Gothic Christianity
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Gothic Christianity refers to the Christian religion of the Goths and sometimes the Gepids, Vandals, and Burgundians, who may have used the translation of the Bible into the Gothic language and shared common doctrines and practices.
The Gothic tribes converted to Christianity sometime between 376 and 390 AD, around the time of the
The Gothic Christians were followers of Arianism.[1] Many church members, from simple believers, priests, and monks to bishops, emperors, and members of Rome's imperial family followed this doctrine, as did two Roman emperors, Constantius II and Valens.
After their sack of Rome, the Visigoths moved on to occupy Spain and southern France. Having been driven out of France, the Spanish Goths formally embraced Nicene Christianity at the Third Council of Toledo in 589.
Origins
During the
Descriptions of
Conversion
The conversion of the Goths to Christianity was a relatively swift process, facilitated on the one hand by the assimilation of Christian captives into Gothic society,
The Christian cross appeared on coins in Gothic Crimea shortly after the
Even as late as 406, a Gothic king by the name of Radagaisus led a Pagan invasion of Italy with fierce anti-Christian views.
Bishop Ulfilas
The initial success experienced by the Goths encouraged them to engage in a series of raiding campaigns at the close of the 3rd century, many of which resulted in having numerous captives sent back to Gothic settlements north of the Danube and the
Ulfilas was ordained by Eusebius of Nicomedia, the bishop of Constantinople, in 341 AD. Eusebius was a pupil of Lucian of Antioch and a leading figure of a faction of Christological thought that became known as Arianism, named after his friend and fellow student, Arius.
Between 348 and 383, Ulfilas likely presided over the translation of the Bible from Greek into the Gothic language, which was performed by a group of scholars.
Ulfilas' adopted son was Auxentius of Durostorum, and later of Milan.
Later Gothic Christianity
The Gothic churches had close ties to other Arian churches in the Western Roman Empire.[7]
After 493, the Ostrogothic Kingdom included two areas, Italy and much of the Balkans, which had large Arian churches.[7] Arianism had retained some presence among Romans in Italy during the time between its condemnation in the empire and the Ostrogothic conquest.[7] However, since Arianism in Italy was reinforced by the (mostly Arian) Goths coming from the Balkans, the Arian church in Italy had eventually come to call itself "Church of the Goths" by the year 500.
References
- ISBN 9780760716526.
- ^ ISBN 978-3534169108.
- ISBN 978-3806213577.
- S2CID 231966053.
- ^ ISBN 978-0853234265.
- .
- ^ ISBN 978-0521526357.