The Medieval Church

1
The Medieval Church

• 7.3

2

• During the Middle Ages the Roman Catholic Church
  held religious and secular, or worldly, power in
  Western Europe.
• The local church was the center of community
  life.
• People were baptized, married, and had their
  funeral services at the church.
• Parish priests celebrated mass and administered
  sacraments, or sacred rites.

3
Monastic Life of Monks and Nuns

• Benedictine Rule
• created by a monk named Benedict.
• Established 3 vows for monks to live by poverty,
  obedience, and purity.
• Monks improved European agricultural techniques.
• Provided healthcare and education.
• Some became missionaries.

4

• Opportunities for Women
• Women could not be priests so they joined
  convents
• The Church stopped allowing them to preach and
  looked down on women learning.
• Canon Law- law of the Church
• Disobedience could lead to excommunication of an
  individual, or interdict of an area.

5
Jews in Medieval Europe

• Lived throughout Europe, but flourished in Spain.
• Taxed heavily by Christians.
• Blamed for bad occurrences.
• Due to discrimination, Jews left Western Europe
  and relocated to Eastern Europe.