The Byzantine Church

1. The Byzantine Church

2. The Byzantine Church • Main Idea: • Church and Government worked closely together during the Byzantine Empire.

3. The Byzantine Church • Lecture Focus: • In the United States, religion and government are separated however during the Byzantine Empire religion and government had a different relationship. http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_inauguration_of_president.html

4. The Byzantine Church • As you learned earlier, the church of Rome survived the fall of the Western Roman Empire. • Its head, the Pope, became the strongest leader in Western Europe.

5. The Byzantine Church • Under the Pope, the Latin churches of the region became known as the Roman Catholic Church. • In the east, however, the Roman Empire continued and developed into the Byzantine Empire.

6. The Byzantine Church • Like Roman Catholics in the west, the Byzantines developed their own form of Christianity. • It was based on their Greek heritage and was known as the Eastern Orthodox Church.

7. Church and State • Church and government worked closely together in the Byzantine Empire. • The Byzantines believed their emperor represented Jesus Christ on Earth and this emperor was in charge of religious ceremonies.

8. Church and State • The emperor also chose the patriarch of Constantinople, the leading church official in the Byzantine Empire. • In this way, the emperor controlled the church as well as the government…which is the opposite of what we are used to in the United States.

9. Church and State • Byzantines believed that God wanted them to preserve and spread Christianity…all church and government officials were united in this goal.

10. Church and State • Questions: • 1) Who was the leading church official in the Byzantine Empire? • 2) How is this different from the United States?

11. Church and State • Questions: • 1) Who was the leading church official in the Byzantine Empire? • The Emperor was the head of both the government and the church • 2) How is this different from the United States? • The president is just in charge of the government and not any religion

12. Religious Arguments • Many Byzantines, from the Emperor down to the poorest farmer, were very interested in religious matters. • In homes and shops, they argued about religious questions…for example Byzantines loved to discuss the exact relationship between Jesus and God.

13. Religious Arguments • In the 700’s C.E., a major dispute divided the Church in the Byzantine Empire. • The argument was over the use of “Icons”

14. Religious Arguments • Icons are pictures or images of Jesus, Mary (the mother of Jesus) and the saints, which are holy Christian people. • Many Byzantines honored icons.

15. Religious Arguments • Icons would cover the walls of Byzantine homes, shops and of course Churches. • A few icons were even believed to inspire “miracles”.

16. Religious Arguments • Some Byzantines, however, wanted an end to the use of icons. • They thought that honoring them was a form of “idol” worship, which was forbidden by God.

17. Religious Arguments • The supporters of icons, however, claimed that icons were symbols of God’s presence in daily life. • These images, they would also say helped explain the religion of Christianity to people.

18. Religious Arguments • Emperor Leo III did not approve of icons. • In 726 C.E., he ordered all icons removed from churches.

19. Religious Arguments • Government officials that carried out his orders were known as “Iconoclasts”, which means image breakers. • We use this word today to mean someone who attacks old fashioned beliefs or institutions.

20. Religious Arguments • Most Byzantines, many church leaders, and even the Pope in Rome opposed Emperor Leo III order. • In fact, the dispute over icons damaged ties between the churches of Rome and Constantinople.

21. Religious Arguments • Over the next 100 years, the argument cooled and the use of icons became accepted once again. • They are still an important part of the Eastern Orthodox religious practice to this day.

22. Religious Arguments • Questions: • 3) What does the term “Icon” mean when talking about the Byzantine Church? • 4) Why did some people not want to use “Icons” in everyday life? • 5) What does the term “Iconoclast” mean?

23. Religious Arguments • Questions: • 3) What does the term “Icon” mean when talking about the Byzantine Church? • Are pictures or images of Jesus, Mary and Saints • 4) Why did some people not want to use “Icons” in everyday life? • People thought it was a form of “Idol Worship” that was forbidden by god • 5) What does the term “Iconoclast” mean? • Someone who attacks old-fashioned beliefs

24. Conflicts Between Churches • Icons were not the only issue that caused bitterness between the churches of Constantinople and Rome. • The most serious argument was about how churches were to be run.

25. Conflicts Between Churches • The most serious argument was how the churches were to be run…the pope claimed that he was the head of all Christian Churches. • The Byzantines did not accept the Pope’s claim.

26. Conflicts Between Churches • They believed the patriarch of Constantinople and other bishops were equal to the Pope.

27. Conflicts Between Churches • Making matters worse was the fact that each church sometimes refused to help the other when outsiders attacked. • In the late 700’s C.E., the Byzantine Emperor refused to help the Pope when Italy was invaded.

28. Conflicts Between Churches • The Pope turned instead to a Germanic people from Northern Europe called the Franks for help. • The Franks were Roman Catholics and loyal to the Pope.

29. Conflicts Between Churches • The Pope was grateful to the Franks for stopping the invasion, • In 800 C.E., the Pope gave the Frankish King, Charlemagne, the title of Emperor.

30. Conflicts Between Churches • This angered the Byzantines very much. • They believed the leader of the Byzantines was the only true Roman Emperor.

31. Conflicts Between Churches • This conflict pointed out the differences in how each church felt about relationships with the government. • In the Byzantine Empire, the emperor was in control, with church leaders respecting his wishes.

32. Conflicts Between Churches • In the West, however, the pope claimed both spiritual and political power…he often quarreled with kings over the church and government affairs.

33. Conflicts Between Churches • Finally, after centuries of tension, the Pope and the patriarch of Constantinople took a drastic step in their ongoing feud. • In 1054 C.E., they excommunicated each other.

34. Conflicts Between Churches • Excommunication means to declare that a person or group no longer belongs to the church. • This began a “schism”, which means separation, of the two most important branches of Christianity.

35. Conflicts Between Churches • The split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church has lasted to this day!!!

36. Conflicts Between Churches • Questions: • 6) Who was Charlemagne and what did he do for the Pope? • 7) What does the term “Excommunicated” mean? • 8) What does the term “Schism”

37. Conflicts Between Churches • Questions: • 6) Who was Charlemagne and what did he do for the Pope? • Frankish King who helped stop an invasion of Italy • 7) What does the term “Excommunicated” mean? • To declare that a person or group no longer belongs to the church • 8) What does the term “Schism” • Separation, between churches

38. Conflicts Between Churches • Reading Check: • How did Church and government work together in the Byzantine Empire? • Answer in a complete, well planned paragraph.