Religion in the Middle Ages What did people believe in, and why?

Everyday People thought God controlled everything in their lives People thought God controlled everything in their lives This helped explain things that people didn’t understand, like diseases or bad weather This helped explain things that people didn’t understand, like diseases or bad weather Because people lived shorter lives, they thought about death a lot more Because people lived shorter lives, they thought about death a lot more Believing in heaven let you believe that death was only the beginning of a better life in heaven Believing in heaven let you believe that death was only the beginning of a better life in heaven

Heaven and Hell After you died would be Domesday After you died would be Domesday This means day of judgement This means day of judgement This is when your life would be weighed This is when your life would be weighed If the good outweighed the bad, then you would go to heaven If the good outweighed the bad, then you would go to heaven If not, the devil would take you to hell If not, the devil would take you to hell

Hell There are 2 sorts of sin: VENIAL – Sins which can be forgiven, or which have been done by accident. If you commit one of these, you can make up for it by spending time in purgatory MORTAL or DEADLY SINS – called so because they are FATAL to spiritual progress There are 7 of these, and if you commit one of these, you go straight to Hell

Pride Pride is excessive belief in your own abilities or “self love”. Pride is excessive belief in your own abilities or “self love”. People believed if you were guilty of PRIDE, then you would be broken on a wheel in Hell People believed if you were guilty of PRIDE, then you would be broken on a wheel in Hell

Envy Envy is when you want what other people have – their belongings or personality Envy is when you want what other people have – their belongings or personality In Hell, you would be punished by being put in freezing water In Hell, you would be punished by being put in freezing water

Gluttony Gluttony is wanting more than you need. Gluttony is wanting more than you need. If you were a glutton, you would be force fed rats, toads and snakes in Hell If you were a glutton, you would be force fed rats, toads and snakes in Hell

Lust Lust is a craving for pleasures of the body Lust is a craving for pleasures of the body In Hell, you would be covered in fire and brimstone In Hell, you would be covered in fire and brimstone

Wrath Being wrathful means being too angry Being wrathful means being too angry In Hell, you would be dismembered alive In Hell, you would be dismembered alive

Avarice Avarice is being more interested in material things (on earth) than spiritual things (heaven and being good) Avarice is being more interested in material things (on earth) than spiritual things (heaven and being good) The avaricious person gets boiled alive in oil in Hell The avaricious person gets boiled alive in oil in Hell

Sloth Sloth is being very, very lazy… Sloth is being very, very lazy… In Hell, you would be thrown into pits full of snakes to get you moving In Hell, you would be thrown into pits full of snakes to get you moving

Heaven You could get to heaven by avoiding these sins and generally being a good sort You could get to heaven by avoiding these sins and generally being a good sort If you wanted to make it certain, there were 7 Heavenly Virtues to match the Sins If you wanted to make it certain, there were 7 Heavenly Virtues to match the Sins

Virtues Faith Faith being loyal and believing in God being loyal and believing in God Hope Hope expecting and wanting Heaven expecting and wanting Heaven Charity Charity mercy and generosity mercy and generosity Fortitude Fortitude strength and courage strength and courage Justice Justice fairness and equality fairness and equality Temperance Temperance moderation and restraint moderation and restraint Prudence Prudence wisdom and carefulness wisdom and carefulness

And Seven Works of Mercy which represented the virtues.. Feeding the Hungry Giving Drink to the Thirsty Clothing the Naked Receiving the Stranger Tending the Sick Visiting those in Prison and Burying the Dead

How did the Church get people to believe these things ?

Images People couldn’t read or write People couldn’t read or write Churches were covered in bright paintings telling these stories Churches were covered in bright paintings telling these stories When people sat in church, they were always looking at these picture When people sat in church, they were always looking at these picture Wooden and stone carvings did the same job Wooden and stone carvings did the same job

Making it easy to remember Things came in numbers – like the 7 sins, and 7 virtues These numbers had spiritual significance, but they also made it easier for people to remember what the church wanted them to know

Stories & Poems Priests told stories in church Some of these were from the bible Some were stories from “real life” They warned people about what happened if you were good or bad... If ever thou gavest meat or drink,/Every night and alle; The fire shall never make thee shrinke; An Christe receive thy saule...’ The Lyke-wake Dirge is a medieval dialect poem from North Yorkshire

Quick! Answer the following in your books: Answer the following in your books: 1. How did the Church tell people what to believe? 2. Why did people believe what the Church told them?