Medieval Christianity - Miami Beach Senior High School

Medieval Christianity SS.A.2.4.7; SS.B.1.4.4; SS.A.3.4.4

The Papacy & Politics 

Popes begin to gain control of lands in Italy 

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Pope’s lands known as Papal States

Popes often dealt with political matters at the expense of spiritual duties Popes’ vassals given church titles Kings and nobles would give fiefs to bishops, known as lay investitures Church officials who care more about their Earthly lords, and secular titles, neglect the holy call of God and Church 1073: Gregory VII elected pope 

Believes he’s chosen by God to fix Church

Pope Gregory’s Reforms 

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Asserted Pope’s roll as leader of Christianity, including Christian kings King Henry IV of Germany disagrees since he had used bishops as vassals, to lessen the power of Germany’s influential nobles Pope makes it a sin to accept lay investitures Henry does it anyway (Investiture Controversy) Controversy continues until Gregory and new king agree on Concordat of Worms 

Pope must elect German bishops, then king can bestow temporal investitures

Pope Gregory VII

Church Supremacy 

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Popes after Gregory respect his changes, but more concerned with gaining power/stability Innocent III: Pope is supreme judge of Europe King John forced to accept Archbishop of Canterbury, against his own wishes  Forces King Philip Augustus to take back his wife, and restore her as Queen of France  Spiritual tools used to exact papal will: 

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Interdicts: denial of sacraments

Religious Orders  

New religious enthusiasm engulfs Europe Cistercian monks, unhappy with lack of discipline, create new, stricter monastic order 

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Many wealthy women join convents 

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Only place for women to get education

Francis of Assisi creates Franciscan monastery 

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Spend more time preaching to and helping people

Asks people to return to simplicity of early church

Dominic de Guzman finds Dominican order 

To preach against heresy

Francis & Dominic

The Inquisition 

Church needs way to deal with heresy & heretics 

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Spiritual court set up called the Inquisition

13th Century Christians believe the only way to Salvation is through Christ and the Church Heresy is a crime against God and humanity  Convicted heretics were made to confess in public, and be punished (usually by flogging)  Dominicans become main source of inquisitors 

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Church sees using force to save souls from eternal damnation was right thing to do

The Inquisition

Popular Religion 

Sacraments of Church central to people’s lives Baptism, Communion, Confession, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Last Rites  Sacraments means for receiving God’s grace and salvation; from life to death, church is most important thing  Veneration of saints (men and women to copy) 

People ask saints to pray for them to God  Virgin Mary most highly regarded saint  Relics: remains of saints, or things that belonged to saints seen as a link between heaven and Earth  Pilgrimages to holy sites provide spiritual benefits 

Medieval Art

Write About It:  In

a five paragraph essay, write about the reforms made by the Church that affected the development of medieval civilization.