the fall of rome - mr. harnisch · a. monastic beginnings 2. monasticism sprung from the desire of...

Church History - Mr. Harnisch - 2012

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LIGHT IN THE DARK AGES

� Amidst the collapse of the Roman Empire, only one institution held together and offered order, stability, and hope: the Church.

THE COLLAPSE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

A. The Fall of Rome

1. 410 AD- Alaric, king of the Visigoths, sacked Rome;

2. This began the spiraling down of the imperial government, resulting finally in the revolt and overthrow of the Western emperor by Odoacer in 476.

The Fall of Rome

3. With the fall of the Empire, the barbarians introduce a violent character into the culture, which further harmed the moral situation that existed.

4. Very primitive understandings of justice and superstition developed, with human sacrifice being found among some of the barbarian tribes.

The Fall of Rome5. Learning and

culture quickly declined.

a) People can not read (especially scriptures)

b) Church takes on role of chief educator.


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The Fall of Rome6. Economically:

a) roads became unsafe crime increased

b) cities and towns began to shrink

c) the former empire turned into a rural society.

The Fall of Rome

7. Many Christians participated in pagan activities.

8. The Church had to adapt herself to the changes: a) the Church’s organization, rule, and territorial

structure was modeled after the old empire; this allowed some semblance of order amidst the chaos.

9. The Church also recognized through this crisis that she was not wedded to the Roman Empire and had to adapt to this cultural shift.

B. The Barbarian Invasions

1. The Church found itself called to spread the Gospel to new cultures which were very different from the previous Roman civilization.

The Barbarian Invasions 2. The Germanic Tribes-

a) Many settled along the Roman Empire’s border.

b) Many became mercenary soldiers.

The Barbarian Invasions 3. The Huns

a) A powerful nomadic people of unknown ethnic origins, who swept west from Northern China into Europe by the 4th century.

b) The reports of the time paint them as a ferocious group who devastated much of the Empire.

The Barbarian Invasions

c) Attila the Hun i. The “Scourge of God”ii. In 452 he moved

toward southern Italy and Rome where Pope St. Leo I (the Great) went to meet him; amazingly, Attila, after meeting Leo, called off the invasion of Rome and died shortly after.


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The Barbarian Invasions

4. Christian attitude toward the Invasions: a) The Church starts to see Christianity as truly

universal.b) Many Christians interpret the fall of the Empire

as a sign of the end of the world; others see it as a punishment for the sins of paganism as well as the sins of bad Christians.

THE RISE OF MONASTICISM

IntroductionvAll clergy fit into 2 categoriesØ Secular ClergyVBegan with Christ calling 12 apostles VFound "in the world", cities/urbanVPromise obedience to their bishop VAround 1200 A.D. promise celibacyVDo not take vow of poverty but receive a stipendVSecular clergy are diocesan priests, most bishops,

cardinals, popes

Introduction

ØRegular ClergyVregularum - a rule, constitutionVstart around 250 A.D.Vstarted "outside, in secluded parts"Vall take 3 vows - poverty, chastity, obedience to

the rule; many have a 4th vow unique to the order Vmore regular clergy than secular because

includes priests, brothers, and sisters

IntroductionØRegular Clergy are broken up into 4 main

categoriesVMonasticism @ 250 AD÷Hermits (eremitic)÷Monks (cenobitic)VMendicants @ 1200 ADVJesuits @ 1500 ADVService Orders @ 1600 AD

Monastic Beginnings1. Monasticism

a) a way of life characterized by prayer and self-denial lived in seclusion from the world and under a fixed rule with professed vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience (evangelical counsels)


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A. Monastic Beginnings

2. Monasticism sprung from the desire of men and women to flee the moral deterioration of the cities.

3. They wanted to pursue a heroic imitation of Jesus Christ, entering into a demanding life of asceticism (self-discipline)

Monastic Beginnings4. Vow

a) a solemn promise made voluntarily by a person of reason, to practice a virtue or perform some specific good deed in order to accomplish a future good.

Monastic Beginnings

5. Two types: a) eremitical or hermit life - individuals withdrawing

into loosely organized groups to live an isolated ascetical life

b) Cenobitical - (common life) – this monastic life is lived within a community.

Monastic Beginnings

6. St. Paul of Thebes(the first hermit) & St. Anthony of Egypt.

a) they withdrew into desert areas in order to lead a contemplative life.

b) Fathers of Monasticism

Monastic Beginnings

7. St. Pachomiusa) founded cenobitical

monasticism in Egypt

b) starting off as a hermit & gradually attracting followers to his way of life

c) his early rule would influence many others

B. Monasticism &the Rise of a new Christian Culture

1. The monasteries would prove vital for the spread of Christianity, the preservation of Greco-Roman writings, and the formation of a new Christian culture.


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Monasticism &the Rise of a new Christian Culture

2. Monasteries would serve a triple purpose:

a) source of great spiritual strength

b) seminaries (training schools) for priests and bishops

c) centers of evangelization of the barbarian tribes through various forms of education


3. The monasteries had three major effects on Europe:a) the recovery & evangelization of rural society


b) the chief centers of learning, each establishing a scriptorium for the copying of ancient manuscripts of Greek and Roman learning, as well as the Scriptures

c) taught the surrounding areas how to read and write as well as the language of Latin.


d) The monasteries had the effect of civilizing the Germanic peoples, infusing a spiritual meaning into the act of work itself.

C. St. Benedict: The “Patriarch of Western Monasticism”

1. Life: a) Born at Nursia, Italy

around 480 AD, went to study law in Rome, but was so disgusted with the moral decay of the city he went to live as a hermit

b) Gradually, his fame for holiness spread and many men came to join him.

c) He eventually founded thirteen monasteries including Monte Cassino, where he is buried.

St. Benedict

2. The Rule of St. Benedict: a) Ora Et Labora (Prayer and Work)

i. Written at Monte Cassino, all monastic communities of the West adopted his Rule throughout the Medieval period.

ii. Praised for its spirit of peace and love, as well as moderation, in comparison to the austerity of Egyptian monasticism.


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St. Benedictiii. The monks live in

community, sharing all things, and under the leadership of an abbot (abba=father), who holds all power to govern the monastery.

iv. The monastery exists as a family and self-sustaining community.

St. Benedicte) The chief aim of the monk or nun according to

the Rule is to give praise and glorify God; this is done in common through the “opus Dei” (work of God) or “laus Dei” (praise of God), where the monks come together eight times a day not including Mass to chant the psalms in praise of God.

St. Benedict

f) “Lectio Divina”: where the monk slowly reads and meditates on Scripture.

g) Also important to the Rule of St. Benedict is that the monks should live off the labor of their own hands.

i. work becomes a form of prayer and penance offered for the praise and glory of God.

Various Rules of St. Benedict

� Laughter¡ Guard your lips from harmful or deceptive speech

and speak no foolish chatter, nothing just to provoke laughter; do not love immoderate or boisterous laughter.


� Obedience¡ Obey the orders of the abbot unreservedly, even if his own

conduct – which God forbid- be at odds with what he says. Remember the teaching of the Lord; Do “what they say, not what they do” (Matt 23:3)


� Prayer¡ On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office, the monk

will immediately set aside what he has in hand and go with utmost speed, yet with gravity and without giving occasion for frivolity. Indeed, nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God.


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� Respect¡ Wherever brothers meet, the junior asks his senior for a

blessing. When an older monks comes by, the younger rises and offers him a seat, and does not presume to sit down unless the older bids him. In this way, they do what the words of Scripture say, “They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other.” (Rom 12:10)


� Temperance¡ We read that monks should not drink wine at all, but since the

monks of our day cannot be convinced of this, let us at least agree to drink moderately, and not to the point of excess, for, “wine makes even the wise men go astray” (Sir 19:12)


� Work¡ Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers

should have specified periods for manual labor as well as prayerful reading.

St. Benedict

h) St. Scholasticai. the sister of

Benedict, who founded a monastery of nuns who followed the Rule of St. Benedict.

D. St. Gregory I (the Great)

1. Born in 540 AD to a Senatora) rose to the top of the Roman

administration, becoming prefect of police and judge of criminal cases.

2. After his father’s death he sold all his possessions, founded 7 monasteries and became a monk himself.

3. He became a main advisor to the popea) appointed “nuncio” (the pope’s

ambassador) to the court in Constantinople, despite Gregory’s desire to remain an ordinary monk.

St. Gregory I (the Great)4. Gregory eventually

returned to Rome and became a close advisor to Pope Pelagius, until he dies in 590.

5. With the pope’s death, the Roman populace unanimously calls for Gregory to be pope.

6. Gregory flees the city but eventually gives in to what he sees as God’s will.


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St. Gregory I (the Great)7. Papacy will take on an increasingly

important position in regard to temporal matters, along with spiritual matters: WHY?

a) No political leadership in Rome

b) Eastern Emperor’s indifference8. Gregory I will have to face difficulties

facing Romea) violent Lombard tribes

pillaging townsb) city populations decreasing, c) dangerous roads, famines,

plagues, and floods.

St. Gregory I (the Great)

9. Gregory will write many treatises and commentaries on Sacred Scripture along with over 800 letters

10. he will also establish and have written down (codify) the music of the Church, called Gregorian Chant.

St. Gregory I (the Great)

10. Gregory will refuse to recognize the title “Ecumenical Patriarch” which the Patriarch of Constantinople will adopt after the First Council of Constantinople,

a) sees it as a way to usurp the authority of the pope.

11. Gregory will send out many missionary groups to evangelize foreign peoples like the Saxons and the Lombards.

12. The first pope to use the title Servi Servorum Dei “Servant of the servants of God”.

the fall of rome - mr. harnisch · a. monastic beginnings 2. monasticism sprung from the desire of...

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