is the Legal Code issued by Charlemagne and imposed upon the Saxon during the Saxon Wars in 785. The laws of the Capitulatio de partibus Saxoniae prescribe death for various Saxon infringements, including refusing to convert from their native Germanic Elder Ways to Christianity, and fines for actions deemed lesser violations. Despite the laws, the Saxons continued to reject Charlemagne's rule and attempts at Christianization, continuing to rebel even after Charlemagne's death (such as the Stellinga uprising).
the conversion of the Vikings took place over centuries. Even when a Danish or Swedish king became Christian and proclaimed his people were Christian, many still practiced their pagan ways and held to the old gods. If you look at the respective countries Histories (Norway, Denmark, Sweeden, Iceland) you will find accounts of different kings and their conversions and how it filtered down to the people or not as the case may be.
Nordic Religions in the Viking Age by Thomas A. DuBois points out the conflict between pagan and christian religions in the Nordic regions which include the Baltic states and Finland. It is noted in this work that archaeological evidence as well as other written records bring into question the literal accuracy of portions of the sagas. In essence, parts of the sagas could be read as religious and/or political propaganda.
Birgit and Peter Sawyer "Why Trust the White Christ?" are considered experts on the Viking world, especially when it comes to its encounter with Christianity.
Richard Fletcher's The Barbarian Conversion ,"Converting by the Sword" is being hailed as a landmark book on the subject
James Marchand "Althings Work to the Good" is a well-respected translator of primary source material, like the Islendingabók
Michael Scott Rohan and Allan Scott "Dead Man Converting", have written the only book for a popular audience completely about Scandinavia's conversion.
James Reston, Jr. "'Be Christian or Die'"
https://www.christianhistoryinstitut...avia-timeline/
Thanks for the breakdown.
I'll chirp in on the other posts when I get some time ...
thanks to you both for this discussion always good to refine and throw out assumptions. Good Job the pair of you
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