INTRODUCTION
After the five books devoted to the seven liberal arts there follow three which are grouped together by unity of subject and are sharply differentiated from the remainder of the Etymologies, which is prevailingly secular in tone. The contents of these three form a summary of the non-secular thought of the time.[310] Their presence in the midst of an encyclopedia of secular learning is to be explained, as we have seen, by the probability that their purpose was educational, and that they are to be regarded as the texts of the final stage in the priestly training. They thus form the conclusion of Isidore’s educational encyclopedia.[311]
ANALYSIS
| I. | The books and services of the Church (Book VI). | ||
| 1. | The Old and New Testaments (ch. 1). | ||
| 2. | The writers and names of the holy books (ch. 2). | ||
| 3. | Books (chs. 3–14). | ||
| a. | Libraries. | ||
| b. | Translators. | ||
| c. | Writers of many books. | ||
| d. | Kinds of books. | ||
| e. | Writing materials. | ||
| 4. | The canons of the Gospels (ch. 15). | ||
| 5. | The canons of the Councils (ch. 16). | ||
| 6. | The Easter cycle and other feasts (ch. 17). | ||
| 7. | The services of the Church (ch. 18). | ||
| II. | God, the angels and the orders of the faithful (Book VII). | ||
| 1. | God (ch. 1). | ||
| 2. | The Son of God (ch. 2). | ||
| 3. | The Holy Spirit (ch. 3). | ||
| 4. | The Trinity (ch. 4). | ||
| 5. | The angels (ch. 5). | ||
| 6. | The meaning of biblical names (chs. 6–10). | ||
| 7. | Martyrs (ch. 11). | ||
| 8. | The clergy (ch. 12). | ||
| 9. | Monks (ch. 13). | ||
| 10. | The remainder of the faithful (ch. 14). | ||
| III. | The Church and the different sects (Book VIII). | ||
| 1. | The Church and the synagogue (ch. 1). | ||
| 2. | Religion and faith (ch. 2). | ||
| 3. | Heresy (chs. 3–5). | ||
| a. | The heresies of the Jews. | ||
| b. | The heresies of the Christians. | ||
| 4. | Heathen philosophers (ch. 6). | ||
| 5. | Poets (ch. 7). | ||
| 6. | Sibyls (ch. 8). | ||
| 7. | Magi (ch. 9). | ||
| 8. | Pagans (ch. 10). | ||
| 9. | Heathen gods (ch. 11). | ||
BOOK VI
On the Books and Services of the Church
EXTRACTS
Chapter 1. On the Old and New Testaments.
1. The Old Testament is so-called because when the New came it was at an end, of which the Apostle speaks: Vetera transierunt, et ecce facta sunt omnia nova.
2. The New Testament is so-called because it brings in the new. For men do not learn it, except those renewed from their former state through grace and now belonging to the New Testament, which is the kingdom of heaven.