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The Study of the Bible in the
Carolingian Era Medieval Church Studies 3 Edited by Celia Chazelle
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From the last quarter of the eighth until the beginning of
the tenth century, Carolingian monasteries, cathedrals, and courts were the
sights of a vigorous scholarship grounded in the study of sacred Scripture.
The significance of Bible studies in this epoch is evident from the many
extant Carolingian commentaries on virtually every book of the Old and New
Testaments. More works of this kind survive from the period, often in
multiple copies, than is true for any other genre of literature. Although
scholars used to dismiss the Carolingian Bible commentaries as uncreative
compilations of material borrowed from the Church Fathers, in recent years
appreciation of these tracts' essential creativity has grown significantly.
In addition, there is now increased recognition of the degree to which the
'exegetical' culture nurtured within the Carolingian schools fertilized other
aspects of contemporary intellectual and cultural endeavor. The
essays in this collection offer a fresh look at the range of biblical studies
and their impact on diverse domains of Carolingian culture and learning. The
bibliography provides a record of critical editions of Carolingian-era Bible
commentaries and secondary scholarship in the field published within the last
twelve years. |
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