COA11 - Christ Comes to Iceland
- 1 minChrist Comes to Iceland
In this episode we explore the early history of Christianity in Iceland. Along the way we talk about kings, prophets, prominent Christian settlers, and missionary methods employed in the Early Middle Ages. Finally we will introduce Thangbrand - the mildly-homicidal missionary sent to Iceland by the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason.
I do hope you enjoy.
Recommended Reading
This week’s recommended reading is Power and Conversion by Alexandra Sanmark. In this excellent book Professor Sanmark provides a detailed, readable and fascinating account of the conversion of Scandinavia. Even more interestingly, she also explores the similarities and differences between the Scandinavian conversions and those of Anglo Saxon England and Saxony. Plus - Professor Sanmark has provided a PDF of this excellent work for free online!
Sources
The Book of Settlements: Landnámabók translated by Pálsson, H., & Edwards, P. G.
Íslendingabók & Kristni Saga translated by Siân Grønlie.
The Saga Olaf Tryggvason in Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson. Translated by Alison Finlay and Anthony Faulkes.
The Conversion of Iceland by Dag Strömbäck. Translated by Peter Foote.
Power and Conversion — A Comparative Study of Christianization in Scandinavia by Alexandra Sanmark.
The Viking diaspora. by Judith Jesch.
Ansgar’s Conversion of Iceland by Terry Gunnell in Scripta Islandica 2010.
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