The Rising Power of the Church
Once the Roman Empire ceased to wield power the West experienced bleak times.
Lawlessness was rampant. People lived in constant fear of invaders, robbers, and
plunderers. No governmental power existed in the West that provided any sense of
security and direction. Although no great secular or worldly leader emerged in the West
following the collapse of Rome, the early Church soon took a position of leadership
among Western Europeans. The Church and its leaders became important in maintaining
many elements of classical heritage, including literacy. Christianity continued to provide
Cathedral
some element of civilization in a world increasingly barbarous and insecure.
Christianity was a combination of legends and near-pagan, a follower of a polytheistic religion, rituals and
practices, which did not mirror the official theology of the Church. Superstitions led people to believe in
demons, witches, and ghosts, whose spirits returned to haunt the living. Other practices helped to create an
emotional form of Christianity that relied heavily on an imaginative theology, a blind belief, and a strong fear
of the unknown. People expected to see signs and miracles. Stories circulated throughout Europe of nuns
who cured diseases, of bleeding statues, and other alleged demonstrations of God’s power.
One powerful belief system that developed in the Middle Ages was the belief in the existence of miraculous
relics. A relic was an object that connected one with power because of the source of the object. For example,
when a religious person died, especially one who would soon be considered a saint, he or she left behind a
physical body as well as articles which he or she possessed. Those objects, including the body, were
considered in and of themselves sacred, holding great power to heal or bless the owner.
An entire cult of relics developed. Anything connected with Jesus or another Biblical figure, such as his
Apostles, was considered to have the power to work miracles. There were thousands of popular relics: the
Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus, wooden pieces of His Cross, hay from His stall in Bethlehem, hairs from
Noah’s beard, the tooth of an Apostle. Cathedrals and churches competed for such relics, for a powerful relic
could attract pilgrims.
By 1200, the Church was the strongest institution in the West. The papacy was also gaining power. In the
th
11 century, popes rose to new positions of prominence, partially due to the monastic movement. Strong
stands were taken by the papacy against marriage among the Church’s priests, bishops, and other
administrative clergy. Pope Gregory VII (1073–1085) held a council in Rome denouncing a practice of secular
rulers called lay investiture. Lay investiture occurred when a king or local ruler took it upon himself to fill an
empty Church office with a candidate of his choosing. Gregory believed that all Church positions came under
his control and were to be filled by the Church. He even threatened to excommunicate, or deny worship and
salvation, to any secular ruler who committed lay investiture. King Henry IV was upset with this decree and
demanded that Pope Gregory step down. The Pope responded
by Excommunicating King Henry IV which now meant his
subjects did not have to obey him according to the Church.
When King Henry realized that he could not defeat Pope
Gregory VII he decided to ask for forgiveness so to save his
throne. He traveled over largemountains during the winter and
found the Pope in his castle. The Pope made him wait for three
days out side his gates in the snow, on his knees before he
forgave him. The Pope was victourous in this struggle between Church and State. A Treaty called Concordat of
Worms made it official that only the Church Hirearchy has the authority to hire its own Cardinals, Bishops,
Abbots, etc.
Additional changes and reforms were instituted by the Church. The Sacramental system was firmly
established, recognizing seven sacraments within Catholic doctrine. The sacraments included baptism,
confirmation, (which recognizes a young person’s preparation for adult Church membership),
marriage, the Eucharist, (taking the elements of wine and bread during Mass), ordination for the priesthood,
penance through confession, and anointing the sick. These practices first took on significance during the
medieval period as the instruments of salvation serving as a sign of a believer’s relationship with God.
During the Middle Ages o ther religious orders were established to further strengthen the papacy and to give
new life to the Church. The old monasteries were losing their purity and enthusiasm. New ministers, called
friars, were providing the needs of Christians across Europe. (The word friar comes from the Latin word for
“brother.”) These men served as preachers for the Church. They did not completely separate from society as
the monks did, but rather connected to the people, traveling about, rallying Christian communities, hearing
their confessions, and seeking out heretics and critics of the Church. Two such orders were established in the
early 1200s: the Dominicans in Spain and the Franciscans of Italy. The founder of the Dominicans was
Domingo de Guzman, who saw the need for highly educated preachers to fight heresy with learning. The
Franciscans were founded by Giovanni Francesco de Bernadone, who was later known as St. Francis. His
followers were less educated than the Dominicans, but they were devoted to preaching love and the
brotherhood of humans.
1) What is the Topic of this packet?
2) What section
of Rome does this
reading take place?
4) Draw 4
examples
of a relics.
3) Identify if the statement is False or True
a) The Church took a position of
authority.
b) Superstitions led people to believe
in demons, witches, and ghosts.
c) Christianity relied heavily on facts.
d) A relic was an object that connected
one with God.
5) Why did the Pope
Ban investitures? And
How did King Henry
save himself from
Excommunication?
7) List all the
Sacraments.
8) Define terms:
a) pagan
b) lay investiture
c) excommunicate
d) friars
9) Why were Friars and
Dominicans important to
the Christian church?
6) Pretend to be
King Henry
and write an
apology to Pope
Gregory.
10) Sum it up: What do you
think was at the center of
Medieval lives?