Lecture 2.2: The Catholic Church

 What events can we use to mark the beginning of the Dark Ages?  Why are the Dark Ages called the Dark Ages?  What was life like for an ordinary person in the middle ages?  What was Feudalism?  How long do you think it takes Mr. Sliwa to look so good in the morning? KNIGHT’S CHARGE

WEIRD DISNEY FACT OF THE DAY! Belle is the only person in the entire film “Beauty and the Beast” to wear the color blue. This is supposed to signify her higher level of intelligence and show how she is “different” from the rest of the common people.

THE POPE

 The Pope – Leader of the Catholic Church  The Catholic Church became very popular during the Middle (Dark) Ages.  In each medieval town, the church was the center of the town. THE POPE

 Parish Priests – Local Priest of an area.  Each Middle Ages Village had a priest.  What about today? PARISH PRIESTS

 In the Dark Ages, anyone not involved with the Catholic Church was looked upon with skepticism.  Priests provided guidance, helped the needy, and even ran schools and hospitals.  Saints, direct messengers of God, became very important as well.  People would pray to saints as a sort of “middleman” between God and Earthly problems.  Only the Pope can declare someone a saint. PRIESTS AND SAINTS

 The Holy Bible was originally only written in Latin…  Who could read Latin? BIBLE

 Village life revolved around the church.  Important events were always church related:  1. Baptisms marked a persons entry into the community.  2. Marriages and Funerals were held at the church.  3. The dead were buried at the church so that they could be “visited” when the family wanted. – This was the invention of graveyards. THE VILLAGE CHURCH

 The early Catholic Church REQUIRED a Tithe, or tax, of 1/3 rd of your income.  Why do you think the church collected so much money?  Did the people of the Dark Ages have a lot of money ? THE TITHE

 Sacraments – Sacred rituals of the Catholic Church.  For Catholics, it is important that these are done to help ensure passage into heaven.  Catholics believed that participation in the sacraments would lead them to salvation.  Salvation – Forgiveness of sins and entry into heaven. SACRAMENTS

 Cathedrals - Large churches, run by bishops, supervised the Parish Churches.  Usually built in a gothic style. CATHEDRALS

 Believed women and men were equal in the eyes of God. However…  Women were weak and very susceptible to sin (Eve)  Preached of the ideal woman…  Who was the ideal woman in the eyes of Catholics? CHURCH AND WOMEN

 People who devote their entire lives to their religions are Nuns and Monks.  They ran monasteries and covenants, which provided basic education and healthcare and a safe place to sleep wen traveling. MONASTERIES AND COVENANTS

 Pope Benedict created rules to regulate monastic life – Benedictine Rule.  Under these rules, Monks and Nuns now took 3 vows:  1. Obedience to the church leaders  2. Poverty  3. Chastity Monasteries also housed the first libraries in Europe! BENEDICTINE RULE

 As church power grew, the church needed a way to keep order and punish unwanted behavior.  Excommunication – kicked out of the Catholic Church. You cannot receive the sacraments and cannot receive a Catholic burial.  It was believed that those who were excommunicated would spend eternity in… CHURCH POWER GROWS

 Interdict – Punishment for powerful nobbles. It was an order excluding an entire town, region, or kingdom from receiving a sacrament or Catholic burial.  How do you think villages usually responded to this? CHURCH POWER GROWS …Revolts and Violence!

 The church was believed to be the most important secular power as well as the most important religious institution.  Secular = non-religious, non-spiritual.  Essentially, they were a SERIOUS force to be reckoned with! CHURCH POWER GROWS

 Popes eventually claimed “Papal Supremacy.”  Papal Supremacy – Popes claim that they are the most powerful force in the world, even more powerful than Kings or Nobles  Why?  Force of God.  There would be MANY power struggles between kings and popes.  For example, Henry the IV and Pope Gregory VII would battle over who had the right to appoint Bishops. CHURCH POWER GROWS

 The Catholic Church would reach the height of it’s power in the 1200’s right before the start of the Crusades!  The Black Plague would begin the downfall of the church.  The church was unable to provide leadership to the common people. While people were dying, starving on the streets…Popes were living in lavish homes and throwing out clean food.  People began to ask…Why did God kill some people, while sparing others? What makes the Pope and Bishops so special? CHURCH POWER GROWS

 Reformers would try to elect a new Pope.  Cardinals tried to counter by electing a rival Pope.  This would lead to a giant split in the Catholic Church.  UH OH…

 A man named John Wycliffe and his followers would attack corruption in the church.  They argued that the bible was the guide that should be followed and not the church.  They attempted to translate the Bible into English. Why?  John Wycliffe would then be arrested for preaching heresy.  Heresy – Going against the Church.  He was Burned at the Stake. UH OH…