Section 3 The Medieval Christian Church
What were the Churchs' role in society?
- Popes-spiritual leaders of Roman Catholic Church, declared themselves representatives of God on Earth, claimed Papal supremacy-authority over secular/political rulers - High clergy (bishops, archbishops), were usually nobles, owned land and armies - Pope held land-Papal States - Because monasteries held large tracts of lands, they had much economic & political power - Church officials were closely linked to secular rulers; were educated, so feudal lords appointed them to high government positions, especially because Church officials were often related to secular rulers
What were the roles of Parish Priests during the Middle Ages?
- celebrated mass - administered sacraments - assisted sick/needy - preached teachings of the Church - explained the Bible - guided people on moral matters - ran schools in later Middle Ages - saved intellectual, cultural, and spiritual documents/ideas of the Roman Empire
What were some qualities of monks and nuns?
- cleared and drained land - experimented with crops - led to better agricultural methods copied by others - helped improve economy - persevered writings of ancient world (copied books, including religious texts by hand to create illuminated manuscripts) - kept learning alive/had schools - provided health services & knowledge held in their libraries was priceless during medical emergencies - provided room and board to traveling pilgrims - provided support and assistance - educational services for poor
What was the importance of a village Church (large public building)?
- social center where holy days were celebrated - decorated with care - contained relics and attracted pilgrims - charged tithe (tax equal to 1/10th of one's income)
How did Churches treat women?
- they were often punished more harshly than men - they protected them (minimum age set for marriage & courts could fine men who seriously injured wives)
When did European warfare decline? What happened as a result?
1100s. Tournaments for knights, towns and cities emerged.
How did the Church view women?
As easily led into sin & as needing the guidance of men.
What were German Jews called?
Ashkenazi/Ashkenazim
Why did the church withdraw rights from nuns that they had enjoyed?
Because they frowned upon too much learning for women and preferred them to accept Church authority.
What was one of the Church's reforms?
Benedictine Rule was revived (**focused on keeping vows and hard work)
How did the Church dominate Medieval life?
By the late Middle Ages, those who did not belong to the Church community were viewed with suspicion (ex. Jews)
Church and Teachings
Central to the Medieval life.
During the Middle Ages which two communities lived together in harmony?
Christians and Jews lived side-by-side in peace and Christian rulers protected Jewish communities (charged high taxes to provide the service).
What was the most powerful force in Europe?
Church (gained considerable political & economic power)
What was one of the Church's reforms?
Convents accepted women whose families were not able to donate money, focused on setting up hospitals and shelters, helping poor.
What was the Great Schism?
Created divide over Church leadership, clergy and marriage, Christmas versus Easter as the most important holiday, icons (holy images).
Canterbury Tales
Document that contains information on how Medieval Christians showed devotion to their faith.
How did the Church dominate Medieval life?
During early Middle Ages, Church's most important achievement was to Christianize diverse Western Europeans.
What were the two most severe penalty that was imposed on those who didn't obey Church laws?
Excommunication/Interdict
Where were Muslim tolerant of Jews and Christians?
In Spain
Cathedral
Main Church in city, town, or village. Magnificent, ornate Gothic buildings; towns competed to build them grander and taller.
What did the persecution of Jews and expulsion from many European cities lead to?
Many Jews migrated to Eastern Europe between 1096 & 1450.
What was one of the Church's reforms?
Marriage for priests and simony (selling of Church offices) were outlawed.
Cistercian Maulbronn
Monastery founded in 1147 and was considered one of the most complete and best preserved medieval monastic complex. Located towards the north of the Alps in Germany.
What was one of the Church's reforms?
Monks preached among the people/poor.
What happened by the late 1000s?
Much prejudice in Western Europe against Jews, Jews seen as unfamiliar, with different culture and beliefs, and Jews blamed for disasters, illnesses, famine, economic hardship.
What was one of the Church's reforms?
Nobles/secular political leaders were not allowed to interfere in religious/monastery affairs; Church would chose Church officials (not kings or nobles/political leaders)
Excommunication
One could not receive sacraments or Christian burial, was condemned to hell for eternity.
Jews were forbidden from?
Owning land and barred from practicing some occupations, but were asked for financial aid and were allowed to work as physicians and moneylenders (caused resentment).
What were Spanish Jews called?
Sephardic/Sephardim
Bishops
Supervised priests & managed larger Churches called cathedrals.
What declared periods of truce to end feudal warfare?
The Church
What happened as a result of pious Christians leaving land and other valuable goods to the Church?
The Church's wealth and power grew.
What controlled spiritual lives of Christians and became the most powerful secular (non-religious/political) force in Medieval Europe?
The Church.
Who would choose church officials?
The Church.
What permanently split Eastern and Western Christianity? When?
The Great Schism, 1054.
What happened after the Christian Church split into eastern & western churches?
The western church/Roman Catholic Church became strong & wealthy.
Who were the high clergy and what did they own?
They were bishops and archbishops and they owned land and armies.
How were monasteries and convents days divided?
They were divided into manual work, worship, and study.
What was the purpose of the benedict rule-list?
To regulate monastic life.
Pilgrimage
Trip one took to visit a religious site.
What is the last Papal state?
Vatican
Jews were forced to?
Wear identifying clothes and live in ghettos (specific, confined neighborhoods).
Interdict
Whole town, region, kingdom excluded from receiving some sacraments or Christian burial; caused revolts against leader by devout common people.
Canon Law
the body of laws developed by the Church
