Topic 11 Medieval Christianity (500-1500)

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Topic 11Medieval Christianity (500-1500)

1. Early Middle Ages
2. Late Middle Ages

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I. Early Middle Ages (476-1054)

• A. Fall of Rome (476) effects on church
• Barbarian invaders provided new prospects for
  conversion.
• Church becomes most powerful institution in the
  West hierarchy is strengthened.
• Office of Pope rises to fill power vacuum.
• Bishop of Rome evolved into office of Pope.
• Pope derives from papa term of endearment
  for bishops became title for Bishop of Rome.
• Bishops of Rome claimed authority over other
  bishops as successors of Peter.
• Pope became supreme ruler of (Western) Church.
• With collapse of imperial power in West, popes
  now exercised secular power as well.
• Pope Gregory I negotiated with invaders
  organized food relief during siege of Rome.
• Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor of Holy
  Roman Empire (800).
• Divided Eastern from Western Christianity.

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I. Early Middle Ages (476-1054)

• B. Western vs. Eastern Christianity

West East
1. Name Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
2. Capital Rome Constantinople
3. Language Latin Greek
4. Theology Practical Speculative
5. Salvation Death of Christ pays penalty for sin Resurrection of Christ restores image of God
6. Church-state Church over state State over church
7. Celibacy Celibacy for all clergy Allows married priests
8. Baptism Sprinkling permitted Immersion required
9. Communion Laity take bread only Laity take bread and wine
10. Governance Strong pope No pope (Patriarch)
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I. Early Middle Ages (476-1054)

• East-West Schism (1054)
• Filioque (and from the Son) added to creed in
  West Eastern theologians objected.
• 1054 Pope and Patriarch of Constantinople
  excommunicated one another.
• 1204 Crusaders from West sacked Constantinople!
  (Dashed any hopes of reconciliation.)
• Rise of Islam (610-732)
• Religion of monotheism - founded by Muhammed.
• Muslims captured Southern rim of Christendom
  Middle East Egypt North Africa part of Spain.
• Christianity expanded northward.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Development of the Papacy
• Corruption
• Church hierarchy grew wealthy, powerful, corrupt.
• Bishops often functioned more like feudal
  warlords.
• Specific abuses compromising integrity of church
  offices
• Nepotism giving offices to relatives
• Simony selling offices to highest bidder
• Lay investiture appointment of church officials
  by secular ruler
• 10th century Papacy caught up in political
  intrigue assassinations sexual immorality.
• Cluniac Reform
• Promoted by monastery at Cluny.
• Led to strengthening of papacy.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Development of the Papacy cont.
• Three strong popes in high middle ages
• Pope Gregory VII
• Strong reforming pope.
• Conflict with Emperor Henry IV over lay
  investiture (1077).
• Showdown at Canossa Henry stood barefoot in snow
  repenting until Pope forgave him.
• Pope Innocent III
• Most powerful pope ever (c. 1200).
• Most powerful man in Europe.
• Council adopted doctrine of Transubstantiation
  (bread wine become body blood of Christ).
• Started the Inquisition church court for
  rooting out heresy.
• Pope Boniface VIII
• Claimed absolute power of pope.
• Unam Sanctam (1302) no salvation outside church.
  
• Secular authority must yield to pope.
• No longer had power to enforce these claims.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Development of the Papacy cont.
• Decline of the papacy
• Papacy moved to Avignon, under control of French
  kings (1309-1377).
• Period of rival popes popes in Rome and Avignon,
  each claiming legitimacy (1378-1423).
• Corruption by end of Middle Ages, popes were
  again caught up in pursuit of immorality, wealth,
  luxury, and power.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Crusades (1095-1291)
• Series of military campaigns to retake Holy Land.
• Minimal results in military objective.
• First Crusade won control of Jerusalem for nearly
  a century.
• Other crusades were less successful.
• Side-effects
• Enhanced power of papacy.
• Boosted economy of Europe.
• Enhanced popularity of relics.
• Reopened contact with East.
• Rediscovered ancient classics, esp. Aristotle.
• Sowed seeds of animosity between Muslims and
  Christians.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Scholasticism
• Scholastic theology
• Taught in cathedral schools and universities.
• Used reason to analyze Christian doctrine.
• Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
• Most important scholastic theologian.
• Summa Theologica systematic theology crown of
  scholasticism.
• Became official Roman Catholic theology.
• Salvation is by grace plus works.
• Grace enables good works.
• Works earn merit, which is necessary for
  salvation..
• Surplus merit (earned by saints, etc.) is stored
  in Treasury of Merit can be dispensed by church.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Early Reform Efforts (forerunners of Protestant
  Ref.)
• John Wycliffe (1330-84)
• English priest Oxford professor.
• Concerned about corruption in church.
• Asserted authority of Bible over authority of
  church.
• Popes/priests are subject to authority of Bible.
• All Christians can read/interpret Bible for
  themselves.
• Translated Bible into English earliest complete
  English translation (worked from Latin Vulgate).
• Disciples (Lollards) continued message were
  persecuted.
• 1418 declared a heretic bones exhumed, burned.
• John Hus (1372-1415)
• Professor in Prague influenced by Wycliffe.
• Authority of Bible over church.
• Condemned corruption in clergy.
• Burned at stake (1415).
• Followers rebelled won some concessions.

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II. Late Middle Ages (1054-1453)

• Renaissance (1300-1600)
• Revival of classical culture
• Burst of creative energy in art, sculpture.
• Popes spent enormous sums.
• Humanism
• New kind of scholarship.
• Openness to inquiry freedom to question
  authority reject traditional assumptions.
• Went back to ancient classics Bible in Hebrew
  and Greek.
• Studied Bible for what it says, as opposed to
  church tradition.
• Vernacular translations put Bible in hands of lay
  people.
• Gutenbergs printing press (c. 1450) made books
  cheap, plentiful.
• Erasmus Dutch humanist published first printed
  text of Greek NT (1516).
• Renaissance set stage for Protestant Reformation.