1. By Eliot Goldstein and Tim Cuozzo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12.  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?