Category Archives: Religion

George Neville: his archbishop of York’s feast 1465

Posted on March 5, 2020 by odeboyz

There were 3,000 guests and the feast lasted a week:- “There was a frenzy of butchery. The carcasses disembowelled, plucked, prepared and dressed for the occasion included 1,000 sheep, 500 deer of various varieties, 400 swans, 2,000 each of pigs … Continue reading →

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Medieval Routes to Heaven

Posted on February 13, 2020 by odeboyz

Medieval Christians accepted, as fact, Mankind’s inherent sinfulness. They also accepted, as fact, that Heaven existed. The aim of life was to enter Heaven and share eternal life with Jesus. Squaring this circle had a dramatic impact on their lifestyles. … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Robert Harris ~ The Second Sleep (2019)

Posted on February 3, 2020 by odeboyz

Harris leaves me gasping. He’s so prolific and intelligent that it’s almost intimidating. The Cicero trilogy was a triumph on which his entire reputation could have stood but, of course, there’s more, much more. The Second Sleep is a reverse … Continue reading →

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An Unforeseen Consequence of the Dissolution of the Monasteries

Posted on November 28, 2019 by odeboyz

England was shattered by the dissolution of the Roman Catholic church in the 1530s. One unforeseen consequence was the destruction of provision for the poor. The monasteries had a religious duty towards them. Those who were entirely incapable of surviving … Continue reading →

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John Muir’s religious environmentalism and the Yosemite National Park

Posted on November 16, 2019 by odeboyz

John Muir is a towering figure in American environmental history. He was a geologist, botanist, mountaineer, journalist, author, confidant of Presidents and industrial leaders, co-founder of the Sierra Club and much more. His opinions were eagerly sought and often acted … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Garrison Keillor ~ Lake Woebegon Days (1985)

Posted on October 14, 2019 by odeboyz

Garrison is a radio star in the mid-West of the USA. His show is a slow conversational series of supposed memories. He speaks in a drawling and yet compelling voice and once hooked…. If you’ve heard his voice then the … Continue reading →

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Slavery, the Bible and the Word of God

Posted on July 25, 2019 by odeboyz

“[Our] belief is that the Bible is inerrant. It was without error in all of its claims about the nature of the world and the nature of God.”1 The Bible, for many Christians, is the Word of God. It’s God … Continue reading →

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The importance of the Act of Supremacy 1534

Posted on July 11, 2019 by odeboyz

Introduction The Act of Supremacy ended English Roman Catholicism. England became Protestant when Henry VIII declared himself, supreme head on Earth of the Church of England. Crucially he embedded religious orthodoxy in the person of the monarch. England moved to … Continue reading →

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She’s a Veterinarian

Posted on July 1, 2019 by odeboyz

Every Sunday morning a little old lady put $1,000 in the donation box at church. After a few weeks the Priest, overcome with curiosity, approached her. “Mrs. Smythe, I couldn’t help but notice that you put $1,000 a week in … Continue reading →

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The Martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer, 1556

Posted on April 25, 2019 by odeboyz

Thomas Cranmer was Archbishop of Canterbury and the guiding hand behind Henry VIII’s religious Reformation. The Reformation was a process which continued throughout the 1530s and 40s. Edward VI died six years after succeeding Henry. His half sister, Mary, became … Continue reading →

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