Section III: The Church in Medieval Times Section III: The Church in Medieval Times (Pages 280 - 284)(Pages 280 - 284)

Section III: The Church in Medieval Times Section III: The Church in Medieval Times (Pages 280 - 284)(Pages 280 - 284)

This section is about:This section is about: How the Roman Catholic How the Roman Catholic

Church was a major part of Church was a major part of society , providing moral society , providing moral guidance as well as guidance as well as supporting religious supporting religious communities of monks and communities of monks and nuns.nuns.

How the elaborate and How the elaborate and costly Gothic style costly Gothic style cathedrals grew from the cathedrals grew from the wealth and power of the wealth and power of the Church.Church.

How European rulers How European rulers treated Jewish people in treated Jewish people in medieval Europe.medieval Europe.

(Not that Medieval Times)

•We have a lot more vocabulary words in this section again – let’s look on page 280.

•We should also look at the main ideas.

•And, the pictures on pages 282 /283

The Importance of the The Importance of the ChurchChurch

The Roman Catholic Church The Roman Catholic Church was was HUGEHUGE during the early during the early Middle Ages.Middle Ages.

Nearly every area lived Nearly every area lived according to the rules of according to the rules of the church.the church.

It also provided a It also provided a completely common way of completely common way of life for all these people life for all these people (beliefs, celebrations, social (beliefs, celebrations, social activities, etc…)activities, etc…)

And they had the Pope – And they had the Pope – even more important than even more important than everyone’s own king.everyone’s own king.

Religion in Everyday LifeReligion in Everyday Life The The ParishParish: center of : center of

village life.village life. Everyone was there on Everyone was there on

Sundays and religious Sundays and religious festivals (with a Latin festivals (with a Latin Mass).Mass).

The Priest: usually the The Priest: usually the only educated man in the only educated man in the village: marriages, village: marriages, baptisms, funerals, teach baptisms, funerals, teach the rules and values of the rules and values of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church, supply food and shelter supply food and shelter for the needy, and even for the needy, and even run a school for the run a school for the children.children.

…………

Services were paid for by Services were paid for by parishioners. parishioners.

They were supposed to They were supposed to tithe tithe (pay 1/10(pay 1/10thth of their salary to of their salary to the church).the church).

Even higher than a priest Even higher than a priest was a bishop.was a bishop.

He was in charge of an He was in charge of an entire region (called a entire region (called a diocese).diocese).

It was the bishops job to It was the bishops job to keep an eye on the priests, keep an eye on the priests, and settle possible disputes.and settle possible disputes.

Above the bishop: the Above the bishop: the archbishop – who oversaw archbishop – who oversaw many bishops.many bishops.

The, their “boss” was the The, their “boss” was the Pope.Pope.

All of these are still in place All of these are still in place todaytoday

Religious Religious CommunitiesCommunities

Some men and women wanted Some men and women wanted to practice their religion away to practice their religion away from the outside world. from the outside world.

They lived in They lived in monasteriesmonasteries (men) and (men) and conventsconvents (women). (women).

Monks: often took a vow of Monks: often took a vow of poverty, purity, and obedience poverty, purity, and obedience to the abbot, and spent their to the abbot, and spent their time working for the time working for the monastery (usually had a monastery (usually had a specific job) and praying.specific job) and praying.

Each monastery would have a Each monastery would have a church or chapel, dorms where church or chapel, dorms where the monks would sleep, and the monks would sleep, and building to eat in and work at.building to eat in and work at.

…………....

The women (nuns) were at The women (nuns) were at first from well-born women first from well-born women (who’s family could (who’s family could contribute money), but contribute money), but later on could be anyone.later on could be anyone.

Convents were run by Convents were run by abbesses (usually from a abbesses (usually from a noble family).noble family).

Wealthy people often gave Wealthy people often gave large amounts of money to large amounts of money to monasteries and convents monasteries and convents (in exchange for special (in exchange for special prayers, salvation, or prayers, salvation, or having their soul saved).having their soul saved).

With this money, they With this money, they were hooked into land were hooked into land ownership, and became ownership, and became lords to vassals and lords to vassals and peasants.peasants.

Because of this, many Because of this, many monasteries and convents monasteries and convents became quite powerful.became quite powerful.

The Roles of Monasteries and The Roles of Monasteries and ConventsConvents

Monasteries and Monasteries and convents also became convents also became centers for learning.centers for learning.

Many were known for Many were known for the beautiful books the beautiful books they produced hand-they produced hand-copying each page).copying each page).

Others were known as Others were known as hospitals or healing hospitals or healing centers, or even places centers, or even places to stay while traveling..to stay while traveling..

Once in a while, a Once in a while, a monk might leave – but monk might leave – but usually only to be a usually only to be a missionarymissionary

Benedictine Rule Benedictine Rule (about 530 AD)(about 530 AD)

A Holy Man named A Holy Man named Benedict organized a Benedict organized a monastery in Italy.monastery in Italy.

He encouraged his monks He encouraged his monks to lead simple, orderly lives to lead simple, orderly lives of prayer, study, and work.of prayer, study, and work.

These rules also included a These rules also included a vow of poverty.vow of poverty.

Most monasteries started to Most monasteries started to follow this “follow this “Benedictine Benedictine RuleRule.”.”

This sometimes conflicted This sometimes conflicted with the monasteries who with the monasteries who had a lot of money and the had a lot of money and the abbots who ran them.abbots who ran them.

New New Religious Religious OrdersOrders Some monks started their own Some monks started their own

religious “orders”religious “orders” Carthusians: each had their Carthusians: each had their

own hut and only had contact own hut and only had contact with others during services – with others during services – they didn't even see the they didn't even see the people who brought them people who brought them meals.meals.

The Dominicans (after a The Dominicans (after a Spanish priest – Dominic): Spanish priest – Dominic): considered studying to be very considered studying to be very important.important.

The Franciscans (St. Francis of The Franciscans (St. Francis of Assisi): lived in poverty Assisi): lived in poverty (beggars) and traveled around (beggars) and traveled around helping the poor and sick. helping the poor and sick. They called themselves friars They called themselves friars (brothers), but they also (brothers), but they also welcomed women.welcomed women.

Most places that had nuns Most places that had nuns used them to take care of the used them to take care of the poor and the sick.poor and the sick.

Church, Religion, and PowerChurch, Religion, and Power

The Pope’s power The Pope’s power came from: came from: hundreds of years of hundreds of years of church tradition.church tradition.

The Pope held The Pope held supreme power on supreme power on earth, and in heaven.earth, and in heaven.

The Pope spoke The Pope spoke “with the voice of “with the voice of God.”God.”

The Pope’s ReachThe Pope’s Reach

The Pope’s ultimate weapon: The Pope’s ultimate weapon: excommunication (kicking excommunication (kicking someone out of the church).someone out of the church).

This meant someone’s soul This meant someone’s soul would not go to heaven, and would not go to heaven, and could not get a Christian could not get a Christian marriage or funeral.marriage or funeral.

And, of course, others And, of course, others wouldn’t have anything to do wouldn’t have anything to do with you.with you.

The Pope could even ex-The Pope could even ex-communicate and entire communicate and entire village.village.

This as also a time in history This as also a time in history where most people were very where most people were very superstitious and afraid of superstitious and afraid of any/all evil forces in the world.any/all evil forces in the world.

Cathedral Cathedral ArchitectureArchitecture

The Cathedral (the The Cathedral (the bishops church) was a bishops church) was a symbol of the power of symbol of the power of the Catholic Church.the Catholic Church.

Richly decorated, with Richly decorated, with grand processions, and grand processions, and elaborate ceremonies.elaborate ceremonies.

During the Middle During the Middle Ages: were built with Ages: were built with a “Romanesque” style a “Romanesque” style architecture, with thick architecture, with thick walls, rounded arches, walls, rounded arches, small windows, and small windows, and heavy roofs.heavy roofs.

……....

In the later In the later Middle Ages…Middle Ages…

Churches were much Churches were much more open and rose more open and rose much higher.much higher.

This style was called This style was called “Gothic”“Gothic”

Had arches and spires Had arches and spires pointing towards the pointing towards the sky (and to God), and sky (and to God), and beautiful stained-glass beautiful stained-glass windows (so people windows (so people could see the stories could see the stories of the bible)of the bible)

Jewish People and European Jewish People and European EconomicsEconomics

The Middle Ages was a The Middle Ages was a HUGE time of HUGE time of anti-anti-SemitismSemitism (hatred of (hatred of Jews).Jews).

They were usually They were usually restricted from owning restricted from owning land and working in land and working in most profession. most profession.

But, no one really But, no one really bothered them too bothered them too much if they kept much if they kept quiet and paid their quiet and paid their taxes.taxes.

One thing the Jews were allowed One thing the Jews were allowed to be: merchantsto be: merchants

They were able to keep They were able to keep trading (between Europe trading (between Europe and the Middle East) and and the Middle East) and were responsible for a lot of were responsible for a lot of the nicer things in the the nicer things in the world at the time getting to world at the time getting to Europe.Europe.

This eventually made them This eventually made them quite wealthy, and the lords quite wealthy, and the lords protected them (they protected them (they needed the trading and needed the trading and banking services).banking services).

If Jews had wealth, it was If Jews had wealth, it was usually in the form of gold, usually in the form of gold, silver, precious stones, silver, precious stones, etc…etc…

Jewish protections ended in the 11Jewish protections ended in the 11thth centurycentury

Christian traders became Christian traders became more common and more common and successful.successful.

The church started to allow The church started to allow Christians to charge Christians to charge interest on loans.interest on loans.

The The CrusadesCrusades were about were about to begin (wars with to begin (wars with Christians, Jews, and Christians, Jews, and Muslims).Muslims).

Many Jews moved from Many Jews moved from England and France to England and France to Germany and Poland, Germany and Poland, where they’d be left alone where they’d be left alone (they thought)(they thought)