Christian History Home > Issue 63 > End of the Known World
End of the Known World
posted 7/01/1999 12:00AM
Never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race," wrote the English scholar Alcuin of the 793 raid on the monastery at Lindesfarne, the first major event of the so-called Age of the Vikings. "Behold, the church of Saint Cuthbert splattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments; a place more venerable than all in Britain is given as a prey to pagan peoples."
Though the Vikings have been infamous for their attacks on Christian churches and monasteries-inspiring throughout Europe the prayer, "From the fury of the Northmen, O Lord, protect us"—those very raids began a centuries-long process of Christian conversion.
The Vikings raided because they had not. And they reasoned they had not (or at least not as much as their targets) because their gods were not as powerful. Envy, ironically, played an invaluable role in introducing Christianity.
Furthering the irony, the Viking leaders, having accepted Christianity overseas, ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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