Tree of Salvation : Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North by G. Ronald Murphy (2013, Hardcover)

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TREE OF SALVATION: YGGDRASIL AND THE CROSS IN THE NORTH By G. Ronald Murphy - Hardcover **BRAND NEW**.

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Product Identifiers

PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated
ISBN-100199948615
ISBN-139780199948611
eBay Product ID (ePID)166487871

Product Key Features

Number of Pages256 Pages
Publication NameTree of Salvation : Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North
LanguageEnglish
Publication Year2013
SubjectChristianity / History, Folklore & Mythology, Christianity / General
TypeTextbook
AuthorG. Ronald Murphy
Subject AreaReligion, Social Science
FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.7 in
Item Weight14.1 Oz
Item Length8.4 in
Item Width5.8 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceScholarly & Professional
LCCN2013-003236
Dewey Edition23
Reviews"At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." -T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE, "A most inspiring and insightful book, and it was so wonderful to read a scholarly work spanning centuries and disciplines and written in beautiful prose....an unforgettable book."-- Kirsten Wolf, University of Wisconsin-Madison "Amazing book...one of the finest examples I know of a history of liturgical inculturation."--Gordon Lathrop, Professor of Liturgy Emeritus, Lutheran Theological Seminary [A] clearly written book...Recommended. --CHOICE "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." --T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE "Tree of Salavation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North is a highly original, insightful, and sophisticated study. The book will be much cited." --Church History "Murphy's scholarship is superb... Tree of Salvation is a labor of love: a love which is palpable and apparent throughout its pages." --Mythlore, "A most inspiring and insightful book, and it was so wonderful to read a scholarly work spanning centuries and disciplines and written in beautiful prose....an unforgettable book."-- Kirsten Wolf, University of Wisconsin-Madison "Amazing book...one of the finest examples I know of a history of liturgical inculturation."--Gordon Lathrop, Professor of Liturgy Emeritus, Lutheran Theological Seminary [A] clearly written book...Recommended. --CHOICE "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." --T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE "Tree of Salavation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North is a highly original, insightful, and sophisticated study. The book will be much cited." --Church History, "Amazing book...one of the finest examples I know of a history of liturgical inculturation."--Gordon Lathrop, Professor of Liturgy Emeritus, Lutheran Theological Seminary [A] clearly written book...Recommended. --CHOICE "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." --T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE "Tree of Salavation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North is a highly original, insightful, and sophisticated study. The book will be much cited." --Church History, [A] clearly written book...Recommended. --CHOICE "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." -T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE, "A brilliant book that liturgists ought to know...The book is clearly written, easy to follow, excellently illustrated, and wonderfully engaging in its argumentation...I do not know of a better account of specific cases in the history of liturgical inculturaltion than this book."--Worship "Murphy's scholarship is superb... Tree of Salvation is a labor of love: a love which is palpable and apparent throughout its pages." --Mythlore "Tree of Salavation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North is a highly original, insightful, and sophisticated study. The book will be much cited." --Church History [A] clearly written book...Recommended. --CHOICE "A most inspiring and insightful book, and it was so wonderful to read a scholarly work spanning centuries and disciplines and written in beautiful prose....an unforgettable book."-- Kirsten Wolf, University of Wisconsin-Madison "Amazing book...one of the finest examples I know of a history of liturgical inculturation."--Gordon Lathrop, Professor of Liturgy Emeritus, Lutheran Theological Seminary "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." --T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE, "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, [A] clearly written book...Recommended. --CHOICE "At the center of this book stands a tree-but is it the evergreen Yggdrasil connecting the three worlds of Asgard, Middlegard, and Hel, or the Cross upon which the Maker sacrificed himself to bring salvation to his creation? This brilliant book shows us how both images can be true. Fr. Murphy transports us into a world where the myths of the North become once again potent and filled with mystery. Especially wonderful is Murphy's refusal to pit one religion against the other: this is a story internal to a culture, the new dispensation reflecting itself through the old, much as within Christianity, the New Testament is seen as a realization of the Old. Murphy makes both Yggdrasil and the Rood of the Dream come alive for us. This exciting, readable, persuasive, and beautifully argued book will enthrall specialists in early medieval history, art history, and literature, and everyone who has ever decorated a Christmas tree." --Rachel Fulton Brown, University of Chicago "While Boniface wielded his ax to destroy paganism in eighth-century Germany, Christian conversion in the North operated in a much more culture-sensitive manner, as G. Ronald Murphy beautifully illustrates in his new study focused on the visual and literary material from the Old-Norse world. Through his careful study of the Nordic architecture and the use of the tree in lieu of the cross, combined with a meticulous reading of the Eddic texts and the Old-Saxon Heliand, Murphy uncovers a breathtaking story of how Christianity was merged with the old Scandinavian belief system in order to achieve conversion." --Albrecht Classen, editor of The Handbook of Medieval Studies (2010) "G. Ronald Murphy, S.J. leads us on a fascinating pilgrimage, investigating the pre-Christian to Christian transition from one worldview to the new concept of God and the universe. Central to his groundbreaking thesis is church architecture of the transition period and new insights regarding pre-Christian burial customs and the Tree of Salvation-Yggdrasil, the World Tree-and its mythological story of Odin on the tree, of Lif and Lifthrasir for whom the tree opened to safety, and Germanic myth foreshadowing Christianity." --James E. Cathey, Professor Emeritus of German and Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst "In this clearly written book, Murphy presents a fanciful exploration of the Nordic world tree [...] Murphy provides novel interpretations[, ... his] reading of the bracteates and the runes inscribed on them is interesting." --T.R. Tangherlini, University of California, Los Angeles, CHOICE "Tree of Salavation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North is a highly original, insightful, and sophisticated study. The book will be much cited." --Church History
IllustratedYes
Dewey Decimal293.13
Table Of Content1. Introduction: RealizationI: In Wood and Stone2. The Norwegian Stave Churches3. Bornholm's Round Churches and Baptismal Font4. The Viking Crosses at MiddletonII: In Poetry and Runes5. The Dream of the Rood and the Ruthwell Cross6. Yggdrasil and the Runes of the Elder FutharkIII: In Yuletide Carol and Evergreens7. Yggdrasil and the Christmas TreeSelect Bibliography
SynopsisAt the heart of the mythology of the Anglo-Scandinavian-Germanic North is the evergreen Yggdrasil, the tree of life believed to hold up the skies and unite and separate three worlds: Asgard, high in the tree, where the gods dwelled in their great halls; Middlegard, where human beings lived; and the dark underground world of Hel, home to the monstrous goddess of death. With the advent of Christianity in the North around the year 1000, Yggdrasil was recast as the cross on which Christ sacrificed himself. Ronald Murphy offers an insightful examination of the lasting significance of Yggdrasil in northern Europe, showing that the tree's image persisted not simply through its absorption into descriptions of Christ's crucifix, but through recognition by the newly converted Christians of the truth of their new religion in the images and narratives of their older faith. Rather than dwelling on theological and cultural differences between Christianity and older Anglo-Scandinavian beliefs, Murphy makes an argument internal to the culture, showing how the new dispensation was a realization of the old. He shows how architectural and literary works, including the Jelling stone in Denmark, the stave churches in Norway, The Dream of the Rood, the runes of the futhark, the round churches on Bornholm, the Viking crosses at Middleton in Yorkshire and even the Christmas tree, are all indebted to the cultural interweaving of cross and tree in the North. Tree of Salvation demonstrates that both Christian and older Northern symbols can be read as a single story of salvation., Winner of the 2014 Mythopoeic Myth & Fantasy Studies Award At the heart of the mythology of the Anglo-Scandinavian-Germanic North is the evergreen Yggdrasil, the tree of life believed to hold up the skies and unite and separate three worlds: Asgard, high in the tree, where the gods dwelled in their great halls; Middlegard, where human beings lived; and the dark underground world of Hel, home to the monstrous goddess of death. With the advent of Christianity in the North around the year 1000, Yggdrasil was recast as the cross on which Christ sacrificed himself. G. Ronald Murphy offers an insightful examination of the lasting significance of Yggdrasil in northern Europe, showing that the tree's image persisted not simply through its absorption into descriptions of Christ's crucifix, but through recognition by the newly converted Christians of the truth of their new religion in the images and narratives of their older faith. Rather than dwelling on theological and cultural differences between Christianity and older Anglo-Scandinavian beliefs, Murphy makes an argument internal to the culture, showing how the new dispensation was a realization of the old. He shows how architectural and literary works, including the Jelling stone in Denmark, the stave churches in Norway, The Dream of the Rood, the runes of the futhark, the round churches on Bornholm, the Viking crosses at Middleton in Yorkshire and even the Christmas tree, are all indebted to the cultural interweaving of cross and tree in the North. Tree of Salvation demonstrates that both Christian and older Northern symbols can be read as a single story of salvation., Ronald Murphy offers an insightful examination of the lasting significance of Yggdrasil in northern Europe, showing that the tree's image persisted not simply through its absorption into descriptions of Christ's crucifix, but through recognition by the newly converted Christians of the truth of their new religion in the images of their older faith., At the heart of the mythology of the Anglo-Scandinavian-Germanic North is the evergreen Yggdrasil, the tree of life believed to hold up the skies and unite and separate three worlds: Asgard, high in the tree, where the gods dwelled in their great halls; Middlegard, where human beings lived; and the dark underground world of Hel, home to the monstrous goddess of death. With the advent of Christianity in the North around the year 1000, Yggdrasil was recast as the cross on which Christ sacrificed himself. G. Ronald Murphy offers an insightful examination of the lasting significance of Yggdrasil in northern Europe, showing that the tree's image persisted not simply through its absorption into descriptions of Christ's crucifix, but through recognition by the newly converted Christians of the truth of their new religion in the images and narratives of their older faith. Rather than dwelling on theological and cultural differences between Christianity and older Anglo-Scandinavian beliefs, Murphy makes an argument internal to the culture, showing how the new dispensation was a realization of the old. He shows how architectural and literary works, including the Jelling stone in Denmark, the stave churches in Norway, The Dream of the Rood, the runes of the futhark, the round churches on Bornholm, the Viking crosses at Middleton in Yorkshire and even the Christmas tree, are all indebted to the cultural interweaving of cross and tree in the North. Tree of Salvation demonstrates that both Christian and older Northern symbols can be read as a single story of salvation.
LC Classification NumberBL870.Y44M87 2013

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  • Faith building

    Very personal to me, perhaps, but learning about the Christianization of the Saxons and Germany, MY traditions, affirms who I am and what I learned as a child, growing up in a German-American environment. Protestant practices attempted to negate my culture. I am very grateful to have discovered this books and the others by this author.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned