In a world where information flows freely, it’s easy to forget that, for centuries, knowledge was very difficult to obtain. Imagine living in a time when the Internet did not exist, books were rare, libraries were few, and most people could not even read.
This was the world of Isidore of Seville, dedicated to collecting and sharing knowledge that was transmitted through the generations.
Thanks to his work, he was named Patron Saint of the Internet in 1997 by Pope John Paul II, recognizing his impact on knowledge and communication.
The important thing is that understanding Isidore’s life and work helps us navigate the murky online world of lies – and provide information we can trust.
Isidore’s world and the ‘Dark Ages’
Isidore was a bishop and scholar who lived in what is now Seville, Spain, during the time we often call the “Dark Ages,” approximately 500–1000 BC. After the fall of the Roman Empire, much of Europe was in chaos – as if the lights had been turned off.
Political instability, war, and disease disrupted education and culture. Many people were illiterate, and many classical works of ancient Greece and Rome were at risk of being lost forever.
In this world of limited access to learning, Isidore stood out. He wanted to make knowledge more accessible, especially to Christians.
He considered the preservation and sharing of information essential to keep civilization alive and prosperous. To do this, he wrote his most famous work, Etymologia, which remained a popular book for centuries.
What was the etymology?
Think of etymology as one of the first encyclopedias. An encyclopedia is a book that collects information on many subjects, often organized alphabetically, making it easier to find answers.
Isidore’s work covered everything from language, science, and geography to theology, the study of God. Their goal was to make ancient knowledge easier to discover and understand. He wanted to save the best ideas of the past and bring them to our present times.
In etymology, he took inspiration from Christian authors such as Augustine and Jerome, as well as famous classical authors such as Aristotle, Cicero, and Pliny. This book became essential for medieval students and scholars because it saved a lot of knowledge from being destroyed.
Later, Isidore’s work was widely used in schools across Europe and helped many people learn about subjects they would never have known about otherwise. This laid the foundation for preserving ancient ideas in the Middle Ages and beyond.
The power of language in the work of Isidore
For Isidore, words were powerful. He argued that understanding the origin or etymology of words helps people understand the true meaning of things. It was because of this focus on language that he named his book Etymologiae. He saw language as a bridge that connects people to knowledge.
But Isidore went far beyond simply defining terms. He also explained concepts of nature, science and history, ensuring that people had a good understanding of the world.
At a time when superstition and belief in supernatural powers often influenced people’s view of natural phenomena, Isidore promoted a rational approach. He wanted people to know the facts about his world.
Isidore’s role in education and the church
Isidore was not just a writer.
As a senior leader in the Christian church, he played an important role in both religion and education. He established the “Cathedral School” to train future priests. These schools would later inspire the first European universities, where students could study a wide variety of subjects.
For Isidore education was necessary for everyone, not just church leaders.
By promoting subjects such as the seven “liberal arts” – grammar, logic, rhetoric, geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, and music – he helped create a model of what would eventually become medieval university education. His ideas about learning spread throughout Europe, inspiring others to value education as a path to both knowledge and faith.
‘Patron Saint of the Internet’
So, how did Isidore, who lived 1,400 years ago, become the patron saint of the Internet? His etymology was, in many ways, the Internet of his time – a collection of facts and explanations from a variety of sources.
Just as the Internet connects us to all kinds of information today, Isidore’s work was aimed at making learning easier for the people of his era.
Naming him the patron saint of the Internet, the Catholic Church recognized Isidore’s efforts to collect, organize, and share knowledge. Like the Internet, Etymologiae allowed ideas to flow across generations, even when people had limited access to books or formal education.
Isidore’s lasting legacy
Isidore’s influence did not end with his life. His ideas spread throughout Europe, especially during the Carolingian Renaissance of the eighth and ninth centuries – a time when scholars worked to revitalize learning and culture. Etymology became a popular text in monasteries and cathedral schools.
In subsequent centuries, scholars relied on his work to understand classical literature, science, and theology.
Today, Isidore’s dedication to knowledge serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and sharing reliable information.
Just as Isidore saw his work as a way to preserve knowledge, we now live in an age of easy access to information. But all this is not true.
He believed that learning should guide us toward wise choices and work for the greater good.
,Author: Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, researcher, historian, Australian Catholic University)
,disclosure statement: Darius von Guttner Sporzynski does not work for, consult to, own shares in, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations beyond his academic appointment. has not been disclosed)
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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