Bede's miracles reconsidered

Ahern, Eoghan ORCID: 0000-0001-9353-4746 (2018) Bede's miracles reconsidered EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE, 26 (3). pp. 282-303. ISSN 0963-9462, 1468-0254

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Abstract

The miracles depicted by the Venerable Bede – particularly in his Historia ecclesiastica – have proved problematic for historians. This article will first recapitulate the argument that miracles were not a clearly defined category for Bede in the way they would become for later philosophers and as is often assumed by modern commentators. It will then explore the idea that Bede's miraculous episodes can best be appreciated as signa that point to a meaning beyond the literal. In particular, it will argue against the idea that Bede thought that extra‐biblical history could not be read allegorically in the same way as sacred history. It is imperative that we develop a more refined understanding of Bede's conceptualization of the miraculous if we are to better comprehend the mechanics of his celebrated narrative of the English church .

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	4303 Historical Studies, 43 History, Heritage and Archaeology
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	09 Dec 2019 10:22
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 09:15
DOI:	10.1111/emed.12277
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3065144
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