Key Terms – The Medieval Church

Sacraments Holy Days Tithe Monasteries Benedictine Rule Papal Supremacy Excommunication Interdict Clunaic Reforms

Gregorian Reforms Simony Lay Investiture Ashkenazim Jews Anti-Semitism

The Church

The Roman Catholic Church became a strong institution during the middle ages.

Many Christians believed that since the Church was the only place to offer salvation, it was the most important institution in the world.

Christians devoted their lives to the Church out of fear that if they did not attend Church or receive the sacraments, they would suffer eternal damnation.

The Church

Life for Christians revolved around the Holy Days → days that were celebrated as feast days for saints.

As a result of constant church attendance, the church would profit by charging tithes → payments equal to one tenth of one's income.

Christians had no choice but to go to church because it was the only place where they could receive the sacraments → sacred rites of the Church.

Opinions

Many believed that the sacraments were the only way to save one's soul, hence church attendance was mandatory.

The Church shaped the beliefs of many people. Women were diminutized because of Christian beliefs

→ women committed original sin, hence they were beneath man and needed guidance

Some people believed that the Church had slowly grown corrupt due to some lay officials becoming church officials to charge tithes and make profits → when rulers or non-church officials create church offices for others, this is known as lay investiture.

Lay investiture led many to turn away from the Medieval Church and join other forms of worship.

Growth of Monasticism

- Many people left the towns to go to monasteries → communities of men who devoted their lives to worship.

- Many felt that the corruption of the Church had not affected the monasteries and hence chose to live their to lead their Christian lives.

- Corruption would arrive at the monasteries leading to the need for reform.

The Benedictine Rule

- Many monks broke monastic laws revolving around gambling and celibacy.

- One abbot, decided to reform the monasteries and created rules for monks → these rules were known as the Benedictine Rule

The Benedictine Rule (cont.)

Some rules were:1. Monk must remain at monastery for life2. Daily life should follow a strict schedule.3. Seven hours a day should be devoted to manual labor.4. Two hours should be reserved for reading Christian books.5. Should eat one or two meals a day.

- These rules were the means by which to reinforce the three vows of priesthood: poverty, chastity, and obedience.

The Growing Power of Popes

- Popes used the growth of the Church as an institution as a means by which they could acquire more power for themselves.

- Popes knew that since there were significantly more Christians that relied on the sacraments, they could use this to control rulers and their actions.

- Popes used two major weapons to control rulers:

– Excommunication → removal from the church of one individual and denial of the sacraments.

– Interdict → removal from the church of a whole town or country

Clunaic Reforms

- Abbot Berno of Cluny sought to extend the reforms brought about by the Benedictine Rule.

- Lay investiture had filled monasteries and churches with nobles and lay people who were usually very corrupt.

- Clunaic Reforms → revived the Benedictine Rule, removed nobles from monasteries and churches, invested new monks who were devoted to religion

Gregorian Reforms

- Gregory VII in 1073, would extend the Clunaic and Benedictine Reforms to the Church.

- Gregorian Reforms → prohibited the marriage of priests, outlawed simony → sale of church offices.

– Ended lay investiture → investing of titles and church offices by non-church officials.

The Plight of the Jews

- Jews began to move away from the Middle East and move towards Spain in search of a safe place to live.

- Jews who lived in Western Europe were considered Ashkenazim Jews.

- Jews were welcomed in tolerant Spain because of their banking knowledge and ability to help revive economies.

- Persecution of Jews would increase, they would be blamed for numerous natural disasters and poor situations → this prejudice against Jews is known as anti-semitism

Results

- Popes gained more power during this period and used it to send secular officials on wars (the Crusades) and to acquire more power for themselves.

- The Church became an institution similar to that of any government that existed during the Middle Ages.

- Control of the Church would become a major issue for many secular rulers as they attempted to invest more power in themselves.