The Church’s Historian
Hailing from Northumbria, England and born around AD 672, St. Bede the Venerable was a theologian and historian known around the world for his scholarship and writings. This reputation was mainly built upon Bede’s well known scriptural commentaries and historical collections such as “Ecclesiastical History of the English People.” Even the method of dating events from the time of Christ’s incarnation and birth (i.e. AD meaning anno Domini or “in the year of our Lord”) is attributed to him.
Although few hard facts are known about Bede’s familial life, many think that he may have come from a noble background due to his connections with other men of noble ancestry at the time. His name even appears in a list of kings of Lindsey, indicating that he may have been related to royalty. Despite this speculation, we do know for sure that he was sent to the monastery at Monkwearmouth to study at a young age. When he was there, he survived the notable plague of 686 that killed off most at the abbey. Bede was ordained a deacon at 19 and a priest at 30, continuing to live in the Monkwearmouth area throughout the rest of his life. It was in the monastery that he embarked on his writing journey, devoting himself to his preaching, teaching, and academic work.
His monastery was known for having an excellent library and was considered a center of learning, and it is estimated that more than 200 books were in the library at Bede’s time (a considerable amount for the late seventh century)! Bede also traveled around to interview other subjects and to draw on other scholars’ work, meaning that his accounts of Christianity and history were extremely well researched and supported for the time. Bede also had correspondents from all over Europe who supplied him with ample information via letters.
Lots of his writings focused on chronology and timelines, including his first treatise, De temporibus (“On Times”), and his later work, De temporum ratione (“On the Reckoning of Time”). This fascination with dating likely inspired his aforementioned calendar project that gave us the AD terminology still used today. His earliest biblical commentary is thought to have been his writing on the Revelation of John. Around 731 he completed his famous “Ecclesiastical History,” which he divided into five books and which detailed the events of Christianity and general history in Britain from the time of Julius Caesar’s raids (55-54 BC) up to his own time.
This work continues to be extremely famous and useful for Christian and world history today, remaining an indispensable source for the earliest facts, sources, and evidence of early Anglo-Saxon history as well as the spread of Christianity in Europe following the time of our Lord.
It is recorded that St. Bede the Venerable died on the Feast of the Ascension on May 26, 735. He apparently fell to the floor of his monastery cell singing the Gloria Patri at the moment of his death: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As in the beginning, so now, and forever.”
A Brief History
The Church has long celebrated Bede’s life and his contribution to the history of the Church. Bede himself recorded the history of his life within the last chapter of “Ecclesiastical History of the English People.” Cuthbert, a disciple of Bede, wrote a letter describing Bede’s last days and his death. This letter also records a five-line poem that Bede supposedly recorded on his deathbed known as “Bede’s Death Song,” an extremely well known piece of Old English poetry.
His reputation as a theologian and historian remains strong, even today. He is considered to have been a forward-thinking scholar for his time, advocating for the use of Greek and Latin and making history and theology accessible to the English people. Further, he was one of the few saints who was honored as such even during his lifetime, with the Church lauding his writing even while he was still at Monkwearmouth. The news of his spiritual and intellectual gifts spread across Christendom, and some of the most illustrious members of English society made pilgrimages to his monastery to seek his guidance. His May 25th commemoration date has been in existence since the years immediately following his death.
We as Lutherans can also appreciate St. Bede the Venerable’s devotion to his faith and his life of dedicated work for the Church. The mark that he left on Christianity as well as his pious end as he sang the Gloria Patri on his deathbed is still inspiring to Christians today. Many believers today pray that, just like Bede, they too might enter their eternal home with these words on their lips and in their hearts.
Collect
O God, Who didst give Blessed Bede, to Thy people as a minister of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who have had him for our teacher on earth, may with him enjoy Thine eternal glories; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Lessons
Resources
Issues, Etc. interview with the Rev. Dr. James Bushur on Seventh and Eighth Century Theologian Bede the Venerable
Issues, Etc. interview with the Rev. Will Weedon on Eighth Century Theologian & Historian Venerable Bede
Propers found in Daily Divine Service Book: A Lutheran Daily Missal, edited by the Rev. Heath Curtis
References:
1. Weedon, William. Celebrating the Saints. Concordia Publishing House. 2016.
2. Treasury of Daily Prayer. Concordia Publishing House. 2008.
Images:
1. Portrait of Bede from a 12th-century copy of Life of St. Cuthbert, Unknown, Britain, ca. 12th Century.
2. Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, Bede, Britain, 9th century.
3. The Venerable Bede Translating the Gospel of John on his Deathbed, James Doyle Penrose, England, 1902.
