The Mediev

al Church

The Church & Medieval Life

• The most important task of the Church during the Early Middle Ages was _____________________:• Converted Western European Anglo-Saxons in England to

Christianity• Thus spreading Christianity to the Germanic Tribes

• Saw such success that if you were not Christian you were looked upon with suspicion

• The Local/Parish Priest:• Usually the only contact people had with the Church

(remember no travel)• ____________________• Administered _______________• Preached teachings of the Bible (only in Latin at the time)• Moral reasoning, helped sick and needy

• The Parish Church:• Social Center• Largest building in village• Life revolved around Christian Calendar• _____________paid to support the church (1/10th of income)

The Church & Women

• Church taught:• Men and women are equal in the eye of God• On earth though women are weak and easily led to sin

• ______________________________• Mary was the ideal woman

• Many churches dedicated to her• Prayer was often led to her

• Church court did protect women:• __________________________________• __________________________________• Women however generally received harsher punishments

The Rise of Cathedrals

• Bishops managed larger churches called cathedrals

• During the Middle Ages these buildings became huge and decorative as technology improved.

• Cities competed to have the most extravagant cathedral

• Introduction of ___________ _________ architecture.

Monasteries and Convents

• The Middle Ages saw an influx in the monastic life:• Devotion to spiritual goals

• The _______________________:• St. Benedict, the founder of

monastery of Monte Cassino• Rules to regulate monastic life-

adopted by monasteries and convents everywhere

• 3 vows:• ____________- abbot or abbess

(head of monastery or convent)• ______________________• ______________________

• Day divided into worship, work, and study• Required work (field work and other tasks)

• Improved agriculture through experiments

• Helped improve economyService & Scholarships

• Monasteries & Convents provided:• Basic health and educational services• World was without hospitals and schools• Looked out for the needy and the children

• Kept learning alive:• _________________________________________________• _________________________________________________• _________________________________________________

• Women could not become priest but could join convents, becoming nuns:• Freedoms of the nuns were stripped down to much

learning for women was a bad thing.

Church Power Grows• After the fall of Rome the Christian church

not only became the most powerful church but also one of the most powerful secular powers as well.• “__________” = worldly/ non-religious

• Popes claim _________________________• Because they are God on Earth they

are superior to all secular leaders• It was common to find relatives in positions

of power of both Christian and secular roles.

Religious Authority & Political Power• Church created its own law and court system during the Middle

Ages• Cannon Law:• Governed: wills, marriages, and morals• Disobeying led to a range of penalties:• Excommunication____________________________________

__________________________________________________•• __________- (for nobles) excludes an entire town, region,

kingdom from receiving sacraments or a Christian burial. • Most leaders gave in before it reached this level----

commoners would revolt otherwise.• Used this power to insight fear in the public:• For both good and bad reasons• One advantage was to force peace

• __________________________________• No fighting Friday-Sunday or on religious holidays

Corruption & Reform• With an increase in wealth and power came weakened

discipline. • Increased involvement in monasteries and

convents– but stray from vows• Priests could marry at the time and were more

involved with family than religious duties• Religious leaders lived lives of luxury

• Reforms:• Abbot Berno- _____________________________________

________________________________________________• Cluny- in eastern France

• Gregory VII-______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Preaching Orders• Friars- ________________________________• Traveled around Europe preaching to the poor• St. Francis of Assisi

• The Franciscans (the first order of friars)• St. Dominic

• A Spanish priest started the Dominicans• Taught official Christian beliefs to

combat heresies (doctrines that differ from church teaching)

• Women also supported these reforms and were offered positions as sisters and nuns

• Jews in the Middle Ages:• Lived side by side with Christians and Muslims

for many years• During tough times though in the late Middle

Ages Jews were blamed for troubling times and unexplained illnesses by Christian leaders.

• Yet popes and rulers relied on educated Jews for financial and advice and as physicians