Western Society and the Church in the Middle Ages (Hist of the Church)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 384 pages
• Published by: Penguin Non-Classics August 16, 1990
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0140137556
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0140137552
• Book Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 9.1 ounces

Reader Reviews
R.W. Southern's book is the second in a series of seven on the history of the Church. It begins with Pope Gregory II in the early eighth century and traces the development of the Church to the beginning of Henry VIII's reign in the early sixteenth century. Southern's emphasis is on the relationship between the Church as a religious institution and the political institutions of the Middle Ages, giving little attention to the Church's spiritual and theological components. The bulk of this volume covers the East-West schism of 1054, the papacy, the archbishops and bishops, and the various religious orders of this period. This book is scholarly in its approach, yet writtten in a very readable style. It gave me a much better understanding of the complex interactions between the Church and state during this period. I can recommend this volume to anyone interested in learning more about this era.