0.7- The Medieval Christian Church

Who controlled the spiritual life of Christians during the Middle Ages?

Roman Catholic Church

Church officials were closely linked to what?

secular rules

Majority had what as the center of community life?

village churches (aka Parish church)

What was the Parish church?

local

Why were sacraments needed in the medieval Church?

needed to achieve salvation

What happened if the local priest could read and write?

served as the only teacher in the village

What did the Church teach?

men and women were equal before God, on Earth women were weak and easily led into sin so they needed guidance of men

What was a monastery?

parish church that was more than a church if they had their own ground, communities of monks

What were monks or nuns?

men or women who chose to live a religious life and lived in monasteries

What was the Benedictine Rule and how’d it formed?

Different monks emerged and were named after who found it, Benedict created (strict) rules governing life in monasteries and was called the Benedictine Rule where monks/nuns took 3 vows

What were the three vows taken under the Benedictine Rule

1: obedience to abbot/abbess (head of monastery/convent)

2: poverty, give up worldly goods

3: chastity/purity

What did monasteries and convents do? (4)

1: provided basic social services

2: preserved writings of ancient world

3: libraries contained Greek and Roman works

4: travelers can find food and night’s lodging

What did monks and nuns do? (4)

1: divided day into periods of worship, work, and study

2: looked after poor and sick

3: set up schools for children

4: monks/nuns copied Greek and Roman works as form of labor

Who were considered Saints and why?

connection to God;

need to perform miracle and follow chastity, wore robes + carried Bibles, divinely connection

What was Papal supremacy and who claimed it?

authority over kings, emperors, & everyone else (most power); Medieval popes b/c God’s representatives on Earth

What punishments did the Church have?

issued own punishments like excommunication

What was excommunication?

withholding of sacraments and Christian burial, kicked out from the afterlife/religion which condemned sinner to hell

arguably worst punishment for most common people

What was interdiction for the Church?

same as excommunication but for larger groups of people, like for entire towns or kingdoms

The Church used its authority to do what?

end warfare among nobles by declaring times of peace

What happened as the Church’s power and wealth grew?

corruption and monks/nuns ignored vows, led to calls for reform

Who were Friars?

traveling monks preaching to the poor

What reforms happened and by who?

Abbot Burno of Cluny brought back Benedictine Rule

1st order from friars: Franciscans, founded by Francis of Assisi, preached poverty, humility, and love of God

Where did Jewish communities/cultures exist?

Muslim Spain and communities across Medieval Europe (mainly in northern), oral + written laws central to faith

What happened between Jews and Christians?

lived in peace but anti-semitism increased, Church forbid Jews form owning land or having certain jobs

What’s usury and who did it?

Church forbade Christians from usury (lending money and interest) so some Jews became moneylenders

From where were Jews persecuted and expelled?

major European cities and states

(England, France, and parts of modern day Germany, Italy, Austria, and Hungary)

thousands of Jews migrated to Eastern Europe

How did Byzantine Empire practice Christianity and how was it different form the west?

Byzantine emperor controlled church affairs and appointed patriarch (orthodox church leader and highest church official in Constantinople)

Why did the Great Schism happened and what was it?

Byzantine Christians rejected pope’s claim to authority over all Christians

eastern and western branches of Christianity grew further apart bc of disputes w/ use of icons (holy images)other controversies aswell

Pope of Byzantine Church known as Eastern Orthodox Church, Western Branch known as Roman Catholic Church

the Roman Catholic Church was the stronger what force?

secular

the clergy linked to secularism can be what?

nobles w/ lands and armies

What did the Parish Priest do?

celebrated mass and administered sacraments (sacred rites), collected tithes (tax paid each year to Church)

What did Muslim Spain become when Jewish culture flourished there?

major center of Hebrew Scholarship