Jubilation In The “age Of Faith”

The medieval world at its high point was far from a time of dry metaphysics, religious rigidity and conformity, or darkness and superstition. In actuality, it was a time of creative intellectual ferment, and of tender and warm faith. The age that produced the great cathedrals and inspired scholastic theology was also a time of spontaneous worship that produced many charismatic movements. Ordinary Christians expressed their wonder in much the same way that modern charismatics express theirs: by praying aloud without words and by singing inspired songs. This tradition continued for several hundred years after the end of the Middle Ages. The years 10501350 were a springtime for the Christian church. It emerged from the long night of bloody barbarian invasions to a remarkable period of life. From the fifth century until the eleventh, Europe had been overwhelmed by successive waves of barbarian invaders. However, the church's willingness to convert barbarian tribes and princes, its faithf…