Were Medieval People Ignorant?

 There are many common misconceptions modern people have of the past, and one of them is that people in Medieval Times, were just ignorant of Science, Religion, language etc. In recent years many historians have taken up for a different and more positive understanding of the period in history we call the Middle Ages.
 First of all and to clarify a few things, let us first understand what the Middle Ages actually were. Medieval is an adjective, referring to anything of that time, while Middle Ages, is the noun, and the period of history itself. Historians agree that the Middle Ages were a Post Classical time, largely after the fall of the western Roman Empire. Most historians agree that the Middle Ages started around either 300 A. D. , with the ushering of Christianity in the Roman Empire,  or 476 A. D. , with the fall of Western Rome. Other historians say the Middle Ages did not start until even later. Likewise historians disagree as to whether the Middle Ages ended with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in America in 1492, or with the Protestant Reformation which largely originated with Luther's 95 thesis in 1517,  or if ended in 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia that ended The Thirty Years' War.  Some extend it even further into the 18th century. What Historians all agree on, is that the Middle Ages was that great period of time in between us and the Roman Empire.
 Many historians now see Medieval and Renaissance as period of History. Whether or not that is the case, is not the subject of this post.
 In short, Medieval people were not ignorant of many of the things that modern people commonly attribute them to be ignorant of. Certainly Medieval people were ignorant of many things, but they were also more familiar with many things than people are today.
 I reccommend watching the particular video from PargerUniversity on the ''Dark Ages'' , as it is a great explanation of the Middle Ages in brief.



The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature by C. S. Lewis is a good place to start for common misunderstandings people have of the Medieval knowledge of the arts. Lewis points out in the book, that Medieval people actually knew much more about books than modern people do now. Lewis, an expert on Medieval poets of the past, shows off perhaps one of his masterpieces in this little work. I am fortunate enough to have a 1st edition. Lewis, who would no doubt come close to Roman Catholicism near the end of his life, never actually became a Catholic. As far as we know, Lewis always rejected the papacy. Why these facts are important, is that no one can accuse Lewis for defending the Middle Ages simply because he was Roman Catholic, for Lewis was not. That said, Lewis and Tolkien actually saw the Middle Ages as a more advanced time than our own.

But Medieval people knew more than the arts. In fact many of the early scientist came out of the Middle Ages. One such scientist was a pope.

The Abacus and the Cross: The Story of the Pope Who Brought the Light of Science to the Dark Ages by Nancy Marie Brown, is a great source to those who undermine the Scientific knowledge of the Middle Ages. 

 Last, the Catechism of the Council of Trent, known originally as the Roman Catechism, actually shows in it's detailed introduction, that contrary to Protestant claims and misconceptions, Medieval Peasants knew the Scriptures much more than is commonly admitted.

 Pope Innocent III and the Greek Church { 1198-1216} by Richard Clearly, is an actual contemporary account translated into English with various notes by it's scholarly author. The book shows again and again, that Pope Innocent had an amazing knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.


                                   The great, and possibly greatest Medieval pope, Pope Innocent III

An interesting last point is that many people point to the common likeness of the Protestant Reformation to the Renaissance. While there are no doubts reforms in both, many people are unaware that Luther actually opposed the Renaissance, as did some Catholics, though many pope, supported it.
 So in short, were Medieval people ignorant? Yes they were ignorant, as is all of humanity, for none of us know the greatness of our God, and in fact, we know less to be true, than that which we know to be true. But in comparison to Modern man, no the Medieval man was no more ignorant. Perhaps people should ask instead, is the modern man the ignorant one?

Proverbs 18 :15: '' A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the seeketh instruction. ''