Disclaimer: Some links jump to outside sites for further information on the Bible, interpretations, the canon, translations, manuscripts, resources, and other perspectives. Links do not constitute an endorsement by the Women's Division of the information on other web sites. External web sites offer us diverse perspectives; afford us an opportunity to compare them to United Methodist positions; and, encourage us to critically analyze the issues raised by The Bible: the Book that Bridges the Millennia web pages.
Links to websites about Byzantine art, Medieval morality and mystery plays, basilicas, Jerusalem in early Christian times, and a lot of resources on illuminated Bibles and other manuscripts.
The Apostles' Creed. Our modern Apostles' Creed dates from the eighth century (UMW Resource).
The Apostles' Creed: Illuminations from "The Age of King Charles V (1338-1380)." Pictures of illuminations of the Apostles Creed in three sizes, thumbnail, medium with information about the illumination, and large.
Creeds and Confessions. Links to lots of them, from ancient to modern ones.
Medieval Proofs for the Existence of God, Anselm of Canterbury and Thomas Aquinas. The selection from Aquinas is "Thomas Aquinas on God's Existence," Summa Theologica, Question I, 2.
Thomas Aquinas: Scholastic Theologian by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource) with art from "Apotheosis of St. Thomas Aquinas" by Francisco de Zurbarán
The Donatist Heresy and Augustine by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource)
The Pelagian Heresy and Augustine by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource)
Women Interpreting Scripture in the Middle Ages by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource)
The Hussites. The Hussites were followers of John Hus (Jan Hus) who was declared a heretic and executed. He promoted the reading of the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible by lay people in the common language because he felt that lay people had the ability to interpret the scriptures for themselves.
John Wyclif, Translater and Controversialist. John Wyclif (also spelled Wycliffe, Wycliff, Wicliffe, or Wiclif)is chiefly remembered and honored for his role in Bible translating. In the early 1380's he led the movement for a translation of the Bible into English, and two complete translations (one much more idiomatic than the other) were made at his instigation.
John Wyclif and the Lollards. In the fourteenth century, John Wyclif, educated at Oxford and influenced by the nominalism of William of Ockham, gave "learned heresy" a common audience. Like the Waldensians, the Lollards translated the Bible into their vernacular language, English. The Lollards were the most significant heretical group in England before the Reformation.
John Wycliffe--Ahead of his time, Wycliffe Bible Translators. Historical background and pictures about Wycliffe, his Bible, and biblical translations.
Monasticism in Britain. Background about Roman Catholic orders in Britain before the Reformation.
Beguines by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource) Historical overview.
The Beguines by Elizabeth T. Knuth. On the eve of the Beguine movement, the independence and authority of women were severely limited. Particularly in monastic circles, some women had hitherto had considerable authority, but now ecclesiastical and civil officials were determined to put a stop to all that.... Double monasteries were suppressed, religious orders closed their doors to women, and the power of abbesses was curtailed. Married women were to be submissive, and wife-beating was countenanced.
The Beguines. Links to lots of good resources from Women Writers of the Middle Ages by Catherine Innes-Parker.
Marguerite Porète, The Mirror of Simple Souls. Marguerite Porète was born at Hainaut, became a Beguine, and wrote Le Miroir des simples âmes sometime between 1296 and 1306. Her book takes the form of verse and commentary forming a dialogue between Love, Reason, and the Soul.
Sisters Between: Gender and the Medieval Beguines by Abby Stoner. The origins of the Beguines can be traced to two important medieval religious reform movements: monastic mysticism and the vita apostolica, or "apostolic life." Monastic mysticism, which combined the practice of ascetic, contemplative devotion with efforts to attain personal union with the divine, found its most influential proponent in a Cistercian monk, Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153).
The Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin Catherine of Siena (1370). Catherine of Siena is a Roman Catholic saint.
Life of St. Clare Portrait of St. Clare and biography from the Assisi, Italy web site.
The Rule of St. Clare Fifteenth-century book written in Middle English.
Francis of Assisi by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource) with art of St. Francis feeding the birds
Life of St. Francis. Portrait of St. Francis and biography from the Assisi, Italy web site.
St. Francis Window. This stained glass window at St. Francis United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC incorporates shattered stained glass recovered from the vandalism of Jonesboro AME Zion Church. The prayer of St. Francis is on this page too.
Hildegard of Bingen by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource).
Hildegard of Bingen (Millersville University). Articles about Hildegard. Illustrations of her art and music and links to other sites.
Julian of Norwich by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource).
Julian of Norwich Links. This page contains a number of sites that may be of interest to those studying Julian of Norwich.
Revelations of Divine Love (1371) by Julian of Norwich. The complete text based on the 1901 edition: scanned from later editions and proofread from the first edition taken from the manuscript in the British Museum. Includes a picture of the art on the title page of the book.
Celtic Christianity (the Anamchairde Network) The Celtic peoples were rural, agrarian and tribal; they greatly valued their myths and mysticism, feeling a strong affinity for the Gospel of John. They seemed to have an innate understanding of the Mystery of the Trinity.
The Age of King Charles V (1338-1380). 1,000 Illuminations from the Department of Manuscripts of the The Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
Charlemagne by Dr. E.L. Skip Knox, Boise State University. Historical information about Charles the Great.
Einhard: The Life of Charlemagne translated by Samuel Epes Turner (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1880). We know a good deal about Charles the Great because we have two biographies of him written by men who were close to him. The more important of these Einhard's.
Crusades (The Catholic Encyclopedia) The Crusades were expeditions undertaken to deliver the Holy Places from Moslem control. The origin of the word may be traced to the cross made of cloth and worn as a badge on the outer garment of the crusaders.
The Crusades by Dr. E.L. Skip Knox, Boise State University. Lots of materials developed for a college course.
Female Heroes. Scroll down the page to Female Heroes from the Time of the Crusades: Shagrat (or Shajarat) al-Durr; Eleanor of Aquitaine; The Women Left Behind; Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem, and Anna Comnena, Byzantine Historian
History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea by William of Tyre (107K). William of Tyre was born in the Holy Land, born in the Holy Land and was, after a French education, appointed Archbishop of Tyre and Chancellor of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He wrote near the end of the twelfth century.
Islam's Stake: Why Jerusalem Was Central to Muhammad by Karen Armstrong, Time, April 16, 2001. Jerusalem was central to the spiritual identity of Muslims from the very beginning of their faith.
Judaism's Stake: The Mysteries of Solomon's Temple by David Van Biema, Time, April 16, 2001. How did the place first become holy? The answer is lost in prehistory.
Pope Urban II calls for the 1st Crusade, Council of Clermont, France, November 27, 1095. This speech has been called the most influencial one in the Middle Ages. It calls on the Christian princes in Europe to go on a crusade to rescue the Holy Land from the Turks. The Medieval Sourcebook offers five versions of this speech.
The Reconciliation Walk. The purpose of the Walk was to bring Christians face-to-face with Muslims and Jews with a message of regret and confession about the Crusades. The Reconciliation Walk in Jerusalem on July 15, 1999, the 900th anniversary of the fall of the city to the Crusaders.
Taking Jerusalem: Climax of the First Crusade By J. Arthur McFall. "The Crusaders spent at least that night and the next day killing Muslims, including all of those in the al-Aqsa Mosque, where Tancred's banner should have protected them. Not even women and children were spared. The city's Jews sought refuge in their synagogue, only to be burned alive within it by the Crusaders. .... The Europeans also destroyed the monuments to Orthodox Christian saints and the tomb of Abraham."
Was the Medieval Church Corrupt? by Frans van Liere. ... The myth that the medieval church was a landmark of corruption is often used to explain the success of Luther's Reformation.... This is not to deny that there were some instances of clerical abuses during the later Middle Ages, that were correctly addressed by the Protestant reformers.
Byzantium: The Byzantine Studies Page. A megasite with history, art, music, links. A must visit.
Byzantine and Medieval Studies Links (Medieval Source Book)
NetSERF: The Internet Connection for Medieval Resources. A key resource.
Medieval Europe. In history texts, medieval European history often goes by its older soubriquet, the Middle Ages. Typically, the period stretches from the collapse of IMPERIAL ROME to the coming together of the forces of the RENAISSANCE in Europe.
Medieval Faith & Religion. This web site from Miller University has a lot of information about women and the Middle Ages.
Persecution of Women (Witch Hunts) by Maxine Clarke Beach (UMW Resource).
Empress Theodora (508-548) by James Allan Evans, University of British Columbia (with mosaic of her from Ravenna, Italy)
Women Writers of the Middle Ages. A key resource on this topic from Catherine Innes-Parker, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Maps Related to Medieval Women Writers from Women Writers of the Middle Ages by Catherine Innes-Parker.
Medieval Maps: Dozens of Medieval maps that are in the public domain on the site of the Medieval Sourcebook.
Early Twelfth-Century Crusader Map Of Jerusalem The Crusaders brought back this map from their journey to spread news of the conquest. This map and others like it drawn during those times, revolutionized dramatically the cartography of the Holy Land, moving Jerusalem to the very Center of the World.
Church History Timeline: First Century through Fifteenth Century (Roman Catholic perspective)
Timeline of Church History (Eastern Orthodox perspective)
The Russian Orthodox Church to 1450
Bible Links Main Menu: Frames - No Frames
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"Lots of Links to Biblical Resources" has been compiled by the Rev. Nancy A. Carter, Ph.D. Please send suggestions and corrections to her at ncarter@gbgm-umc.org. Dr. Carter has an M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where she won the Hitchcock Award in Church History. Her Ph.D. is in literary studies (literature and theology) from American University in Washington, D.C. She has authored books for church laity including Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: Who Do You Say That I Am?, a spiritual growth study for United Methodist Women written with Bishop Leontine T. C. Kelly.
