11. Bernard of Clairvaux

Most historians agree that the greatest Christian of the early 12th century was Bernard of Clairvaux, a man who excelled in all areas of Christian ministry and leadership. His powerful influence led to a renewed interest in and understanding of the humanity of Christ, and his deeply devotional emphasis served to recover an important part of Christian worship at a time when there had been considerable spiritual decline in the leadership of the Church. For more free resources, please visit www.brucegore.com

[@petertasse2084]

Dear Bruce, I been watching your videos for five years now, and just wanted to say... You Sir: Are a brilliant man. Thank you for your information, you make biblical history interesting and bring it to life and put it in perspective. God Bless you.

[@ladyrotha5420]

*A lovely way to pass 45 minutes on a Sunday. Interesting, enlightening, and not at all dry. I look forward to further immersion in the history of Christendom. Thank you!*

[@psalm3721]

Been listening to your lectures almost every dag for 10 months now Bruce. Thank you so much all the way from the Netherlands.

[@GoreBruce]

Delighted to hear it! Thank you!

[@MTB214]

I started going through your Church History Series a few days ago. I like how you have a message at the end of how we can apply to our own lives.

[@GoreBruce]

Thank you!

[@DAsiebert]

@brucegore I been on your history/Sunday school lessons for over a month! I can’t get enough

[@rebanelson607]

I had always foolishly assumed that Bernard of Clairvaux was a goofy mystic toying around with visions and such. That just goes to prove that what they say about "assume" is true! Thanks for correcting my abject ignorance with this excellent lecture. I am genuinely INSPIRED by Bernard's devotion to Christ and appalled by my own judgmental spirit. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith..." we can all grow in LOVE and become more like our Saviour.

[@wayneg7812]

Another way to look at this vast area of history - with respect.

[@allisonloukanis476]

Amazing...I never knew this about Bernard of Clairvaux. As an Apostolic Pentecostal but former Catholic I’ve always been uneasy regarding the Immaculate Conception, and am happy to see Bernard found Mary saved by Jesus too. After all, she was in that upper room and she received the Holy Spirit along with everyone else. Another thing that bothered me was/is her title Queen of Heaven. Wasn’t that the title of Semiramis? Idol worship. Not that I don’t have the utmost respect for her because I do. Now I’m going to study Bernard. Thank you!

[@richardadams974]

Thanks

[@Deathseeker28]

Extremely well done analysis of St Bernard.

[@GoreBruce]

+James Collins Thank you! He is one of my favorite guys!

[@TheAntiDoteNZ]

oh bless the misguided. Brilliant lecture. Thanks for uploading. I find the historical fact of Bernard knocking on the door of the relatively new order of Cistercians along with 22 or so of his relatives asking for admittance to the order extremely curious...given that these same family connections surround the soon to be formed Templar order...of which Bernard became patron and champion of.....oh to be fly on the wall once upon a time :)

[@GoreBruce]

***** Indeed!

[@elsacristina9]

Bernard of Clairvaux the man who thanks to him his nephew D. Afonso Henriques, decided to rebel against the Spanish King and turned Portugal an independent country, and became the Templar Nation, with a Templar King ruling it.

[@thedon978]

It was first called the “Catholic Church” by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, c. 110 A.D.

[@helenemasour9256]

excellent

[@alisondhuanna-astrologeran6535]

Its good to know that there has been a time when Christianity and Islam coexisted peacefully

[@QueenCityFilmsComm]

I have to be honest here, as much as I absolutely love these videos I am HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED that there was NO MENTION of the Rhineland massacres. Many Jews considered those events as the second great genocide in their history. The first being Titus and Vespasian, the Peoples Crusades led by Emicho Leiningen being the second and of course the events perpetrated by the Third Reich being the latest.

[@sanjoysen]

🙏🙏

[@reneemoore6249]

Hello. how do I chronologically listen to your lectures on the history of the Christian church? I do enjoy listening. thanks.

[@GoreBruce]

+Renee Moore Please go to my website, www.brucegore.com, click on the 'Online Courses' tab, and from the dropdown list on the left choose church history. A box will popup with a 'click here' link which will take you to the church history series in order. Thanks!

[@talosfranks1007]

Mr. Gore, would you say the way Islam was spread with the sword is comparable to the way Charlemagne and other kings spread Christianity in Europe? If there is a difference, can you explain what it is?

[@GoreBruce]

There is certainly some correlation. One notable difference is that Mohammad actually sanctioned such methods for spreading his religion, whereas nothing in the teaching of Christ would justify 'conversion by force.'

[@talosfranks1007]

@@GoreBruce Thank you for the explanation!

[@claytonbenignus4688]

I feel that there should have been some mention of the reconciliation of Bernard oF Clairvaux and Pierre Abelard. Basically, the argument was one of misunderstanding. Bernard attended Pierre in his last days, discovering that they were both right and that their views were reconcilable. Finally, Bernard defended Pierre in Rome posthumously of the charges he himself raised, securing Pierre's acquittal.

[@donzuma227]

Mr. Gore, would you please recommend a book/textbook for these lectures? Your book does not cover this era. Regards, Don

[@GoreBruce]

+Don Zuma Any decent Church History will treat this material. The most comprehensive remains Philip Schaff's eight volume 'History of the Christian Church.' More recently, Kenneth Scott Latourette's two volume 'History of Christianity' gives very helpful material. Thanks for your interest!

[@MyJohnnyboy2]

Any chance of a video on the York vs Canterbury and investiture controversy? Scotland, Matilda and Stephen, Abbey building, cluniac’s and cistercian’s templars and crusades.. Thurstan of York was quite the character during this time that is forgotten. Should have been a Saint, Saint William of York poisoning... I’d love opinions... You would do it such justice.

[@GoreBruce]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll see what I can do!

[@kevinyono4548]

Catholics do believe Mary was saved by Jesus. Her immaculate conception doesn't mean she's not saved by Jesus she saved by the premerits of His death on the Cross. Also Bernard is the number one promoter of Mary at His time. The dogma of the immaculate conception was not dogma at the time. Even st. Thomas Aquinas didn't believe that Mary was immaculately conceived but he still believed she was immaculate they just disagreed of when she became immaculate but there is little debate on whether she was or not it's just a matter of when did she become immaculate whether it was at the moment of conception or not but this is still done through Jesus and is a special grace from God not earned.

[@GoreBruce]

Thanks for the perspective.

[@Mrradillo]

Hello Mr Gore, I am currently am attending seminary at Regent University, where do you teach would love to communicate with you on some questions. Thanks so much really enjoyed the lecture.

[@GoreBruce]

You can reach me at [e-mail].

[@oyindamolalawal2799]

Prof Gore, loving your teaching series here. Please do you have any teaching on the parables of Jesus. A friend of mine is interested in any teaching about the parable of the 10 virgins. Secondly, how can I reach you by email if I have any questions? Thanks and God bless. I recommend your channel to my friends always

[@GoreBruce]

I've not treated Matthew's gospel, where the 'virgins' parable is included. Hopefully, we'll be able to do that project at some point. My email is: [e-mail].

[@oyindamolalawal2799]

@@GoreBruce ok sir. Looking forward to watching the series when they are ready. More grace and anointing in Jesus name. Shalom

[@clplondon9445]

I think that the idea of the Crusades (but not the way in which they were carried out) can be defended in a much more robust way than you do. The territories that the Christians were trying to recover were parts of lands which had been Christian for centuries before being conquered by the Muslims. The aim of the Crusades was much more limited, but why would it have been morally wrong for Christians to try to reconquer all those lands ? Were the Christians wrong in reconquering Sicily after it had been under Muslim rule for more than two centuries ? Were the Spaniards wrong for staging their long and ultimately triumphant wars of reconquista ? As a Catholic I see the Muslims as our brothers and sisters, believers in the same One God, but on these historical issues we are bound to have divergent views.

[@GoreBruce]

CLP London Fair enough. Thanks!

[@das3841]

Cistercian not Cisterian

[@LukeCusack]

Revisionist historian broad brushing history who obviously has a bone to pick with the Church.

[@Orrybas]

The Eleventh Century starts in 1001 till 1100. That is 100 years. 🙈

[@CatholicK5357]

St. Bernard would have actually been one of the counter-reformers because he loved the Catholic Church and her Sacraments and would never have promoted people leaving her. There is a difference between criticizing an individual Pope versus attacking the Papacy. Also, I can understand why someone might think it is reasonable to deny the Immaculate Conception teaching, but it is often the case to misunderstand. First off, the Immaculate Conception doctrine is not unreasonable - in fact reasoning things out is how people come up with such ponderings. Many Saints were opposed to this doctrine. Since the doctrine was not defined yet as a doctrine, it did not have to be believed. Now that it has been defined, all Catholics must believe it out of humility in trusting Christ's ability to not allow the teachings of His Church to become corrupted. Catholics do believe in the Immaculate Conception, but they do not believe that Mary is in no need of a Savior. How that works is a bit of a mystery accept to say that God is outside of time. If God determined that in order for Jesus not to have original sin, that He would need to be born of a women with no original sin (just like Eve), than it is logical to reason that God would preserve Mary from original sin herself. However, this could not have happened without God doing it in the first place - so Mary still needs God. By being immaculately conceived by God's grace, Mary ends up becoming perfectly saved right from the beginning. She becomes the second Eve for us. Eve herself had no original sin and yet she still needed a saviour. Whether perfect or imperfect, everyone needs God to be their saviour.

[@davidmoseley4997]

A couple of thoughts. Let's not remember that Luther never left the Church. The Church excommunicated him after he brought to light the abuse of the sale of indulgences. Secondly, if as you state Jesus needed to be born of a woman without original sin so he would be without sin, doesn't that logically conclude that Mary's mother St. Anne was without sin and so on and so forth back to Eve?

[@blaizeakpakwu6147]

Hahajahah.No pope can send to hell.