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Six Ages of Church Reflection
Six Ages of Church Reflection
Six Ages of Church Reflection
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Summary
Christopher Dawson's "Six Ages of the Church" show a cyclical pattern of events in
history. Each of the six ages demonstrates an overall "rise and fall" pattern during each spiritual
renewal cycle. Once each age peaks, it encounters a new adversities' onslaught. Therefore, the
first Age is about the beginnings of the movement of Jesus. This Age is unique given that it does
not "follow an existing tradition of faith and order" (pg. 35). The second Age is about the
Christian Empire whose achievements is known as the age of the church fathers (pg. 37). The
third age was characterized by the Barbarians' conversion in the west. Its growth involved
monasticism, the apostolic forces' coalition, the papacy. Its achievements included the making of
monasteries (pg. 40). The fourth age was about the United Christian Europe whose growth was
the monastic reform salvaged from the darkest period/age, and it was primarily for the church
(pg. 40). The fifth age was primarily about the ghetto church, and it was characterized by the
counter-reformation of the Catholic Church. Its achievements involved the revival of religious
life as well as the Tridentine Reform (pg. 43). The six age is our age after the French revolution,
Dawson's "Six Ages of the Church" demonstrates how the variability of dangers or risks
affirms a certain of fulfillment, which I think are drawn from the historical events across all the
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ages. In my view, for instance, the meaning of fulfillment in the passage comes from the Church.
One may argue that, at first sight, every successive achievement movement and retreat are a
unique phenomenon considering they appear to suggest that the Christianity history is subject to
some law of sociology that curtails its complete sense of fulfillment as well as prevent its
spiritual freedom. However, I meaning of fulfillment from the passage is drawn from all the
historical events, which, personally, I think the Church, from way back, did not follow the
existing tradition of faith and order; rather, it created something new and special that resulted in
spiritual creativity. Therefore, the meaning of fulfillment, in my opinion, is drawn from the fact
that the New Testament, which I also believe it gives us a sense of satisfaction in terms of unique
and invaluable insight. Additionally, I consider fulfillment from the passage as cultural
The author's personal experience of fulfillment is drawn from all the achievements from
the "Six Ages of the Church." For instance, Christopher Dawson's experience of fulfillment is
drawn from the historical reality of the Christian culture. In essence, the author considers these
historical events throughout the ages as a definition of fulfillment as, first, the indication of the
beginning of the connection between the Empire and the Church. Secondly, by doing so,
fulfillment, thus, comes from the Church becoming a rich and powerful institution (pg. 38). The
author's personal experience of fulfilment also comes from the creation of a new Christian
culture following the coalition of monasticism, apostolic forces and the papacy (pg. 39), which,
in this case, initiated the renaissance of the church, which according to the author, fulfilled the
Lessons Learned
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Remi Brague's analysis of all the historical cycles complements the "The Six Ages of the
Church" by Dawson. A number of lessons learned from this passage is drawn from the
secularization of the mind as far as contemporary intellectual for purposes of making visible the
multiple renaissances' cyclical sweep in the history of multiple ages (pg. 41). In this case, it is
acknowledged that the rebirth's animating principle is "lanity," which makes it easy define the
dynamic nature of the Western civilization throughout the six Ages. Accordingly, it is the very
principle that is used against in measuring and declining any Age. Additionally, it is learned
from the passage that these Ages demonstrates to us the manner in which the threats' variability
to Christendom had often been characterized by the flexibility of creative and adaptive secondary
(pg. 43); therefore, it makes it possible to distinguish between the multiple and successive
renaissances of the West and Europe throughout the six Ages as far as the Church is concerned.
Conclusion
Christopher Dawson's "Six Ages of the Church" has been analyzed from the history's
cyclical pattern of events. For instance, all the six Ages are identified from different historical
events. These Ages ranged from the uniqueness of the first Age to the French revolution slowing
down the recovery of the church. This section is followed by my personal meaning of
fulfillment, which is drawn from the history of Christianity, which is drawn from the New
Testament. Additionally, the author's personal experience of fulfillment was drawn from the
realities of history as well as the Christian culture, which the author believes is as a result of the