196: AD 700–1000

BEMA Episode Link: 196: AD 700–1000
Episode Length: 26:24
Published Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0800
Session 5
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings walk through three centuries to see the great and famous East-West Schism, look at the idea of icons, and meet Charlemagne as a major character of this era of history.

AD 700–1000 Presentation

Discussion Video for BEMA 196

Byzantine Iconoclasm — Wikipedia

BEMA 0: Introductory Lesson

The Genesis of Science by James Hannam

Transcript for BEMA 196

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 196: AD 700-1000 - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 196 - AD 700-1000 Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: The Iconoclastic Controversy, East-West Schism, and the rise of Charlemagne

This episode covers three pivotal centuries (700-1000 AD) in Christian history, examining the growing tensions between Eastern and Western Christianity that culminated in the Great Schism of 1054. The discussion explores fundamental differences in how Eastern and Western cultures communicate truth, the controversy over icons versus doctrine, and the influence of key figures like Charlemagne and Boniface in shaping medieval Christianity. The hosts also provide important context about the concept of “Christendom” and its implications for understanding church history.

Key Takeaways

The Iconoclastic Controversy revealed fundamental differences between Eastern and Western approaches to preserving and communicating biblical truth
Eastern Christianity used icons (images) to communicate truth, while Western Christianity emphasized creeds, doctrines, and written definitions
The Great Schism of 1054 divided Christianity into the Roman Catholic Church (West) and the Eastern Orthodox Church (East), though the process was gradual and complex
Charlemagne is called the “Father of the West” for uniting Western Christianity in ways not seen since Constantine
The “Dark Ages” were not entirely dark but included significant intellectual and spiritual developments that laid groundwork for later progress
Most people in this era were illiterate and separated from direct access to Scripture, which was preserved primarily in Latin (West) or Greek (East)
The term “Christendom” refers to Christianity intertwined with political power and empire, beginning with Constantine
Neither Eastern nor Western approach is entirely right or wrong; they represent different cultural methods of engaging with faith and truth

Main Concepts & Theories

Eastern vs. Western Worldviews

The fundamental distinction explored in this episode centers on how different cultures communicate truth. This concept was introduced in BEMA Episode 0 and becomes critical for understanding the Iconoclastic Controversy.

Western Approach:

Communicates truth through words, definitions, and prose
Emphasizes creeds and doctrinal statements
Values precision in language and theological formulation
Creates systematic theology through written documents
Tendency toward what could be called “doctrinal idolatry”

Eastern Approach:

Communicates truth through pictures, images, and narrative
Emphasizes icons as visual theology
Values story and experience alongside intellectual knowledge
Preserves truth through visual representation and liturgy
Roots in the biblical world’s oral and visual culture

The Iconoclastic Controversy

This controversy emerged from the Byzantine Church’s use of images and icons in worship, leading to significant conflict between Eastern and Western Christianity.

The Eastern Position:

Icons are not objects of worship but windows to the divine
The worshiper venerates the God behind the story the icon represents
Icons serve as “books” for the illiterate, teaching biblical narratives
This approach connects to the Eastern world of the Bible, which used images to convey truth
Icons help preserve and remember the content of Scripture in a pre-printing press world

The Western Critique:

To Western eyes, praying before icons appeared to be blatant idolatry
The practice seemed to violate commandments against graven images
Westerners preferred preserving truth through written doctrine
This reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of Eastern worship practices

Historical Context: The controversy must be understood within the practical realities of the time:

No printing press meant limited distribution of written texts
Most people were illiterate
Church services conducted in languages people didn’t speak (Latin in the West, Greek in the East)
The Jewish educational system that had preserved Scripture orally had been removed from Christian practice
Both Eastern and Western approaches attempted to solve the same problem: how to preserve biblical truth

Charlemagne and Western Unity

Charlemagne (reign approximately 768-814 AD) emerged as a transformative figure who united Western Christianity.

Contributions:

United the Western Church in ways not seen since Constantine
Led the church toward productive Renaissance
Urged intellectual and spiritual revitalization
Created momentum that would eventually lead to the scientific revolution
Brought stability during a tumultuous period

Legacy:

Called the “Father of the West”
His work can be viewed with either admiration or critical eyes
The unity he achieved was significant but ultimately could not hold under East-West tensions
His influence helped make the Middle Ages more productive than commonly believed

The Great East-West Schism (1054 AD)

The formal split between Eastern and Western Christianity represents one of the most significant fractures in church history.

Key Points:

Traditional date is 1054 AD, though the process was gradual
Some historians argue it wasn’t finalized until 1472
The split was not a single moment but an ongoing process
Communication challenges of the era meant the schism’s implications took time to fully realize

Causes:

Fundamental differences in worldview (Eastern vs. Western)
Controversy over icons and images
Western papal authority versus Eastern collegial governance
Growing inability of Rome to control Eastern churches
Eastern churches “kicking against the goads of Western progress”

Results:

Creation of the Roman Catholic Church (West)
Formation of the Eastern Orthodox Church (East)
Western Church experienced shock and terror at losing half the Christian empire
Many feared Christendom could never survive
The split continues to define Christianity today

Understanding “Christendom”

The hosts provide multiple perspectives on this crucial term:

Definitions Offered:

New Oxford American Dictionary: “The worldwide body or society of Christians” (generous interpretation)
Church History in Plain Language: “Church and state as two aspects of one society - one securing spiritual blessings, the other safeguarding justice and human welfare”
Wikipedia: “Christian world, Christian states, Christian-majority countries; refers especially to the Middle Ages and early modern period”

Marty’s Critical Perspective:

Christendom represents Christianity with imperial undertones
It is grounded in empire, beginning with Constantine
It involves Christianity wielding political and military power
“Give me the handle end of the sword. Now we’re in charge.”
Distinct from the apostolic movement of first-century Judaism
Christendom may not have ended; it may still exist in different forms today

Key Questions:

Where did Christendom begin? (With Constantine)
Where did Christendom end? (Has it ended?)
Even when church and state separated, did the imperial mindset remain?

The “Dark Ages” Reconsidered

The Middle Ages, often called the “Dark Ages,” deserve a more nuanced understanding.

Traditional View:

Period of intellectual stagnation
Decline in learning and culture
Oppressive religious control

Revised Understanding:

Not entirely “dark” at all
Significant intellectual and spiritual developments occurred
Figures like Boniface, Charlemagne, and others made important contributions
This era set up the scientific revolution
James Hannam’s “The Genesis of Science” argues for reconsidering this period
Liturgical developments (like those from Gregory) created shared Christian experiences

Reality for Common People:

Separation from direct Scripture access
Illiteracy was widespread
Church services in Latin (West) or Greek (East) - languages most didn’t understand
Dependence on clergy for religious knowledge
Life focused on survival: farming, trades, daily work
Shared liturgy provided common Christian experience despite literacy barriers

Examples & Applications

Real-World Example: Visiting an Eastern Orthodox Church

Brent shares his experience visiting Eastern Orthodox churches with friends in high school, describing them as “very moving experiences.” This illustrates how encountering different Christian traditions can broaden understanding.

For Modern Western Christians: If a Western Protestant or Catholic walked into an Eastern Orthodox church today, they might observe:

Extensive use of icons and images throughout the sanctuary
Worshipers praying at stations before icons
Kneeling before images
Use of incense and ritual
Highly liturgical worship
Different approach to Scripture reading and teaching

The Misunderstanding: A Western observer might immediately think “idolatry!” But this reflects a misunderstanding. Eastern worshipers are not worshiping the icon itself but encountering God through the narrative the icon represents.

The Parallel: Just as Easterners don’t worship icons, Westerners don’t worship their doctrinal statements - though the line may be fine. Both are methods of encountering and preserving truth about God.

Practical Example: Preserving Truth Without Printing

The episode highlights a critical problem facing medieval Christianity: how to preserve biblical truth in a pre-printing press world where most people were illiterate.

The Eastern Solution: Create icons - visual representations of biblical narratives. An illiterate farmer could “read” the story of Jesus’s birth, crucifixion, or resurrection through images. The icon becomes a book for those who cannot read words.

The Western Solution: Write down what the text says in creeds and doctrinal statements. Train clergy to preserve and transmit this knowledge. Create systematic theology that can be memorized and recited.

Modern Parallel: Today we face similar questions about preserving and transmitting truth across cultural and linguistic barriers. Bible translation movements, oral Bible storytelling projects, and visual Bible resources all grapple with how to make Scripture accessible to different learning styles and cultural contexts.

Historical Application: Gregory’s Liturgical Reforms

Referenced from the previous episode, Gregory’s contribution of shared liturgy provided a common Christian experience even when people couldn’t read Scripture themselves. This shows how church leaders attempted practical solutions to real problems:

People couldn’t read
Scriptures weren’t available in multiple copies
Church used languages people didn’t speak
Solution: Create a standardized worship experience that could be shared across regions

The Boniface Example

The hosts mention Boniface as someone who helped unite order under a struggling papacy. This illustrates how individual leaders made significant contributions during turbulent times. Boniface represents the kind of figure worth studying more deeply - someone who worked to bring stability and unity during the fragmenting period between 700-1000 AD.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Recommended Resources

“The Genesis of Science” by James Hannam - Argues that the “Dark Ages” were not dark but rather set up the scientific revolution through significant intellectual developments in medieval Christianity
“Church History in Plain Language” - Used as a primary source for Session 5, provides accessible overview of church history
BEMA Episode 0 - The introduction episode explaining Eastern vs. Western worldviews in detail
Wikipedia Article on the Iconoclastic Controversy - Mentioned as a resource for deeper understanding

Topics for Deeper Study

Boniface and His Contributions - The hosts encourage listeners to research Boniface’s role in uniting the church during this tumultuous period
The Monastic Movement - How monks preserved texts physically, similar to the Essenes, and their role in maintaining Christianity during this era
Byzantine Empire History - Understanding the Greek-Roman nature of the Eastern Empire and its influence on Eastern Christianity
Development of Papal Authority - How the papacy evolved and claimed God-ordained authority, leading to conflicts with Eastern churches
Liturgical Development - How worship practices developed differently in East and West, and Gregory’s role in creating shared liturgy
The Gradual Nature of the Schism - Exploring how the split between 1054 and 1472 actually unfolded across different regions and contexts
Charlemagne’s Reign and Reforms - Detailed study of his intellectual and spiritual revitalization efforts
Icon Theology - Deeper exploration of Eastern Orthodox understanding of icons, including theological defenses of their use
Medieval Literacy and Education - How knowledge was preserved and transmitted in a largely illiterate society
Christendom’s Ongoing Influence - Examining whether imperial Christianity still exists in modern forms
Jewish Educational Systems - How the synagogue system preserved texts that early Christianity abandoned
Comparison with Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots Movement - Marty briefly distinguishes his perspective from these modern movements, which could be explored further
The Relationship Between Church and State in Medieval Theory - How the theoretical harmony between spiritual and temporal power actually played out
Regional Variations in Medieval Christianity - How the Christian experience varied from region to region during this period
The Question of “Where Did Christendom End?” - Or has it ended at all? Exploring modern manifestations of Christian imperialism

Comprehension Questions

Compare and Contrast: How did Eastern and Western Christianity approach the challenge of preserving and communicating biblical truth in a pre-printing press world? What were the strengths and potential weaknesses of each approach?
Historical Analysis: The hosts argue that to accuse Eastern Christians of idolatry through icon veneration is a misunderstanding. Explain the Eastern perspective on icons and how an Easterner might critique Western approaches to doctrine in similar ways.
Critical Thinking: Marty presents a critical view of “Christendom” as Christianity intertwined with empire and political power. How does this definition differ from other definitions of Christendom? What are the implications of viewing church history through this lens?
Contextual Understanding: What practical challenges did medieval Christians face in accessing Scripture, and how did these challenges differ between clergy and common people? How did these challenges contribute to the East-West divide?
Application and Reflection: The hosts mention that the question “Has Christendom ended?” remains relevant today. Based on the episode’s definition of Christendom as imperial Christianity, where do you see potential evidence of Christendom continuing or ending in modern Christianity?

Summary

BEMA Episode 196 covers three crucial centuries (700-1000 AD) that witnessed fundamental fractures in Christian unity. The episode reveals that beneath the political and theological conflicts of this era lies a deeper cultural divide: the difference between Eastern and Western ways of knowing and communicating truth.

The Iconoclastic Controversy was not simply about whether images were appropriate in worship. It represented a clash between the Eastern world’s use of visual narrative and story versus the Western world’s preference for written definitions and doctrinal precision. Both approaches attempted to solve the same pressing problem - how to preserve biblical truth in a world without printing presses, where most people were illiterate and separated from Scripture by language barriers.

Charlemagne emerges as a pivotal figure who united Western Christianity and spurred intellectual revival, earning him the title “Father of the West.” His influence helped make the Middle Ages more productive than traditionally believed, setting foundations for later developments like the scientific revolution.

The Great Schism of 1054 formalized what had been growing tensions, splitting Christianity into Roman Catholic (West) and Eastern Orthodox (East) traditions. This division, while dated to 1054, was actually a gradual process reflecting deep cultural and theological differences that had been building for centuries.

The episode challenges listeners to reconsider both the “Dark Ages” (which weren’t entirely dark) and the concept of “Christendom” itself. The hosts encourage critical examination of Christianity’s entanglement with empire and power, asking whether this imperial version of faith continues today even after the formal separation of church and state.

Most importantly, the episode calls for humility in recognizing that neither Eastern nor Western approaches have a monopoly on truth. Both represent different cultural methods of engaging with faith, each with strengths and limitations. Understanding this history helps modern Christians appreciate the diverse ways people encounter and express their faith in Jesus across cultures and throughout time.

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S5 196: AD 700–1000

The East-West Schism [26:24]