THE CHURCH IN MEDIEVAL LIFE








Christianity was the official religion of the Roman empire in the 4th century.
By the Middle Ages 99% of Western Europe was Roman Catholic
During the Middle Ages, two distinct Christian churches emerged: the Orthodox
Christian Church in the east and the Roman Catholic Church in the west. (The two
branches split permanently in 1054.
The Roman Catholic Church became the main stabilizing force in Western Europe. The
church provided religious leadership as well as secular, or worldly, leadership. It also
played a key role in reviving and preserving learning.
It was also the stabilizing force in Europe
At the head of the Roman Catholic Church was the pope, whom followers believed to be
the spiritual representative of Jesus on earth. Below the pope came cardinals,
archbishops, bishops, and local priests. For peasants and town dwellers, everyday life
was closely tied to local priests and the village church.
The main responsibility of the church was to serve the spiritual needs of medieval
society. Local priests instructed peasants and townspeople in the faith and provided
comfort to them in troubled times.
The Church taught that all men and women were sinners but that Christians could
achieve salvation, or eternal life in heaven, through faith in Jesus, good works, and
participation in sacraments, or sacred spiritual rituals. To escape the punishment of
hell, they needed to take part in the sacraments of the Church.
Secular Role of the Church
 The Church filled many secular roles during the Middle Ages. As the largest landholder
in Europe, the Church had significant economic power. The Church also gained wealth
through the tithe, a tax Christians were required to pay that equaled ten percent of
their income.
 The Church had their own set of laws called canon law, and its own courts of justice.
The Church claimed authority over secular rulers, but monarchs did not always
recognize this authority. As a result, there were frequent power struggles between the
pope in Rome and various kings and emperors.
 Popes believed that they had the authority over kings. Popes sometimes
excommunicated or excluded from the Catholic Church, secular rulers who challenged
or threatened papal power. For example, Pope Innocent III excommunicated King John
of England in the 1200s during a dispute about appointing an archbishop.
Pope Innocent III
 Interdiction – whole region denied church services
 Interdiction and Excommunication were powerful tools to control people
Church Buildings
 The Roman Catholic church built enormous cathedrals
o Romanesque style – dark gloomy, thick walls, small windows
o
o Gothic style – flying buttresses, stained glass windows, domed ceilings used
technology to complete




o
By the 12th century the church owns one third of Europe
The pope was referred to as the “Papal Monarch”
Church even controlled warfare
o Peace of God – no fighting allowed in holy places
o Truce of Gog – no fighting allowed on holy days
New philosophy develops scholasticism: the use of reason and logic to defend Christian
beliefs
Monastic Life

Some men and women became monks and nuns, leaving worldly society and devoting
their lives to God. They entered monasteries, communities where Christian men or
women focused on spiritual goals.
o Benedictines






o Dominicans
o Franciscans
Monks and nuns took vows of chastity, or purity, and of obedience to the abbot, or head
of the religious order. They also took an oath of poverty.
Monks and nuns also filled many other social needs, such as tending to the sick, helping
the poor, and educating children.
New farming techniques were developed in monasteries
o 3 field system of crop rotation
In monasteries and convents (religious communities of women) monks and nuns also
preserved ancient writings by copying ancient texts. Some monks and nuns taught Latin
and Greek classics; others produced their own literary works.
o Monasteries were responsible for preserving much of the history and knowledge
of the “Classical Era” of Greece and Rome
o Illumination – highlighting pages with artwork and picture stories
Not all monks and nuns remained in monasteries. Some became missionaries, risking
their lives to spread the message of Christianity.
The Church sometimes honored its missionaries by declaring them saints. St. Patrick
was a missionary who set up the Church in Ireland. St. Augustine was sent as a
missionary to the Angles and Saxons in England.
Women and the Church
 The Church taught that women were equal in the sight of God. However, on earth,
women were supposed to be subservient to men.
 There was some effort to protect women in medieval society. For example, the Church
set a minimum age for women to marry. However, women were viewed in two
opposing way. On one hand, the Church considered women weak, easily tempted into
sin, and dependent on the guidance of men. On the other hand, women were seen as
modest and pure in spirit, similar to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Jews in Medieval Europe



Numerous Jewish communities existed throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.
While Jews in Muslin Spain and northern areas of Europe were generally tolerated,
most Christians persecuted Jews. The Church barred Jews from owning land or
practicing many occupations. Many Christians also blamed Jews for the death of
Jesus.
As a result, the foundations for anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jews, were laid.
Gradually Christians began blaming Jews for all kinds of misfortune including
famines and diseases. This is called a scapegoat.



The church made laws to segregate Jews into ghettoes. In some cases Jews were
banned from territories
Their Human rights were violated
In time, Jews migrated to Eastern Europe where they set up communities that
survived until modern times. Anti-Jewish painting:


 The church forbade “Usury”
o Lending money for interest
 Jews became money lenders in response to the church ban
Intolerance
 The church did not tolerate different cultures
Sanctuary
 Safety from Authorities in churches and monasteries
Sacraments
 Church services that were part of life from birth to death
 Seven Sacraments
o Baptism
o Communion
o Penance
o Confirmation
o Marriage
o Holy Orders (priesthood)
o Anointing of the sick




The Great Schism (split)
Roman Empire was divided in two by Diocletian
West – Rome
East – Constantinople
Political and Economic split
The Roman catholic church split in two along similar lines in 1054 CE



West – Pope
East – Patriarch
Why?
o The pope in Rome declared primacy (Papal authority) over all the bishops
o Eastern bishops objected to this
o The East and West had differences of opinion on church beliefs
Eastern Orthodox
Roman Catholic
Church
Church
Language of worship
Local language
Latin
Married Clergy
Yes
No
Allegiance to head of
church
To Byzantine Emperor
To no government
Use of icons
Forbidden (later
allowed)
allowed
o There was some disputed land that both East and West claimed control over.

Results
o Christian world divided into two churches
o West – Roman catholic church under the Pope
o East – Orthodox Church based in Constantinople under Patriarch
 More state control; less central authority
THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH SUMMARY
Everyday Life
Nuns and Monks
Power of the Church
Reform
-Christians
attended village
churches.
-Some priests ran
schools in village
churches.
-All Christians paid
taxes to the
Church.
-Some set up
housing, hospitals,
and schools for the
sick and poor.
-Some became
missionaries.
-Some preserved
learning.
-Pope led Roman
Catholic Church.
-Church had its own
laws and courts.
-Church
excommunicated
those who did not
obey.
-Church became
rich and powerful.
-Some clergy
became corrupt.
-Reformers tried to
make changes.
Medieval Justice
 Considered very harsh by today’s standards
 The lord judged most cases
o Trial by ordeal
 Hold burning coals
 Pull rock from boiling water
 Walking over hot coals
 God would protect the innocent!
o Trial by combat
 Nobles, lords, knights would fight to solve disputes
 God would help the righteous!
o Trial by jury
 Jury of your peers would decide if you were innocent