Heldensage und Bekehrungsgeschichte
Book Description
This comprehensive scholarly work explores the fascinating intersection of ancient Germanic spiritual traditions and early Christian conversion in medieval Europe. Otto Gschwantler presents seventeen carefully selected essays spanning three decades of research, offering readers a unique window into how pagan and Christian beliefs merged during one of history's most transformative religious periods.
The collection examines two primary areas of spiritual transformation. First, it investigates how Germanic heroic legends and mythological stories were woven into medieval historical writings, revealing how ancient wisdom traditions survived and adapted within new religious frameworks. Second, it delves into the complex process of religious conversion among Germanic peoples, particularly focusing on the remarkable synthesis that emerged when traditional beliefs encountered Christianity.
Gschwantler's work illuminates the syncretic religious practices that developed in Northwestern Europe during the conversion period, showing how communities creatively blended their ancestral spiritual heritage with emerging Christian teachings. The author also explores expressions of folk religiosity found in runic inscriptions, providing insights into how ordinary people navigated changing spiritual landscapes.
For readers interested in understanding how spiritual traditions evolve and adapt across cultures and centuries, this scholarly collection offers valuable perspectives on religious transformation, cultural synthesis, and the enduring human quest for meaning. The volume includes a complete bibliography of Gschwantler's writings and a detailed index for deeper exploration.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~15 hours)
📄 Length: 523 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religion
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore Christianisierung
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Syncretism (Religion)
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Germanic peoples
- ✓ Explore Geschichtsschreibung
