Exploring the good news of the kingdom of God
The trip is over and we are back home. I’ve had a few days to reflect. If there is a common thread between the First Crusade and the Carolingian Renaissance that is applicable today for Christians it is the importance of Christian leadership to the kingdom of God. But for the Church, the Middle Ages … Continue reading “Carolingian & Crusader Travel Journal: Epilogue”
Today was our last day to tour in Paris, and it was a full day. After beginning at Rue Cler, we made the short walk to Les Invalides, which is, among other things, a museum of French military history. Les Invalides’s collection of suits of armor was fascinating. I was struck by the difference between the … Continue reading “Carolingian & Crusader Travel Journal: Day 10”
Today we visited the Basilica of Saint Denis, the church where almost all the French kings–Charlemagne is one exception–are buried. Those buried here include Saint Denis (the first Christian martyr in Paris), Clovis, the first Christian king of the Franks, Charles Martel (Charlemagne’s grandfather) and Pepin the Short (Charlemagne’s father), as well as King Louis … Continue reading “Carolingian & Crusader Travel Journal: Day 9”
Yesterday, after leaving the castle of Godfrey de Bouillon in Belgium, we drove 2 hours to Aachen, Germany, where Charlemagne’s palace once stood, and the church he built still stands. We began the day with a walk to the city centre where Charlemagne’s palace and church were located. Aachen’s old town is a beautiful remnant … Continue reading “Carolingian & Crusader Travel Journal: Day 8”
If you are like me, most of what you were taught in school regarding the motivation for the First Crusade is wrong. It’s wrong because it is based on biased anti-Christian Enlightenment writers like Gibbon and Voltaire. Voltaire, for example, wrote that the crusaders were motivated only by “the thirst for brigandage” and that “Christianity is the … Continue reading “Carolingian & Crusader Travel Journal: Day 7”