Kevin Madigan

A new narrative history of medieval Christianity, spanning from A.D. 500 to 1500, focuses on the role of women in Christianity; the relationships among Christians, Jews and Muslims; the experience of ordinary parishioners; the adventure of asceticism, devotion and worship; and instruction through drama, architecture and art.

A New History

Medieval Christianity

Dana Kraft

I found this book really interesting, probably because in almost every instance where the author describes a common modern impression of something in the Middle Ages as being overdone or too simplistic, he's describing my understanding. I liked the descriptions of how religion was practiced and experienced by "regular" people, although he obviously also focuses on influential and powerful thinkers and leaders. I feel like I have much deeper understanding of how and why the reformation began. Favorite quote is from the final passage:

"When Christians split over the issue-on how they might be saved-when the same set of Christian practices and pastoral pieties could generate diametrically opposed emotional.and religious responses; when one Chrostian, emerging from the confessional, could feel serene relief and another near-immediate doubt, the Christian Middle Ages can be said to have come to an end."

Medieval Christianity A New History

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