Viking Footprints in Providential History: A Selected Anthology of Viking Adventures, with Emphasis on Family History (2nd ed.)

Vikings once terrorized Europe, for at least 3 centuries (of the Dark Ages). Vikings were famous as marauding menaces whose ships brought disaster and destruction. However, could it be that, somehow in the process (like Genesis 50:20), many of these Viking activities (and relationships that developed into influential family histories) also facilitated God’s providences in ways that have benefited the entire world? Besides discovering and exploring North America, more than 1000 years ago, was Leif Eiriksson a Christian Viking missionary? Did 2 Viking battles during AD1066 enable America to be founded, and the world to receive the Bible in English? Did Viking skeletons baffle scientists who used Carbon-14 radiometric dating? Yes, yes, yes, and yes, says historian James J. S. Johnson, a college professor who has repeatedly lectured aboard cruise ships visiting Viking lands. Vikings left “footprints” in many lands, centuries ago. In many ways, providentially speaking (Romans 8:28), many of those Viking “footprints” (and even about 300 Viking skeletons!) have impacted–and still impact–our daily lives. This is not a typical book about Viking history. Rather, this book looks at some highlights in Viking history–including Leif Eiriksson, Harald Hardrada, Aud “the Deep-minded”, Olaf Tryggvason, Somerled, Sitric Silkbeard, Hrolf of Normandy, etc.–from the perspective of what God was accomplishing then, to benefit the lives of future generations of humans who would descend from those very Vikings, including descendants like George Washington, King James, and some of us! Each of the chapters, in this book’s 2nd edition, began as a live presentation–given in a church fellowship hall, or college classroom, or museum, or upon a cruise ship visiting Iceland, Norway, Denmark, the Hebrides, or some other Viking land.