3. The Role of the Church in Medieval Europe

4. Rise of the Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church started to gain substantial power during the High Middle Ages, from about 1000 to 1300 C.E.
The church was the center of community activity and daily life
Religious services, town meeting, festivals, plays and markets were all held in the shadow of the church
Church was a daily presence from birth to death, provided education and helped the poor.
People also looked to the church to explain world events

5. Rise of the Roman Catholic Church
Storms , disease and famine were thought to be punishments sent by God and people hoped prayer would keep away such disasters.
People were also concerned with what happened to their souls after death
The church taught that people were saved only if they followed the church’s teachings
Christian belief was so widespread that the Middle Ages is sometimes called the “Age of Faith”

6. Christian Church Takes Shape
Initially, the Romans persecuted Christians for their beliefs, yet the new religion spread.
In 395 C.E., Christianity became the recognized religion of Roman Empire.
At the start of the Middle Ages, all Christians belonged to a single church known as the Roman Catholic Church
Monasteries, or communities of monks provided hospitality to refugees and travelers

7. Organization of the Roman Catholic Church
Initially, the Romans persecuted Christians for their beliefs, yet the new religion spread.
In 395 C.E., Christianity became the recognized religion of Roman Empire.
At the start of the Middle Ages, all Christians belonged to a single church known as the Roman Catholic Church
Monasteries, or communities of monks provided hospitality to refugees and travelers

8. Organization of the Roman Catholic Church

9. Charlemagne Leader of the Franks Charles the Great
He could read and write little
He encouraged education and scholarship
He unified nearly all the Christian lands of Europe into a single empire.

10. 1.
Charlemagne was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800 C.E. What did this help spread throughout Europe?
A. Wars
B. Achievements
C. Trade
D. Christianity

11. 2.
Which emperor encouraged the church to teach people to read and write?
A. George
B. Phillip
C. Gregory
D. Charlemagne

12. Clergy People who work for the church (Pope had highest rank)
Gained power by:
Gaining land through gifts or taken by force
Collected a tithe or tax (10%)
Knew how to read and write so they kept records for monarchs
Became trusted advisors to monarchs

13. 3.
Some clergy of the Catholic Church gained political power in Medieval Europe by _______________.
A. Training knights how to fight
B. Helping peasants to become literate
C. Being advisors to kings
D. Training with Italian city-states

14. Church Appointed (chose) the emperor Owned much land
Life revolved around church
Each church had a priest but there was only 1 Pope

15. 4.
Which of the following is NOT true of the Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages?
A. Each church had its own patriarch
B. The pope appointed the Holy Roman Emperor in
Western Europe
C. The church owned property throughout Western
Europe
D. Daily life revolved around the church

16. Pope Gregory VII Prohibited priests from marrying
Prohibited the selling of church official positions (jobs)
Said that only the Pope could choose who worked for him and NOT the King
The Pope could excommunicate (deprive a person from membership in a church), even the King!

17. 5. What power did Pope Gregory VII have over King Henry IV?
A. The Pope owned more land than the King
B. The Pope could excommunicate the King
C. The Pope had to pay a tithe to the King
D. The Pope could force the King to go on a crusade

18. Thomas Aquinas
Italian scholar and philosopher and theology (the study of God and religious truth)
Tried to bridge the gap between reason and faith
He thought both reason and faith were gifts of God
His concept of Natural Law stated that there was an order built into nature and could guide people’s thinking about right or wrong

19. 6.
Who was the Catholic priest who tried to bridge the gap between faith and reason?
A. Saint Benedict
B. Pope Gregory
C. Thomas Aquinas
D. Charlemagne

20. 7. Who developed the idea of Natural Law? A. Thomas Aquinas
B. John Locke
C. Baron de Montesquieu
D. Ferdinand Magellan

21. Monasteries Monks devoted their life to church life
They prayed, studied, and worked
They cared for the poor and sick, provided hospitality, copied religious texts, started first universities, farmed their land, tended their gardens, raised livestock, and sewed clothing

22. 8.
Which of the following does NOT describe the contributions of monasteries and monks to medieval society?
A. Provided hospitality to refugees and travelers
B. Copied and preserved of old texts/literature
C. Started the first universities in Europe
D. Cultivated most of the crops of the community