The Rise of the Catholic Church

*The Rise of the Catholic Church*Main Idea:

*The Catholic Church spread Christianity through Western Europe

*The Rise of the Catholic Church*Lecture Focus:

*Do you have a goal that you would devote your life to reaching?? Lets look at the goals

of the Catholic Church in the early Middle Ages.

*The Rise of the Catholic Church*Both religion and geography played an

important role in shaping life in Europe.*By the time the Western Roman Empire

collapsed, Christianity had become the official religion of Rome.

*The Rise of the Catholic Church*After the Roman government fell apart, the

Roman Catholic Church began to play an important role in the growth of a new

civilization in Western Europe.

*Why Were Monks Important?*At the time Rome Fell, much of Northwestern

Europe was not yet Christian.*The one exception was Ireland.

*Why Were Monks Important?*In the 400’s C.E., a priest named Patrick traveled to Ireland, where he spread the

Christian message and set up various churches and monasteries.

*Why Were Monks Important?*For several hundred years, Irish monks

played an important role in preserving Roman learning and passing it on to the people of

Europe.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Patrick’s success inspired others, including Pope Gregory I, or also known as Gregory

the Great. *Gregory I was pope from 590 C.E. to 604 C.E.

*Why Were Monks Important?*He wanted all of Europe to become Christian

and he asked monks to become missionaries.

*Missionaries – Are people who are sent out to teach their religion, in this case

Christianity.

*Why Were Monks Important?*In 597 C.E. Gregory sent 40 monks to southern

Britain to teach Christianity.*The monks converted Ethelbert, the ruler of

the kingdom of Kent.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Ethelbert allowed the missionaries to build a

church in his capital city of Canterbury. *Meanwhile, Irish monks brought Christianity to northern Britain and eventually much of Europe.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Most people in Western Europe had become

Catholic by 1050 C.E.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Monasteries played an important role in

Medieval Europe… (The ruins of the monastery, Glastonbury Abbey)

*Monastery - A community of monks or nuns, living under religious vows.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Monks schooled people, provided food,

provided rest for travelers and offered hospital care for the sick.

*Why Were Monks Important?*They taught carpentry, weaving and developed better methods of farming.

*Monks also helped to preserve knowledge and the histories of Europe.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Many monasteries had Scriptoria, otherwise known as “writing rooms” where monks made

hand written copies of important works. *The monks copied Christian writings, including

the Bible, as well as works from Roman and Greek authors.

*Why Were Monks Important?*The literary efforts of these monks helped to

not only preserve the history of Europe but the Latin Language as well.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Over time, monasteries began to play a role

in Europe’s politics. *Monks took a vow of poverty, wore simple clothing, and ate very simple food, but their

monasteries could make money.

*Why Were Monks Important?*Each monastery produced goods, owned land

and over time became wealthy. *The leader of a monastery is called an Abbot, and many Abbots became involved in politics.

*Why Were Monks Important?*These Abbots served as advisors to Kings and

acted as rulers of the land located near monasteries.

*Why Were Monks Important?

*Questions:

*1) What was the name of the priest that traveled to Ireland, to spread Christianity?

*2) What is a Missionary?

*3) What is a Monastery?

*4) Every Monastery had a Scriptoria, what does this mean?

*5) What is an Abbot?

*Why Were Monks Important?*Questions: *1) What was the name of the priest that traveled to Ireland, to spread Christianity?*Patrick *2) What is a Missionary? *People sent out to teach their religion *3) What is a Monastery?*A community monks or nuns, living under religious vows.*4) Every Monastery had a Scriptoria, what does this mean?*Writing room*5) What is an Abbot? *The leader of a monastery

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *The growing role of Abbots and other Church leaders

in politics caused many arguments over who was in charge.

*Kings wanted Church leaders to obey them, while the Pope claimed that he could crown kings.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *In 1073 C.E. Gregory the VII was elected

Pope. *He wanted to stop nobles and kings from

interfering with church affairs.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *Gregory VII issued a decree, forbidding kings

from appointing high ranking church officials. *Decree - An official order issued by a legal

authority.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *The Pope’s decree angered Henry IV, the Holy

Roman Emperor at the time.*For many years, the Holy Roman Emperor had appointed bishops in Germany…without

this power Henry IV risked losing power to the nobles.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *Henry refused to obey Gregory VII. He

declared that Gregory VII was no longer Pope…Gregory then stated that Henry was no

longer emperor.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *Pope Gregory excommunicated Henry.

*Excommunicated – means to exclude a person from church membership…kicked out…Catholics believe that if they were excommunicated, they

could not go to Heaven.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *When the German nobles defended the pope,

Henry backed down. He traveled to Italy and stood barefoot in the snow outside the pope’s

castle asking to be forgiven.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *Gregory forgave Henry, but the German

nobles still chose a new king. When Gregory accepted the new king as emperor, Henry

went to war.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *Henry captured Rome and named a new

pope. *Gregory drove out Henry's forces, but the

dispute was not resolved.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *In 1122 C.E. a new pope and the German king

finally agreed that only the pope could choose Bishops and that only the emperor could give

them government jobs.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *This deal, called the Concordat of Worms,

was signed in the city of Worms.*Concordat – An agreement between the

pope and a ruler of a country.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *By the time Innocent III became pope in 1198

C.E., the Catholic Church was at the height of its power.

*Innocent III was actually able to control kings because of the Churches power.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *If a ruler did not obey, Innocent III would

excommunicate his or issue and interdict against the rulers people.

Interdict – An issue that forbids priest from providing Christian rituals to a group of people.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *The pope hoped that by using an interdict,

local people would pressure their ruler to obey.

*Why is Gregory VII Important? *Questions :

*1) How did Gregory VII and Henry IV disagree?*Gregory wanted Kings to not be able to appoint church officials and Henry disagreed with this. *2) What does the term excommunicated mean?*Exclude a person from church membership*3) What does the term concordat mean?*An agreement between the pope and a ruler of a country*4) Why were monasteries important in Europe? *Provided food, rest for travelers and scriptoria.