The Barbarian Conversion: From Paganism to Christianity

Rating:
Summary: 'Excellent Research Shakey Storyline'
Review: Richard Fletchers Barbarian Conversion overall provided an adequite amount of useful information. I did in fact find some interesting details about the way of life in monastic communities,and aristocratic families. Some other points of interest were the brief stories that reflected on the lifes of St. Martin, Gregory of Tours, and St. Patrick. Although, some areas of the book had me searching for material that would give me a better understanding of the movement of Christianity, but the understanding just wasn't there. Mr. Fletcher, I give you three stars for your excellent research, but I take two away for your failure to provide a better picture of Gods Providence.

Rating:
Summary: Judicious, Large and Instructive
Review: This book is a compendium of dates, places, facts, and personages bearing on the penetration of Christianity in pagan Europe from Late Antiquity onwards. In scope, the book is large. The author marshalls overwhelming masses of supporting data to make his clearly stated points. In many regards, the methodology harks back to an earlier era of scholarship which in its extreme is represented by "The Golden Bough." Solidly and in a workman like fashion Flechter makes his case. He never oversates his grasp of the subject nor stretches his sources to reach some desired conclusion. This is a highly instructive and necessary book on this topic. It is neither a "be all" or "end all" with regards to the broad areas investigated, however, overlooking or dismissing its scholarship because it is not in a trendy form would be a mistake. This is a major secondary source on its subject matter.

Rating:
Summary: Judicious, Large and Instructive
Review: This book is a compendium of dates, places, facts, and personages bearing on the penetration of Christianity in pagan Europe from Late Antiquity onwards. In scope, the book is large. The author marshalls overwhelming masses of supporting data to make his clearly stated points. In many regards, the methodology harks back to an earlier era of scholarship which in its extreme is represented by "The Golden Bough." Solidly and in a workman like fashion Flechter makes his case. He never oversates his grasp of the subject nor stretches his sources to reach some desired conclusion. This is a highly instructive and necessary book on this topic. It is neither a "be all" or "end all" with regards to the broad areas investigated, however, overlooking or dismissing its scholarship because it is not in a trendy form would be a mistake. This is a major secondary source on its subject matter.

Rating:
Summary: well-written and fascinating account of complex process
Review: This is certainly one of the better books on the vast, complex and multifaceted subject of how Europe slowly turned Christian over a period of a thousand years or so, how in this process the Roman Catholic Church and European societies deeply shaped each other, and how the Roman Church turned itself in one of the most enduring and successful transnational organizations, partly by design, partly by accident (as is usually the case in history). Fletcher describes, both in telling detail and in broad views, the proces itself, the problems that were encountered 'in the field' in very different times and situations in Europe, and poses some fundamental question about the relation between Christianity and paganism. An excellent book and i very much enjoyed reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining page-turner
Review: This is easily one of the most entertaining, and readable, works on this topic I've encountered. Fletcher's style is witty, chatty, and accessible. I couldn't put this book down, and devoured it in 4 days. Every chapter was as good as the last, and I plan on re-reading it soon. His frequent references to prominent historical people and events help you really connect the material with other information about the area, giving you a more complete picture of the people and their times.