The Church and the Dark Ages (430-1027): St. Benedict, Charlemagne, and the Rise of Christendom

What if the Dark Ages weren't really dark after all?

You may have learned in world history class that the fall of the Roman Empire led to centuries of violence, ignorance, and barbarism in Europe. But that's not all that happened during that time! The period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the High Middle Ages also was characterized by institutional, spiritual, and cultural advancements such as the rise of monasticism with St. Benedict of Nursia and the first encyclopedia by a Chris...