Title: Being a Non-Believer in a Christian Medieval Britain
Thesis: Though Christianity was at its height during the medieval ages in Britain, other religions were also prevalent. These religions remained under the authority of the church and were there for seen as the outliers of the community. There outliers, commonly known as heretics, were often shunned, punished or assimilated into the church.
1) Introduction
a) Thesis statement: Though Christianity was at its height during the medieval ages in Britain, other religions were also prevalent. These religions remained under the authority of the church and were there for seen as the outliers of the community. There outliers, commonly known as heretics, were often shunned, punished or assimilated
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i) People either speaking out completely against the church or questioning their practices, such as accusing them of being to materialistic, or nonbelievers
b) How were they dealt with?
i) King and church put people to death for speaking out against church
4) Pagans and how the church dealt with them
a) Vikings/Angelo Saxons
i) Background information
(1) Norse gods and beliefs ii) Alfred and Guthrum
(1) Guthrum pagan king vs Christian king
(a) Guthrum convert along with people when faced with defeat iii) Beowulf
(1) Pagan hero and gods turned into Christian tale
(2) Sorcerer’s power easily overcome by power of Christian god
b) Celts
i) Background information
(1) Druids
(a) Priests and law for the Celts
(b) Pagan rituals
(c) Encountered roman Christians
c) Witchcraft
i) Officially declared a heresy in 1318 by the Bulls of Pope John XXII
d) How did the church and law deal with them?
i) Punishment
(1) Punishment for witchcraft started off fairly lenient but progressively, as Christianity become more and more prevalent within Britain, became stricter.
(2) Example of laws
(a) (page 1 witch hunting and witch trails) “thou shalt not suffer a witch [sorceress R.V] to live.” (Exodus xxii,