The Spread Of Christianity And Its Influence In Anglo-Saxon England (596-750)

The object of this thesis is the spread of Christianity and its influence in early Anglo-Saxon England. By using the method of history and sociology, this thesis mainly studies how Christianity spread in Anglo-Saxon England. Also the thesis deeply analyzes the characteristics of the spread of Christianity and the influence of the Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England.The chapter one mainly discusses the social situation in the early Anglo-Saxon England. First, the thesis introduces the social and political structure in the early Anglo-Saxon England. The Anglo-Saxon society was still in the Military and Democratic System, but it had been developing to the class society. Then it introduces the religious beliefs in the early Anglo-Saxon society. The Anglo-Saxon society's religious belief is still a primitive polytheistic religion in the early Anglo-Saxon England, the king or tribal leader occupied the most important position in the religious beliefs system. As the social and political development in Anglo-Saxon England, the polytheistic religion had been changing into the monotheism. Finally, it introduces the Anglo-Saxons contacts with the surrounding Christian nations, the Anglo-Saxons had kept close relationship with the Britons and Franks, it points out that the Anglo-Saxons were not know anything about the Christian faith. In fact, they knew some knowledge about Christianity from the other Christian nations.The chapter two investigates the spread of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. Roman missionaries, the Irish missionaries and Frankish missionaries participated in spreading Christianity to the Anglo-Saxon England. These Christian missionaries cooperated with each other to complete the mission of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. But As Christianity spread further in Anglo-Saxon England, the contradiction between Roman Church and the Irish Church had intensified, eventually the council of Whitby was held. The council of Whitby was an important meeting in early English History; it made a great influence to the Church of England. After the council of Whitby, Archbishop Theodore made a significant contribution to the development of the Church of Anglo-Saxon England. The Christianity gradually integrated into the Anglo-Saxons' daily life. The spread of Christianity in England had gone from the time of missionary and converted to the time of Christianity is widely accepted as part of the lives of Anglo-Saxons. After investigating the spread of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England, the thesis mainly analyzes the characteristics of the Christian missionary in Anglo-Saxon England and point out the diversity in the Church of England. First, it investigates the characteristics of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England:one is that the Christian missionary relying on the Anglo-Saxon kingship; two is that it strived for the support of lower-class; three is that Christianity could tolerant of the original Anglo-Saxon culture. Second, it investigates the diversity in Church of England. The diversity of the Church of England was characterized by a variety of different styles of Christianity diffusion in England. And this diversity did not disappear after the Church of England was united. The performance of this diversity is:the diversity of a parish nursing, the limit the power of bishops, the diversity of the rules of monastery.The chapter four mainly investigates the influence of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. Christianity not only brought a religion, but also brought the advanced culture in Europe to the Anglo-Saxon England; it was more important thing than any Christianity's influence.The spread of Christianity promoted the development of Anglo-Saxon society. It had a profound impact on Anglo-Saxon kingship and social organization. The Christianity also promoted the development of the economic and cultural in Anglo-Saxon England.