By Eliot Goldstein and Tim Cuozzo

 Christians were secular in Europe  Popes were spiritual leaders.

 The Church became powerful by having it’s own laws, lands and taxes  Along with collecting taxes the church would also accept gifts

 Power of the church grew with its wealth  Influenced kings and rulers of Europe

 Church developed it’s own laws  Anyone who disobeyed faced punishment

 Excommunication  A powerful noble who opposed the church could face the interdict.

 Abbot Berno  Church was sole provider of education in the Middle Ages  He revived the Benedict Rule

 Refused to allow nobles or bishops to interfere in monastery affairs  Cluny was placed under direct protection of the pope

 Respected nature  Came from wealthy family  Had a small group of followers that grew

 Communities existed across Europe  Spain became the center for Jewish culture  By 1000s, Western Europe was Christianized

 Christians often blamed the Jews  Jews were not part of the structure of Christians lives  Jewish communities thrived until modern times

 How did the church gain Secular Power?  Did the church help Europe escape thee Dark Ages or did it attempt to pull Europe back into the Dark Ages?