Wednesday, September 12, 2007

History 

I hate Christian history. I really really really really hate it. I don't hate Christianity (so no hate mail please!)- I live with one CHristian and am in love with another, so it is not the religion itself that I have a problem with. A few semesters ago I took a History of Christianity class so I could understand both the religion of the man I loved and the history that dominated the period of time that I was interested in studying. It was one of those classes that taught me a great deal, but that I hated learning. See the problem is that Christian history is STEEPED in Philosophy. You can't learn it without delving, at least a little, into the argument over what date Easter should be celebrated, or why the Council of Nicea was important or weather Jesus was human or devine and why that question was such a big damn deal. Honestly- I. Don't. Care.
So this semester I am taking a History of England class. I've read so much and understand so little. The problem is, that early English history is all told by religous people- like Bede and Gildas. I'm not reading "This English King did this and that English king Did this, and their Kingdoms became this..." I'm reading "So this Bishop baptised this person and brought these people to the true faith, and this Monk went here and corrected the idolators ways, and this relic healed this person and because of that they were all converted". Please Kill ME Now. I understand why These people are important to read. Gildas and Bede are the ONLY sources for these time periods. But even in class we are talking about religion. About this Pope who ordained this person to go to Britan. I feel like I am learming nothing about Britain in this time period- but just about the condition of the church at the time. I can't wait until we get further on in history and learn something about England, and not it's church.

3 Comments:

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, whether or not people agree.

By Blogger Unknown, at 8:02 PM  

Thats why when I took English history in college I did so badly(2.0) and Russian history which did not include all this phylosophy I aced (well almost 3.9).

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:47 AM  

Ah, you gotta love a theocracy! I know it seems like all you're learning is about religion rather than government, but at the time they were quite symbiotic. You couldn't understand the history without understanding the motives/values/mores of the culture -- which, coincidentally were those of the church. Glad I'm not taking that class. :-)

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:21 AM  

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