One of the points I like to emphasise on this blog is that (contrary to what many people believe who know nothing about the subject) medieval religious literature is often full of creativity, imagination and joy. Here’s a perfect example: this is a witty, playful, exuberant medieval carol on the subject of – of all things – the Holy Trinity. I’ve heard many a solemn, pained sermon on the Trinity, complaining about how difficult it is for us to understand, how it’s always been a stumbling block for believers and a trial to the unwary preacher. That’s how our age approaches mystery and complexity; but in the fifteenth century, they wrote carols about it. That’s how creative medieval religion could be.
Read it all (my emphasis).
Today is Trinity Sunday. This hand-coloured #woodcut comes from Horae ad usum Rothmagensem (Book of Hours for the use of Rouen) that was printed in Paris in 1498. [ZZ1488.5] #TrinitySunday pic.twitter.com/n9xha2vZ3m
— LambethPalaceLibrary (@lampallib) May 30, 2021