Changes

===Old and Middle English===

===Old and Middle English===

We cannot even understand Old English today, and it was somewhat primitive even when it was spoken.  Here is an example that concerns an early attempt by Pope Gregory to convert the Norman-Saxons to Christianity:<ref name="M-W">http://www.merriam-webster.com/help/faq/history.htm</ref>

Old English is almost impossible to understand today:<ref name="M-W">http://www.merriam-webster.com/help/faq/history.htm</ref>

:Eft he axode, hu ðære ðeode nama wære þe hi of comon. Him wæs geandwyrd, þæt hi Angle genemnode wæron. Þa cwæð he, "Rihtlice hi sind Angle gehatene, for ðan ðe hi engla wlite habbað, and swilcum gedafenað þæt hi on heofonum engla geferan beon."  

:Eft he axode, hu ðære ðeode nama wære þe hi of comon. Him wæs geandwyrd, þæt hi Angle genemnode wæron. Þa cwæð he, "Rihtlice hi sind Angle gehatene, for ðan ðe hi engla wlite habbað, and swilcum gedafenað þæt hi on heofonum engla geferan beon."  

Some simple pronouns like "he" are recognizable, as are the Old English equivalents of verbs like "were".  Here is what that passage means, according to Merriam-Webster:<ref name="M-W"/>

Some simple pronouns like "he" are recognizable, as are the Old English equivalents of verbs like "were".  Here is the modern equivalent for the above passage:<ref name="M-W"/>

:Again he [St. Gregory] asked what might be the name of the people from which they came. It was answered to him that they were named Angles. Then he said, "Rightly are they called Angles because they have the beauty of angels, and it is fitting that such as they should be angels' companions in heaven."  

:Again he [St. Gregory] asked what might be the name of the people from which they came. It was answered to him that they were named Angles. Then he said, "Rightly are they called Angles because they have the beauty of angels, and it is fitting that such as they should be angels' companions in heaven."  

John Wycliffe was nearly 200 years ahead of "his time," meaning he was that far ahead of the Reformation that came later.  For that reason he is called the "Morning star of the Reformation."<ref name="Wycliffe">http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html</ref>  A brilliant scholar, Wycliffe developed his own views of Christianity and attracted a following of itinerant preachers known as the "Lollards".  Wycliffe simplified aspects of Christianity for peasants who otherwise had difficulties understanding it, such as developing a doctrine of the Lord's Supper in only twelve short sentences, and having his itinerant preachers teach that everywhere.  The chancellor of the University of Oxford pronounced some of Wycliffe's theories as heretical.  Wycliffe eventually criticized scholasticism, monasteries, and the papacy, and became increasingly disliked by the English royal hierarchy.

John Wycliffe was nearly 200 years ahead of "his time," meaning he was that far ahead of the Reformation that came later.  For that reason he is called the "Morning star of the Reformation."<ref name="Wycliffe">http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html</ref>  A brilliant scholar, Wycliffe developed his own views of Christianity and attracted a following of itinerant preachers known as the "Lollards".  Wycliffe simplified aspects of Christianity for peasants who otherwise had difficulties understanding it, such as developing a doctrine of the Lord's Supper in only twelve short sentences, and having his itinerant preachers teach that everywhere.  The chancellor of the University of Oxford pronounced some of Wycliffe's theories as heretical.  Wycliffe eventually criticized scholasticism, monasteries, and the papacy, and became increasingly disliked by the English royal hierarchy.

At the time the Church prohibited new translations of the Bible, in order to maintain control and combat heresies.  Wycliffe died peacefully in 1384, without having been excommunicated by the Church or executed by the King.  He was blamed in England, however, for supposedly causing revolt by the peasants (such as the Peasants' Revolt of 1381).  After his death a Council of the Church reviewed Wycliffe's theories and declared most of them to be false or heretical, and as a result ordered that his buried bones be dug up and burned, and they eventually were.

At the time the Church prohibited new translations of the Bible, in order to maintain control and combat heresies.  Wycliffe died peacefully in 1384, without having been excommunicated by the Church or executed by the King.  He was blamed in England, however, for supposedly causing revolt by the peasants (such as the Peasants' Revolt of 1381).  After his death a Council of the Church reviewed Wycliffe's theories and declared some of theories to be heretical, which then required digging up his buried bones and burning them.

Here is the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Wycliffe's English translation of the Bible in 1389 (compare it to your own at Luke 15:11-21):<ref>http://pages.towson.edu/duncan/LukeMEPDE.htm</ref>

Here is the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Wycliffe's English translation of the Bible in 1389 (compare it to your own at Luke 15:11-21):<ref>http://pages.towson.edu/duncan/LukeMEPDE.htm</ref>

Characteristics of the Renaissance paintings include use of realism, perspective, individual persons (portraits) and frescoes.  Nature was not the subject of many Renaissance paintings; most of the paintings were of humans, and hence the name "humanism" is used to describe this period.  But do not be confused by that term, because the Renaissance artists were devout Christians, unlike the "humanists" of today.  Paintings of nature rather than humans did not happen until later.

Characteristics of the Renaissance paintings include use of realism, perspective, individual persons (portraits) and frescoes.  Nature was not the subject of many Renaissance paintings; most of the paintings were of humans, and hence the name "humanism" is used to describe this period.  But do not be confused by that term, because the Renaissance artists were devout Christians, unlike the "humanists" of today.  Paintings of nature rather than humans did not happen until later.

[[Image:Annibale Carracci 1585.jpg|right]]

[[Image:Annibale Carracci 1585.jpg|right|300px]]

After the Reformation in Germany (discussed below), painters began to adopt the Baroque style as part of the Counter-Reformation by the Catholic Church to appeal spiritually to the audience, and to make inroads into Protestant regions.  The primary Baroque artists were Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Peter Paul Rubens.  This style used the “revolutionary technique of dramatic, selective illumination of figures out of deep shadow - a hallmark of Baroque painting. Contrary to the traditional idealized interpretation of religious subjects, Baroque realistically presents models from the streets.”<ref>http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c17th-mid19th/baroque.htm</ref>  An artist who specialized in the Baroque style was Annibale Carracci (1560-1609), from the northern Italian city of Bologna.  Carracci used the technique of shadows and emotion to display the surprise reaction of the holy women who visited the empty tomb of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday, as reproduced here (see right).

After the Reformation in Germany (discussed below), painters began to adopt the Baroque style as part of the Counter-Reformation by the Catholic Church to appeal spiritually to the audience, and to make inroads into Protestant regions.  The primary Baroque artists were Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Peter Paul Rubens.  This style used the “revolutionary technique of dramatic, selective illumination of figures out of deep shadow - a hallmark of Baroque painting. Contrary to the traditional idealized interpretation of religious subjects, Baroque realistically presents models from the streets.”<ref>http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c17th-mid19th/baroque.htm</ref>  An artist who specialized in the Baroque style was Annibale Carracci (1560-1609), from the northern Italian city of Bologna.  Carracci used the technique of shadows and emotion to display the surprise reaction of the holy women who visited the empty tomb of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday, as reproduced here (see right).