A history of the church in the Middle Ages

the long version

"A History of the Church in the Middle Ages traces the story of the Christian church in Western Europe over the thousand years or so that comprise the medieval age. While this period witnessed the continuities of belief, ritual and even institutions, it also experienced remarkable changes when old forms were renewed or replaced and when new forms were created. Saint Francis of Assisi, the gentle poverello of Umbria, the martyr Thomas Becket, the ill-fated lovers Abelard and Heloise, the visionary Hildegard of Bingen, all testify to the diversity and richness of the medieval church." "In this survey, Donald Logan introduces the reader to the Christian church, from the conversion of the Celtic and Germanic peoples up to the discovery of the New World. He reveals how the church unified the people of Western Europe as they worshipped with the same ceremonies and used Latin as the language of civilized communication. From the remote, rural parish church, where simple peasants came to pray, to the magnificent urban cathedral, where choirs chanted the psalms, A History of the Church in the Middle Ages explores the role of the church as a central element in determining a thousand years of history."--Jacket.