Old English Homilies (Homily)

Historical Context Essay

Mary Swan (University of Leeds)

Ed. by Hugh Magennis, Queen's University Belfast
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.01: English Writing and Culture: Old English, 500-1066.
Vol. editors: Richard William Dance (University of Cambridge), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast)

Domains

Christianity

Dates

Date of occurrence c.600- c.1200

Places

England (Location)

Resources

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A homily is an essentially oral event, but the only evidence we have for Old English homilies is in the form of written texts. The term “homily” in this entry is used to refer to several different kinds of preaching texts: those which follow and expound the section of the Gospels, or

pericope

, which has just been read out in the Mass (sometimes classified by modern scholars as “homilies”), those which give guidance on good Christian behaviour and urge their audience to follow it (sometimes classified by modern scholars as “sermons”), and those which explain Christian doctrine to their audience (also sometimes classified by modern scholars as “sermons”).

Many Latin homilies survive in manuscripts from Anglo-Saxon England, and many Old English ones too. Homilies are the

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1913 words

Citation: Swan, Mary. "Old English Homilies (Homily)". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 March 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1269, accessed 20 April 2024.]

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