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3 - The Nymph and the Cross

Godlings and Christianisation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2023

Francis Young
Affiliation:
Independent scholar
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Summary

Christianity was a growing religion in Britain from the 330s onwards, and Chapter 3 tackles the difficult question of the relationship between Christianity, Christianisation and godlings. The chapter examines the phenomenon of Christian demonisation of pagan cults, arguing that it was a more complex process than mere condemnation and suppression, which inadvertently produced the potential for the survival (and even reinvention) of some of the beings it targeted. Through comparisons with the better evidenced Christianisation of other cultures in Europe and further afield, the chapter develops an interpretative framework for the likely changes undergone by popular religion in Britain’s lengthy conversion period. The framework includes the likely ‘undemonisation’ of formerly demonised entities and the creative ‘re-personification’ of supernatural forces to account for the survival and reinvention of godlings in a Christianised society – where godlings should not be seen so much as ‘pagan survivals’ but rather as non-Christian artefacts of Christianisation.

Type
Chapter
Information
Twilight of the Godlings
The Shadowy Beginnings of Britain's Supernatural Beings
, pp. 136 - 193
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • The Nymph and the Cross
  • Francis Young, Independent scholar
  • Book: Twilight of the Godlings
  • Online publication: 09 March 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009330343.005
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  • The Nymph and the Cross
  • Francis Young, Independent scholar
  • Book: Twilight of the Godlings
  • Online publication: 09 March 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009330343.005
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Nymph and the Cross
  • Francis Young, Independent scholar
  • Book: Twilight of the Godlings
  • Online publication: 09 March 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009330343.005
Available formats
×