Church and World United: Toward the Middle Ages – Flashcards
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Christian-dominated Western Europe of the Middle Ages
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Christendom
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Why are the Middle Ages in Europe also known as the time of Christendom?
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It was impossible to separate the Church from everything else. All Christians measured their lives in terms of Church beliefs and practices. Christian rulers and Church leaders attempted to create the world as they believed God intended it to be. The Roman Empire began to unify Church and State. European rulers and common people followed Christianity for all things, Church and State.
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What does it mean to say that Charlemagne was a "holy emperor"and the "second Constantine"?
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Pope Leo III crowned him emperor, asserting that he was to be a holy emperor, and Charlemagne's empire was to be a holy empire. He took the Christian nature of his position seriously. He is called the "second Constantine" because he formed all of Europe into one family of faith and combined Church and State.
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Name two ways that Charlemagne attempted to serve the Church as Holy Roman Emperor.
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He arranged for the manner of worship used in Rome to be followed throughout the Empire. He attempted to establish a procedure by which the priest of a cathedral would choose the bishop, and monks or nuns of an abbey would select their leader.
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How did Charlemagne see his role in the Church?
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believed he ruled the empire in God's name; not subservient to the pope; holy emperor; strengthened Church
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What is the significance of Charlemagne's crowning on Christmas?
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We see the mingling of the Church and State and it acknowledges his power as a leader
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How did the emperor in the Eastern Empire feel about Charlemagne's appointment as emperor?
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angry; fueled split of the Eastern and Western Churches
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Why did Charlemagne see himself as a holy emperor?
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felt it was his responsibility to promote the welfare of the Church as a Christian emperor
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How was Charlemagne good for the Church?
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made first holy empire; set laws against heresies; established Church practices for empire; established rules for designating leaders of Church; great military leader; successful in uniting all of Europe under one faith; Father of Europe; big on education; started Renaissance; gave money to Church; talented diplomat; instituted economic and religious reforms
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How was Charlemagne bad for the Church?
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bloody military campaigns; murdered those who refused to convert
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Why should the Church be subject to a secular ruler?
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prevents them from doing harmful/ inhumane actions that their religion condones; laws can guide religious in being fair and just
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What role did Alcuin play in the Empire?
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smartest monk of his time; Charlemagne urged him to establish the finest school in empire and brought manuscripts from all over the empire; developed script so manuscripts would be transcribed uniformly; advisor
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Does Charlemagne deserve the title of "the great" Why or why not?
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yes; he united the Church and State through Christianity, built kingdom into empire, felt strongly about good education, lots of strength and power; exercised authority in battles, interested in rebuilding civilizations, gave lots of freedom to those who followed him
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Why shouldn't the Church be subject to a secular ruler?
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religious freedom
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How did Charlemagne give lots of freedom to those who followed him?
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sent out Missi Dominici to see if people were being treated fairly but were actually a sort of "secret police" to check and ensure the people were following Charlemagne's rules and laws
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What are the strengths and weaknesses of the fact that the Emperor has ultimate authority over all of Christendom, including the Pope?
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S: the emperor has more authority W: the pope has less say over the Christians and doesn't separate Church and State
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What are the strengths and weaknesses of the fact that the pope had ultimate authority over all of Christendom including the emperor?
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S: the pope will make decisions based on religion W: doesn't help to separate Church and State; not everyone was Christian and they might not want to be ruled in a way that was biased to religion
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What are the strengths and weaknesses of the fact that the emperor has ultimate authority over all political matters; the pope has ultimate authority over spiritual matters?
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S: separates Church and State W: 2 different people are in charge
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How did the feudal system function?
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Nomadic groups were robbing people, so lords needed protection for their land and serfs needed protection for themselves. Feudalism was a system of contracts among groups of people designed to make productive use of the land while offering protection for those who worked it. The lord of an area forced or paid soldiers and knights to fight for him, if needed. The lord in turn would offer himself as a vassal to a stronger lord or king. He would promise respect and obedience to this overlord and would pay taxes in return for protection. Employed serf, the lowest class of people, tilled the fields, planted and harvested the crops, and tended to the livestock. Serfs retained a portion of the produce for themselves and the rest went to the lord of the land.
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The practice of lay persons (such as kings) appointing bishops, priests, abbots, and abbesses.
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lay investiture
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The payment of money to be appointed to a Church office.
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simony
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A rule enacted by the medieval Church forbidding warfare during certain holy days of the year.
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Truce of God
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A meeting of cardinals to elect a pope.
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conclave
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A series of Church reforms under Pope Gregory VII.
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Gregorian Reforms
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The official separation of the Eastern (Orthodox) Church and the Western Church; also referred to as the Great Schism.
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East-West Schism
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A severe ecclesiastical penalty that excludes the offender from taking part in the Eucharist or other sacraments.
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excommunication
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Latin term meaning and from the Son.
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filioque
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Conflict caused by the Eastern emperor's decision to condemn the use of icon worship.
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iconoclast controversy
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Christian Churches with origins in the Eastern Roman Empire that are not in union with the pope and Church centered in Rome.
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Eastern Orthodox Churches
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Catholic Churches whose origins were in the Eastern Roman Empire that are in union with the pope and the Church centered in Rome.
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Eastern Rite Catholic Churches
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Name three problems that the Church had to face during the early Middle Ages.
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lay investiture, simony, and celibacy
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How did the Cluny movement help reform Church practices?
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It wanted to reform the immoral lifestyle that many Church members had adopted. As artists, the monks contributed to the inspiring art of the Middle Ages. They joined local diocesan councils to bring about change to the moral life of the clergy, particularly in terms of celibacy. They were instrumental in a movement called the Truce of God, which called on Christian warriors to abstain from doing battle during Christmas, Lent, special saints' feast days, and other times. Abuses, such as simony, were greatly diminished because of these reforms.
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Describe the name for and some of the changes that Pope Gregory VII introduced to the Church.
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He initiated measures to help Church governance run more smoothly known as the Gregorian Reforms. He fiercely attacked simony and lay investiture. He wanted secular powers to have no control or influence over the Church (separation of Church and State). He was instrumental in designing the procedure of electing the pope in conclave.
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Why did the pope have some dependence upon the emperor for political power during Charlemagne's reign?
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He exercised influence over bishops in his country who voted for the pope
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What emperor threatened to veto the election of the pope in 1903?
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Emperor Franz Joseph
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What did Pope Pius X declare after the emperor threatened to veto the election of the pope in 1903?
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any secular interference in future elections of popes was illegal
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What did Pope Nicholas state about 45 years after the death of Charlemagne?
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the pope governed the Church and the emperor's role was to protect it
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How did lay investiture cause problems for the Church of the Middle Ages?
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Besides being spiritual leaders, bishops and abbots were also vassals to a king in the feudal system. Lay rulers who invested authority in bishops and abbots expected favors in return. The pope, bishops, and abbots had to combine and balance their roles as secular rulers who did not act autonomously and as spiritual leaders.
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How did simony cause problems for the Church of the Middle Ages?
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A wealthy lord could purchase for one of his sons the position of bishop of an important diocese or abbot of a local monastery. The son might or might not have an interest in his spiritual role or carry out his duties responsibly.
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How did celibacy cause problems for the Church of the Middle Ages?
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During this time, a disregard for celibacy existed among some members of the clergy.
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Who gave responsibility for a tract of land in Cluny to a monk?
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Duke William of Aquitane
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Who was the tract of land in Cluny given to and why?
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a monk named Berno so that he could establish a monastery there
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Who did William of Aquitaine deed the land in Cluny to?
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Sts. Peter and Paul
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Under whom did William of Aquitaine place the authority of the Cluny monastery under?
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pope, but the monks themselves were to select an abbot
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What did William of Aquitaine want the Cluny monastery to be an example of?
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spiritual life that counteracted the immorality he saw around him
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What did the corruption and immorality of the Middle Ages result from?
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power-hungry lords appointing immoral men to positions of leadership
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What did William of Aquitaine intend for the Cluny monastery?
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a place of authentic prayer and spiritual life
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What is the Liturgy of the Hours?
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the mainstay of monastic practices in the Church
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How did monks of Cluny renew the spiritual life of others?
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1. As artists they contributed to the inspiring art of the Middle Ages. 2. They joined local diocesan councils to bring about change in the moral life of the clergy, particularly in terms of celibacy. 3. They were instrumental in a movement called the Truce of God, which called on Christian warriors to abstain from doing battle during Christmas, Lent, special saints' feast days, and other times.
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Despite its political involvement, how was the Church seen in relation to politics at this time?
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greater than politics
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In 1057, what did Pope Nicholas II take steps to do?
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stop the election of popes by the emperor or families of Rome by restricting the papal electorate to cardinals, instead of all bishops
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What was the name of Pope Gregory VII?
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Hildebrand
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What did Hildebrand do before he became pope?
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worked for a number of popes; he was instrumental in designing the procedure of electing the pope in a conclave
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What did Gregory VII do in his twelve years as pope?
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initiated many measures to help Church governance known as the Gregorian Reforms
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What did Gregory VII fiercely attack in his Gregorian reforms?
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simony and lay investiture
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What was Gregory VII's main goal as pope?
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He wanted secular powers to have no control or influence over the Church
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What was the Concordant of Worms?
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an agreement between Pope Callistus II and Emperor Henry V in which the pope would have the power to choose bishops and abbots and invest them with spiritual power, while the emperor would invest them with symbols of temporal power
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With the conversion of Russia, Poland, and the Slavic people of Eastern Europe, how far did the Christian world extend?
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from the northwest tip of Spain to the Baltic Sea in the West and to Russia and Constantinople in the East
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What was St. Margaret of Scotland's importance in the spread of Christianity in Scotland?
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She encouraged religious reform; founded several missionary groups, cared for those who were sick, constructed hostels for the poor
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How did Sts. Cyril and Methodius spread Christianity in the Slavic regions?
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wrote Cyrillic alphabet, converted liturgy into the Slavic language
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What should the tenth and eleventh centuries be known as?
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time when Christianity welcomed many European people
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When did the East-West Schism occur?
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1054
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What is a schism?
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a breaking of a relationship between two groups who still hold essential beliefs in common
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What did the leader of each section of the Church do to the other when the East-West Schism occurred?
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excommunicated each other
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What was the first disparity between the Eastern and Western Churches regarding the Holy Spirit?
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The bishops at the Council of Nicaea (a.d. 325) wrote that the Holy Spirit proceeds "from the Father." Later, in order to make the teaching clearer and to counteract some heretical views then popular in the West, the Church in the West added the phrase "from the Father and the Son." The emperor Charlemagne, who desired uniformity in worship, allowed the change to be used by the entire Western Church. In time the pope affirmed this wording of the creed. Church leaders in the East were angry, not only because they disagreed with the change in wording, but also because they were not consulted about the change and because secular rather than Church authority imposed it.
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What was the final spark in 1043 that started the two Churches on the road to the schism?
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Sicily, an island off the coast of southwest Italy, had for a long time been under the control of the Eastern Empire. The patriarch of Constantinople had responsibility for the Church there, which followed Eastern practices. In 1043, the Normans captured Sicily, and the Eastern emperor was powerless to try to regain control of it. With Sicily now ruled by the West, who was to oversee its churches there? The patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, declared that he had jurisdiction over Sicily, and the Eastern Emperor supported his claim. The pope, however, appointed a new archbishop of Sicily to bring Western practices to the churches there. The patriarch also brought up charges that Eastern Church leaders had made before against the Western Church. In retaliation for the pope's actions in Sicily, the patriarch closed all Western Christian churches in his jurisdiction and removed the name of the pope from prayers said during the liturgy. Although attempts were made to resolve the dispute, it dragged on. Finally, in 1053 Pope Leo IX sent a special envoy to attempt a reconciliation. Incensed at this inhospitable treatment, the a western bishop placed on the altar of Hagia Sophia a proclamation from Pope Leo, which declared that the patriarch of the Greek Church was excommunicated. In retaliation, the patriarch excommunicated the pope.
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When and by whom was the mutual excommunication rescinded by between the Churches?
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In 1965 Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople rescinded the mutual excommunication. However, the Eastern Orthodox Churches remain officially separate from the Catholic Church centered in Rome.
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What religion are a vast majority of Eastern Christians?
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Orthodox
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How are the Eastern and Western Catholics alike?
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Both Eastern and Western Catholics are under the spiritual leadership of the pope, are also united by the Creed we all profess, the apostolic succession of bishops who guide and lead us, and the seven sacraments through which we celebrate the same mystery of Christ.
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Explain the iconoclast controversy.
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In 726, the Eastern emperor Leo the Isaurian forbade the use of icons because he felt it was idolatry. Backed by the patriarch of Constantinople, Leo had thousands of icons destroyed. The common people, supported by the monks, held an uprising in support of the icons. The pope, Gregory II, agreed with the use of icons in liturgy. This issue for the pope may not have been about how Eastern Christians viewed icons, but rather about holding the principle that the civil authority - Leo the Isaurian - had no right to intervene in Church matters. This continued for more than fifty years. In 787, the Second Council of Nicaea upheld the used of icons and condemned as heresy the calling of their veneration or use "worshipping false idols."
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What is the difference between Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic Churches?
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The Eastern Orthodox Churches are no longer in union with the Church and the pope in Rome. Eastern Rite Catholics accept the pope as head of the Church, but continue to follow the styles of worship and Church practices of the Eastern Church. They are fully Catholic.
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How might icons be misunderstood or misused?
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People may think that we are to worship the icons, rather than honor the people or objects they represent. Also, people may think that the icons ARE the people or objects to be honored, rather than representations.
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What is the rightful way to understand icons?
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We are to honor the people and objects that the icons represent. We are to appreciate them in an artful way.
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Are the practices in the Western Catholic Church similar to the use of icons in the Eastern Church? If so, what are they?
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Yes, such as May Crowning, Stations of the Cross, Novenas, etc.
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Do people today tend to appreciate icons, or are they more iconoclastic? Explain.
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Some people misunderstand icons, thinking that they are to be honored, or even worshiped. However, I think most people recognize that icons are used to represent people or objects that are to be honored/ worshiped.
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What is a pilgrimage?
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a religiously motivated journey to a sacred shrine or holy place.
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What did the medieval pilgrimage become a metaphor for?
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the journey of the human person searching for salvation and eternal life with God in the next world while traveling the world
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What was going on a pilgrimage for many people during the Middle Ages?
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a major expression of religious faith
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How were pilgrimages highly regulated?
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Pilgrims received special papers from their local religious leaders, wore special clothing identifying them as pilgrims, and generally visited specific holy sites.
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What are some examples of the most important and common destinations for pilgrims in the Middle Ages?
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Holy Land, Rome, tombs of early martyrs
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Why did two prominent figures of the Reformation era criticize people for going on pilgrimages?
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in their eyes, it meant neglecting what they considered to be the true work of Christians
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Why did medieval pilgrims go on pilgrimages?
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to absorb the special aura that surrounded the holy places; both the journey and the destination had symbolic, spiritual significance
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What was the art form in which medieval Europe excelled?
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architecture
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Greek Church is to icons as Western Church is to ______.
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Gothic cathedrals
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How did Gothic cathedrals help the faithful?
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helped them raise their hearts and minds to God and revel in his glory
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What is a cathedral?
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comes from the Latin word for "chair", the church of the bishop of the diocese
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How did the shape and design of cathedrals have spiritual, symbolic significance?
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The lines of the cathedral seem to be pointing ever upward, highlighting the awesome mystery of God. The light from the stained glass windows symbolized the Christ as the Light of the World. Churches faced the east so that the assembly would face the rising Sun.
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Who was the first medieval theologian to attempt rigorous study of Christian thought?
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St. Anselm
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How did St. Anselm define theology?
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faith seeking understanding
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Why did Protestantism move away from Aquinas in the sixteenth century?
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They perceived his teaching as being unbiblical.
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How does Catholicism see faith and reason in relation to one another?
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complementary and never contradictory
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What are the arguments for the existence of God written by St. Thomas Aquinas?
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from motion, from causation of existence, from possibility, from imperfection, from design
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What is the observation of "from motion"?
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Motion cannot start itself but must be started by something already in motion.
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What is the observation of "from causation of existence"?
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Certain events are caused by other events, which are themselves caused by prior events, and so on.
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What is the observation of "from possibility"?
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Certain things are temporary, their existence unoriginal. Their existence is possible rather than necessary.
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What is the observation of "from imperfection"?
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We judge certain things to have a lesser degree of perfection than others.
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What is the observation of "from design"?
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Inanimate things function together to accomplish an ordered purpose.
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What are the implications of "from motion"?
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An infinite chain of movers is impossible, for then their would be no first mover and therefore no motion at all, The chain must have a beginning.
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What are the implications of "from causation of existence"?
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As "from motion" the casual chain cannot be infinite.
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What are the implications of "from possibility"?
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The chain of unoriginal existence cannot be infinite but must find its source in a self-existent necessary being.
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What are the implications of "from imperfection"?
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Relative assessments require an absolute standard of perfection.
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What are the implications of "from design"?
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This cannot occur by chance but requires an intelligent designer.
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What is the conclusion of "from motion"?
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The unmoved mover is the one whom we call God.
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What is the conclusion of "from causation of existence"?
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The uncaused first caused is the one whom we call God.
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What is the conclusion of "from possibility"?
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This self-existent necessary being is the one whom we call God.
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What is the conclusion of "from imperfection"?
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This absolute standard, God, must exist.
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What is the conclusion of "from design"?
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The designer is the one whom we call God.
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To whom was devotion very popular during the Middle Ages?
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St. George
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Why was St. George a model for Christian knights?
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He was a model for Christian knights because he selflessly went out to do battle against evil—symbolized by the dragon—and protected women and others who needed him.
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What did St. George's symbol become?
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His symbol, a red cross on a white background, became the banner for the knights who fought in the Crusades.
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How did Christian leaders change the popular knighthood into a form of service?
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knights were to uphold morality and fight for the good.
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How were knights expected to act?
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Knights were expected to be persons of strong moral character, ready to give their lives for others.
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In the eyes of the Church, what was the greatest act of heroism that a knight could perform? What did this belief lead to?
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In the eyes of the Church, the greatest act of heroism that a knight could perform was to fight in defense of the faith. This belief contributed to the start of the Crusades.
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Saint Thomas Aquinas's comprehensive systematic examination of Christian theology.
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Summa Theologica
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Describe the difference between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
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Romanesque was a style of large church modeled ancient Roman architecture. It had thick walls and opening for light were small. This created a dark fortress-like atmosphere. Rounded arches, small windows, decorative, separate compartments, plain, dark, horizontal elevation. Gothic architecture had more light and high point and lines. They had stained glass and larger windows. Also unbroken, pointed arches, groin-vaulted cathedrals, vertical, ornate, delicate, realistic proportions, tall.
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What is scholasticism?
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Using philosophical tools to understand and organize Christian teachings. Use of reason to explain Christian teachings. Root is in Greek philosophy
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Whose Summa Theologica examined Christian beliefs in light of Greek philosophy?
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St. Thomas Aquinas
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Trials established to help curb the spread of heretical doctrines.
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Inquisition
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Religious communities whose members live among people and rely on the charity of others.
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mendicant
