Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Lindisfarne Island
The red shirts have the longships pulled onto the sand facing the sea waiting for the signal. We talk among ourselves.
“I was once a Christian.”
“I am still a Christian.” I answer.
“How can you be a Christian when we belong to the pagans and have no priest?”
“I guess Christian is who I am and not what is done to me by the Church.”
“That’s what the poor blokes in Christian robes say as they are getting bloodied by the swords of our pagan masters! This is not the time to hold fast to old ways, my friend.”
“It is who I am. And didn’t each of us just make the sign of the cross as we watched the raiders running through the grasses toward the monastery?”
“Aye, my friend, but our prayers were silent then. We could have been blessing our masters on their ways.”
“And you think God doesn’t hear your silent prayers?”
“Even if the masters don’t know it, this raid was clearly the work of the Triune God of Christ.”
“A Viking raid the work of God? How is that possible?” I argue.
“It’s clear when you read the signs. First the signs of doom filled the heavens, then, the longships were carried briskly and directly to this exact island they set out to find. [Footnote] The Christian God brought this down on the monks and it is the Norsemen’s duty to God to carry out this raid.”
“No,” I know that can’t be, “I’ve known the God who is and worshipped by Jews and Christians throughout all of my years, and God doesn’t manipulate violence. God doesn’t punish people with pagan warriors. I know God well and God is love.”
“Haven’t you heard the ancient stories man? People, even whole tribes and nations are always at the mercy of God’s mighty justice!”
What can I say? Here we are, twelve men on a sandy shore in a respite of worldly violence. Jesus served the fish that morning and begged Peter to affirm his love. Peter said you know I love you. And Jesus didn’t say, then punish my sinful sheep. He could have said, “Bring your swords and slaughter my lambs and eat well, you deserve it.” But Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” [John 21] If I would say this aloud, it would make no sense to these men whose Christian vision is clouded with narrow notions of justice that simply means paying back hurt for hurt.
[Footnote] That early navagation tool would have allowed Vikings to approach an island from the sea, without having to follow the land. It was the Norse Bearing-Dial (based on sun shadows) Ibid, the drawing of this is on page 193 of Gwyn Jones’s A History of the Vikings Rev. Ed. (Oxford University Press, 1984)
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 