From Manuscript to Print: the Evolution of the Medieval Book
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The Sacred Word
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The veneration of sacred Scripture was a central feature of medieval culture. Scriptural reading was a staple of the medieval cleric’s literary diet, and cathedral art depicted scenes from the Bible for the benefit of illiterate parishioners. In order to clarify ambiguous passages in the Bible, Christian educators offered interpretations which, when approved as orthodox teaching, were handed down as a part of sacred Tradition. Within the first few centuries of the Christian era, an abundant literature of interpretation arose, and over the course of later centuries the doctrines of the early theologians were sifted to determine whether they qualified as orthodoxy. In the twelfth century, theologians compiled these orthodox interpretations into a collection known as the Glossa ordinaria, or "Standard Gloss," which a reader of Scripture could consult with confidence when in doubt over the meaning of a given passage.

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Introduction
the Sacred Word
Churchbooks
Private Prayer
Letterforms
Leather and Chains
Medieval Music
Schoolbooks
How the Classics Survived
Manuscripts in the Age of Print
Evolution of the Book
Appetite for Destruction
Manuscript Facsimiles
Cornell's Medieval Books
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