Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Drinking songs of soldiers changes the music of this hall from arguments among novices to soldier’s seasonal songs enhanced with ale. Even those youngsters attempting chants with their changing and untrained voices are, to me, a worse disruption to my sleep than drinking songs. I oddly appreciate the change inContinue reading “#75.8 Wednesday, December 17, 2025”
Category Archives: Christian History
#75.7 Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Winter is upon us, nearing the season of the solstice and I’ve chosen to stay here in the guest quarters at Jarrow. This is a double monastery, with the women’s community, called St. Peter, across the River Tyne on the River Wear. In that church often the worship is ledContinue reading “#75.7 Tuesday, December 16, 2025”
#75.6 Thursday, December 11, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. The King’s man, Ousbert, is also a lay visitor at Jarrow in the aftermath of the raid on Lindisfarne. Our purposes here are very different. I’m just looking for a history, but he’s looking for the vulnerabilities of coastal monasteries to make his recommendations to the king going forward. It’sContinue reading “#75.6 Thursday, December 11, 2025”
#75.5 Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. The King’s man Ousbert is making a plan to save these coastal monasteries from the fate of Lindisfarne. Ousbert is asking for details of the cause of the raid, and since I was there, he’s questioning me. “People who put their trust in saints to be all powerful areContinue reading “#75.5 Wednesday, December 10, 2025”
#75.4 Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. The Lindisfarne raid raised concern throughout the kingdoms for the safety of all of the coastal monasteries. Wilbert introduces me to Ousbert who serves the king as a military advisor. Ousbert has questions about the raid on Lindisfarne. We step out of the library hall, to talk more freely inContinue reading “#75.4 Tuesday, December 9, 2025”
#75.3 Thursday, December 4, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. In the water walking allegory, stepping out of the boat is called “faith.” But then the word “faith” was usurped by religion as a uniform requirement for belonging —a shared creed. Back when faith was still raw and personal, Jesus told Peter he needed it. Then by religious use,Continue reading “#75.3 Thursday, December 4, 2025”
#75.2 Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. It could be that God is speaking to everyone all the time. But what one hears depends on listening. Sometimes I listen. But my experience in hearing God is always personal and never credibly shareable. Maybe it is out of fear or awe, but people – at least speakingContinue reading “#75.2 Wednesday, December 3, 2025”
#75.1 Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Since the third century, when I first left Ephesus to heal from the persecutions, I’ve seen the pattern of religion moving from personal individual mystical experience to a community following an earthly rule as a religion. This thing that my sister and I had been given by a mysticalContinue reading “#75.1 Tuesday, December 2, 2025”
#74.12 Thursday, November 27, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Bede’s book unwinds with the story I came here to understand. When Bishop Aiden, the founder of Lindisfarne died, his successor was Finan [651 C.E.] also “consecrated and sent by the Irish.” Finan constructed the church at Lindisfarne in the Irish method of oak and thatching. The Roman wayContinue reading “#74.12 Thursday, November 27, 2025”
#74.11 Weds., November 26, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. I came to Jarrow looking for the hate words I thought Bede had planted in the written history of Lindisfarne. Those who gathered for the reading of Alcuin’s letter to Bishop Higbald were talking among themselves in search of the sins of Lindisfarne. Alcuin’s letter offered some sinContinue reading “#74.11 Weds., November 26, 2025”
Lazarus Ink 