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The Church

The Church. Chapter 25. Introduction. The Roman Catholic Church united western Europeans through politics, law, art, and learning The Church tried to create a society based on Christian principles by preserving the heritage of the Roman Empire

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The Church

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  1. The Church Chapter 25

  2. Introduction • The Roman Catholic Church united western Europeans through politics, law, art, and learning • The Church tried to create a society based on Christian principles by preserving the heritage of the Roman Empire • Latin was made the official language of the Church and monks copied ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts

  3. Catholic Influence • The Roman Catholic Church was the center of daily life during the Middle Ages • On Sunday, people went to mass (worship service) • The Church taught that the only way to receive God’s favor was by taking part in sacraments (Roman Catholic rituals) such as Holy Communion

  4. A Role in Government • Most kings could not read of write and used bishops and abbots to carry out many government duties • Bishops and abbots were lords and vassals and gave land to knights to fight in their place • Priests conducted worship services, explained Christian teachings, and took care of the poor, sick, and strangers

  5. The Inquisition • The Church tried to stamp out heresy, first by preaching and later by the Inquisition (a church court) • Those suspected of heresy were given a month to confess • If they did, they were whipped or sent to prison • If they did not, they were put on trial and then punished after their confession • If they would not confess after the trial, they were tortured or burned at the stake

  6. A Need for Reform • Increased wealth led many members of the clergy to grow careless about their religious duties • When bishops died, their lands and Church positions were taken over by friends or relatives of local lords who were often not very religious • Around 1000, the monks of Cluny began working to reform the Church by giving attention to Christian ideals

  7. The Authority of the Pope • The Pope based his right to be called Pope on the traditional belief that Peter the Apostle, the first Bishop of Rome, had been chosen by Christ to be the head of the Church. When Peter died, his authority was passed on to his successors • The Pope ruled from Rome with the help of a group of bishops known as the College of Cardinals

  8. The Authority of the Pope Continued • In 1075, Pope Gregory VII issued a document stating that the Pope was above all kings and feudal lords • King Henry IV of Germany disagreed with the Pope and stated that the king was supreme

  9. The Authority of the Pope Continued • The struggle between Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV of Germany was ended in 1122 by the signing of the Concordat of Worms • The Concordat of Worms, which gave both Pope and king a part in selecting bishops, increased the Pope’s power

  10. Friars • During the early 1200’s, preachers called friars tried to bring Christianity directly to the people • They were called mendicants (beggars) because they depended on gifts of food and money from others while they traveled • There were two well-known orders (groups) of friars: the Franciscans and the Dominicans

  11. Learning • The clergy set up schools in cathedrals (churches headed by bishops) to prepare sons of nobles for service in the Church • Schools also trained government officials, lawyers, and teachers • Seven liberal arts subjects were taught: grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music

  12. Universities • By the 1200s, universities (groups of teachers and students devoted to learning), which grew from cathedral schools, had spread throughout Europe • A church official called a chancellor headed each university • Universities set class schedules and had requirements for who could teach at their school • Universities had boarding houses and special buildings for students to live in • Universities also had rules about student behavior

  13. Scholars and Philosophers • The most important areas of learning were philosophy and theology (the study of religious thought) • During the Middle Ages, scholars such as Peter Abelard tried to bring faith and reason together • Thomas Aquinas taught that faith and reason were gifts from God and were useful together • Aquinas wrote Summa Theologica or A Summary of Religious Thought which showed how reason and faith could be used together to answer religious questions

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