In AD 597, St Augustine arrived at Canterbury to preach the gospel to the heathen English, and in 1997 the fourteen hundredth anniversary of his coming was celebrated by millions of English-speaking Christians around the world. The history of the evangelisation of England and of the Anglo-Saxons' subsequent missionary expeditions elsewhere is well known, but what has been lacking has been a study of the theological perspective of the early English Church. Now Douglas Dales has provided just such a work. Priest, historian and theologian, he is well equipped to explore the minds and deeds of the Anglo-Saxon missionaries.

Light to the Isles: Mission and Theology in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Britain

History

Dales, Douglas

Europe

James Clarke & Co.

Scholar, ecclesiastic, teacher and poet of the eighth century, Alcuin was a person of deep Christian faith, tenacious in his loyalty to orthodox Catholic theology. He had a seminal influence upon his own generation and those that came after him. Although he remained a Northumbrian Christian at heart, the part of his life about which most is known was spent on the Continent. He never lost contact with his homeland; but his most significant and lasting work was evidently accomplished in Europe and his influence on the early medieval Western Church was an abiding one. This book examines his life and career in England and on the continent; it also considers his legacy as a churchman and a leading political figure. This volume prefigures a forthcoming work on Alcuin's intellectual legacy, 'Alcuin - His Theology' (due for release, April 2013). This rich study is intended for the general reader as well as for those studying, teaching or researching this period of early medieval history and theology in schools and universities. Table of Contents Contents Illustrations Preface Abbreviations Introduction Part One: England 1. York 2. Emissary 3. Letters to England 4. Alcuin and Offa Part Two: Charlemagne 5. Charlemagne 6. Alcuin and Charlemagne 7. Statesman 8. Rome 9. Crisis and Coronation Part Three: Legacy 10. Abbot of Tours 11. Alcuin and Monasticism 12. Letters, friends, and manuscripts Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Alcuin: His Life and Legacy

Biographies & Memoirs

Historical

St Dunstan of Canterbury (909-88) was the central figure in the development of English church and society after the death of King Alfred. Douglas Dales traces Dunstan's life beginning with his education at the great monastery of Glastonbury of which he became abbot. He was a central figure at the court of the kings of Wessex but was banished, partly because of his hostility to the king's mistresses, and went to exile in Flanders. After his return he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. During the twenty-eight years of his primacy he carried out one of the major developments of the century, the reformation of the monasteries. The millennium of Dunstan's death provides an opportunity to examine him not merely as a prelate and royal advisor, but to see other aspects of his life: his skills as a craftsman caused him to be adopted as the patron saint of goldsmiths; some of his work as calligrapher and artist survives to this day; the coronation service which he drew up still lies at the heart of this service for English monarchs today; he was famed for his musical skills; above all, the sanctity of his name and the fame of his miracles kept Dunstan's memory alive. Douglas Dales' re-examination of the life and times of Dunstan sets his achievements against the social and religious background of the day, at a time when new forces were emerging that would shape the future of England and the English Church for centuries to come.Table of ContentsAbbreviationsForeword by the Archbishop of CanterburyPrefaceTenth-Century Regnal and Archiepiscopal ListsPart OneGlastonbury: AD 909-59Chapter1 The Legacy of Alfred the Great Chapter2 Oritur puer strenuusChapter3 At the court of AthelstanChapter4 Abbot of GlastonburyChapter5 Exile and returnPart TwoCanterbury: AD 960-88Chapter6 Archbishop of CanterburyChapter7 The monasteriesChapter8 The statesmanChapter9 Two kingsPart ThreeThe Legacy: AD 989-1023Chapter10 The successorsChapter11 The flowering of the tenth centuryChapter12 St DunstanNotes BibliographyIndex

Dunstan: Saint and Statesman

Divine Remaking: St Bonaventure and the Gospel of Luke

Douglas Dales’s Divine Remaking marks the 800th anniversary of the birth of St Bonaventure in 1217. Bonaventure distilled and transformed a rich inheritance of patristic and medieval exegesis of the Bible developed within the monastic tradition and in the university schools in Paris, Oxford and elsewhere. While teaching in Paris and then leading the Franciscans as their Minister General, Bonaventure wrote a substantial commentary on the Gospel of St Luke. This commentary is an eminent example of how his understanding of the Bible lay at the root of all that he taught and wrote. Bonaventure’s writing style reflects the beauty and ornate detail of contemporaneous works of art, stained glass, carvings in cathedrals and illuminated manuscripts. His writings, like the art of his day, are superb expressions of Christian theology and vision. Bonaventure had a formidable memory, and his capacity to draw from across the whole Latin Bible is extraordinary, instructive and enriching. His well-ordered mind was balanced, however, by a finely tuned spiritual and pastoral intuition, which makes his approach to the Gospels applicable and relevant to the reader of today. Divine Remaking is a bridge into Bonaventure’s thought; it allows his insight into St Luke’s Gospel to be understood by anyone seeking the divine truth in today’s world.Table of ContentsPreface1. Introduction2. Lectio Divina3. The Nativity Narrative4. John the Baptist5. Transfiguration6. Discipleship7. Teaching8. Healing9. The Passion10. Cross and ResurrectionNotesBibliographyBiblical IndexName and Subject Index

Leaders & Notable People

Way Back to God: The Spiritual Theology of Saint Bonaventure

Bonaventure was a great pastor and preacher, and also a very effective teacher. His writing shows clarity and conviction, and his authority arose from his profound grasp of Scripture and patristic monastic tradition. The force behind how he wrote sprang from his keen sense of the significance of Francis and Clare and all that flowed from them, not least into his own spiritual life and experience as a person of deep contemplative and mystical prayer. Way Back to God is a comprehensive conspectus and study of how Bonaventure taught Christian theology and applied it to spiritual life. It is intended to be a guide through most of his writings (though not as a substitute for reading them). It provides a bridge into his thought, and also a remarkable hand-book of Christian theology in its bearing upon spiritual life. Douglas Dales' new work enables Bonaventure's distinctive spiritual theology to be seen as a whole, as well as making his writings, in Latin or English, accessible and attractive.

Religion & Spirituality

Christian Books & Bibles

James Clarke

Truth and Reality: The Wisdom of St Bonaventure

This is a thorough study and exposition of the last work for which St Bonaventure was responsible before his death in 1274. The Collations on the Hexaemeron, also called The Illuminations of the Church comprises lectures that he gave in Paris in 1273 to Franciscan and other students and masters in the university there. They were recorded by two independent witnesses and one version, the definitive one, was prepared for publication and approved by Bonaventure. This is one of the most interesting, original and important texts of medieval theology and it has been well translated and edited in a new edition. The purpose of this study is to examine the precise context for the approach that Bonaventure took, to place this work as the culmination of his spiritual theology, and to provide the reader with a lucid epitome of the contents of the text, drawing out their significance for theology and prayer in the life of the Church today.

St Dunstan of Canterbury (909-88) was the central figure in the development of English church and society after the death of King Alfred. The author traces Dunstan's life beginning with his education at the great monastery of Glastonbury, of which he became abbot. He was a central figure at the court of the kings of Wessex but was banished, partly because of his hostility to King Edwy's mistresses, and went into exile in Flanders. On the succession of Edgar to the throne, Dunstan was called back to England and appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. During the twenty eight years of his primacy he carried out one of the major developments of the century, the reformation of the monasteries. The author examines him not merely as a prelate and royal advisor, but considers other aspects of his life: his skill as a craftsman, which caused him to be adopted as the patron saint of goldsmiths; his works as calligrapher and artist, some of which survive to this day; the coronation service which he drew up which still lies at the heart of this service for English monarchs; his celebrated musical skills; and above all, the sanctity of his name and the fame of his miracles, which have kept Dunstan's memory alive. This study of the life and legacy of Dunstan sheds light on the background and significance of the English Coronation Service. Its fundamental shape and theology was established during the tenth century and used to potent effect by Dunstan and those associated with him in the government of Church and society. This special edition marks the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

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Books by Dales, Douglas

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dales, Douglas. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Light to the Isles: Mission and Theology in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Britain

Alcuin: His Life and Legacy

Dunstan: Saint and Statesman

Divine Remaking: St Bonaventure and the Gospel of Luke

Divine Remaking: St Bonaventure and the Gospel of Luke

Way Back to God: The Spiritual Theology of Saint Bonaventure

Way Back to God: The Spiritual Theology of Saint Bonaventure

Truth and Reality: The Wisdom of St Bonaventure

Truth and Reality: The Wisdom of St Bonaventure

Dunstan: Saint and Statesman