Return to Love to Learn Place
Return to General Homeschooling Message Board

           From the disheveled mess the ancient worlds' humanists left civilization in, the Christians picked up the pieces. Seeing the worth of man being made in His image as well as the problems of total depravity from the Fall, the motto of ad majorem gloriam Dei or done for God's glory became the anthem as opposed to the cult of individual fame or celebrity. The Middle Ages made a break with the connection with ancient civilization's cruelty and injustice including, interestingly enough, slavery and torture.

          When first studying the Middle Ages, one is struck with many art works that were unsigned, the majority of the names of cathedral architects are unknown, and the authors of the many literary works of the time being lost to us. Aesop's fables are a good example of this. The only thing that possibly harkens back to the ancient world is the name "Aesop" with the fables being written by the monks in the monasteries. There are exceptions, of course, but by and large the goal of this era was for God's glory not man.
          Learning was kept alive by Christians while securing its ability to merely exist being ever vigilant and fighting the humanistic barbarian hordes when absolutely necessary. The Battle of Mount Baden, 516 A.D., as recorded in The Annales Cambrae speaks of the Welsh (Britons) being victorious under King Arthur, "who bore the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ on his shoulders for three days and three nights" against the humanistic Saxons. The Welshman known as Saint Patrick took the Word of liberty and freedom to the Irish establishing schools, hospitals, and churches. Later, Charlemagne would organize schools and promote Christian education. After the Anglo-Saxons became Christian, Alfred the Great fought with the humanistic Vikings (who, in turn, would become Christian). All of these men of God knew that God's judgment had fallen upon Christians for allowing education to lapse and each strove to restore education to its proper position. The concept of university came about in the Middle Ages. Even the term university is a Christian concept. Uni means one while versity means many. Remember, the one and the many was and is an interchangeable phrase with the term Trinity.
          The origins and development of modern nations came about from the Middle Ages not to mention administrative institutions, political ideas, plus intellectual and artistic creativity.
          New world discoveries were made, but later lost during the Renaissance. The Viking, Leif Erickson, became a Christian as a result of King Olaf of Norway who became Leif's Christian mentor. As a direct result from Christianity, Leif went on to discover North America with his Christian crew (Leif did not allow non-Christians to be apart of his crew. In fact, one of his crew members is given credit for developing the sea shanty singing style).
          Not only did the Middle Ages preserve civilization and culture, but advanced it. A return to God's Law is evident in King Alfred's common law. Basically, the common law took various parochial laws and kept those that were in agreement with God's Law and excoriated those that violated His Law. Feudalism held that (1) men had contractual rights against an over-lord (and it did not matter if that overlord was a king); and (2) if the over-lord abused or broke the contract, the vassal subjects had the right to keep the over-lord to his obligations and/or depose him as the over-lord was also under God's Law. Subsequently, court systems developed. This biblical concept of God's Law would be returned to again and again throughout history as witnessed during the Great Reformation and the American War of Independence.
          Accentual and rhymed verse were created alongside of the development of the organ. New instruments were devised which are seen in modern orchestras. For the first time, music was written down (notation and staff). With respect to architecture, countless parish churches and magnificient cathedrals were built. Stained glass windows worked in the same way videos are used today, to help those that were illiterate and/or unable to comprehend or obtain books to explain in the written word God's Law or events of importance to Christendom.
         With the adherence to God's Law, blessings occur. Soon man would forget that God had provided the wealth and security which results in obedience to His Law, and the dark ages for the common man were about to commence with the Renaissance. However, the hard work of the Middle Ages would not be forgotten with the Great Reformation.