Transcript A History of Christianity - Religious Education Resources

A HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
3.1 Extremes of Good and Evil in the Western Church
1000-1300 CE
THE POWER OF THE WESTERN CHURCH
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At the end of the first
millennium of Christian
history, the Church in the
West was at its zenith once
again.
Huge Cathedrals rising
throughout Europe
symbolised the wealth and
power of the Church.
The magnificence of the
cathedrals reminded people
that they were the house of
God on earth, but also drew
the eye to the heavens and
a future life with God.
POPES AND PRINCES
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Two examples symbolise the
ongoing struggle for
supremacy between the
Church and state at this
time.
(1) In 1077 at Canossa in
Italy, Henry IV, the German
Emperor, excommunicated
by the Pope for trying to
appoint bishops, knelt in
the January snow for three
days outside the Papal
palace of Pope Gregory VII,
seeking forgiveness.
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The Pope forgave him and
Henry, seven years later
deposed the Pope and put in
his place a much more
pliable Pope in Clement III.
A FATAL COMMENT
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The second example
comes from 1170 with
Henry II in England,
whose outburst “Will
nobody rid me of this
turbulent priest?” led to
the murder of his former
friend, Thomas Beckett,
Archbishop of Canterbury.
All of Europe was horrified
and Henry had to seek
absolution and make
restitution for Beckett’s
death.
PAPAL POWER
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In 1074 CE, in order to correct
abuses in the clergy, including
simony (paying for positions in
the Church) and leaving church
property to children, Pope
Gregory outlawed simony and
married clergy.
The enormous suffering this
caused priests, their wives and
children met with considerable
resistance throughout Europe.
Gregory absolved people from
obedience to bishops who
continued to allow married
priests.
The struggle for power between
Princes and the church in their
lands continued as the Papacy in
the West demanded more and
more concessions for the Church.
CRUSADES: NEITHER HOLY NOR SUCCESSFUL
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Europe in the 11th century,
though Christian, was torn by
incessant warring between
the Lords of small kingdomes
seeking to expand their
power.
In 1095, Pope Urban II called
a Council of Peace in
Clermont, France to try to end
the fighting. He proposed,
instead, that the warring
soldiers turn their skills to
rescuing Jerusalem and the
Holy Land from the Muslim
infidel who had captured
Palestine.
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He instructed priests all over
Europe to preach a Holy
Crusade.
THE PEASANTS’ CRUSADE
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In 1096, 5 armies drawing on ill
disciplined mobs of fighters from
England, France and Germany, ill
prepared and funded, marched
across Europe pillaging and
burning on their way to
Constantinople.
Led by a manic monk, Peter the
Hermit, they were hated and
feared. Three of the armies were
destroyed when European
peoples fought back.
Two armies reached
Constantinople and the Emperor
hastily escorted them into Turkey,
where they were slaughtered.
WEST DESTROYS EAST
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In 1202, Jerusalem, captured in the slaughter of the second
crusade in1096-99, fell again to the Muslims.
Pope Innocent III called another crusade, but a Europe tired
of Crusades sent far fewer knights.
Manipulated by the Governor of Venice, the crusaders laid
siege to Constantinople, looted and pillaged the ancient
treasures and relics.
They were excommunicated by Innocent III, but he used the
crushing of the Eastern church to further spread the claims
of Papal supremacy over the whole church.
Constantinople was occupied for 60 years and by its end, the
schism between the church of the East and West was
complete.
THE COST OF THE CRUSADES
Politically, a benefit of the Crusades for Europe
was the expansion of trade and knowledge and
commerce.
 For the Church, there was great wealth, but
overall, religiously, the Crusades were one of the
darkest periods of Church history.
 There were nine crusades in all, from 1095 to
1272. There was nothing Christian about them
and they were hated by peoples all across Europe
and the Middle East. They generated an
antagonism against Christianity that survives to
present times.
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REFORMERS: SAINTS OR HERETICS
Not everyone approved of the amassing of power
and wealth in the Church. Outspoken leaders
arose in the church calling for reform and a return
to true religion.
 But the social structure of Europe considered unity
and order and stable power relationships between
church and state as God’s desire for humanity.
 Reformers were therefore a source of discomfort
and possible instability, and so their success and
acceptance depended on their support by the
state and the church.
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REFORMERS ACCEPTED BY THE CHURCH
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). Turned his
back on the wealth of his world. Chose a life of
self-denial and prayer. In 1115, he founded the
new House of Clairvaux with a dozen Cistercian
monks. Considered the most influential Christian
of his age.
 St Dominic (1170- 1221). Belonged to a strict
Benedictine chapter at Osma. Preached against
the Albigensian heresy. Founded an order of
preachers in 1216 to convert peoples, rather than
conversion by the sword.
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“ACCEPTABLE” REFORMERS
Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). Born into a wealthy
family, he left home and possessions to embrace
literal poverty to become a mendicant preacher.
Founded the “Lesser brothers” in 1210. The poor
and the sick were his particular focus, as was a life
of poverty and communion with nature.
 Clare of Assisi(1194-1253). Inspired by Francis,
she founded a monastic order of nuns called the
“Poor ladies” and wrote their rule of life- the first
known to be written by a woman.
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“ACCEPTABLE” REFORMERS
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). Considered the
greatest scholastic theologian of the Middle Ages.
Influenced by Aristotle. Wrote two great works:
Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles.
 Catherine of Siena (1347-1380). She experienced
visions of Christ and sought a monastic life, but
felt called to serve Christ in the poor in the world.
She dictated letters to influential people, including
Popes and attempted to convince the Avignon
popes to return to Rome during the Western
Schism.
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HERETICS: UNACCEPTABLE REFORMERS
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About six years before Francis of Assisi was born,
(1175-6) a wealthy merchant in Lyons called Peter
Waldo was converted to Christ and gave away all
he had to live a simple life of poverty. Others
followed his example, going about two by two,
preaching and exalting poverty. The Archbishop of
Lyons prohibited his preaching, but they were even
more zealous. Waldo was excommunicated in
1185. By the end of the 13th century, Waldensians
were all over Europe and widely persecuted.
THE ALBIGENSIANS (CATHARS)
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This group, from Languedoc in France, believed
in two Gods, one a pure Spirit, whom they
worshipped and one corporial, chaotic and
worldly. Influenced by gnosticism, they grew to
a mass movement. Pope Innocent III tried to
convince them or the error of their ways by
sending the Dominicans, but then reverted to a
crusade against them when that failed. It finally
took the horror of the Inquisition to end them.
AN ENGLISH HERETIC
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John Wycliffe (1329-1384). A philosopher at
Oxford University, his views on reforming the
Church and the Eucharist were condemned by
the Pope in 1377. He translated the Bible into
English (Wyclif Bible). His loyal followers were
known as Lollards, a derogatory term for
uneducated people or those educated on in
English. He was declared a heretic
posthumously in 1415 and his body was
removed from holy ground in 1427.
BURNED AT THE STAKE
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John Huss (1374-1415) was ordained a priest
in 1401. Influenced by Wycliffe, he proclaimed
only Christ was head of the Church. His
statements against the authority and on the
corruption of popes and cardinals led to his
burning at the stake. The Czech people rose in
his support and the Hussite church was formed
in Bohemia. Luther was influenced by his
arguments.
DEALING WITH OPPOSITION
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The Church’s usual response to challenges to its
authority, rights or teachings usually involved:
Condemnation by Bishops or Rome
 Attempts at convincing a change of heart or
reconciliation through use of emissaries, preachers, or
the influence of other secular leaders
 Threats of interdict and excommunication of individuals
and whole countries
 Banishment from civilised society- e.g. Jews, Muslims
 Trial by persecution for individuals, or military
offensives for groups or countries
 Death by burning or decapitation or strangling
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THE POWER OF EXCOMMUNICATION
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One of the most powerful weapons in the Papacy’s arsenal was the threat of
excommunication and the placing of entire countries under interdict.
Excommunication for an individual meant denial of access to a church,
priest, the sacraments and blessed ground for burial. It meant
condemnation to hell. Anyone assisting them was also excommunicated.
The Church literally claimed to have control over a person’s eternal
salvation.
Interdict was the banning of all religious services and sacraments, except
for the dying, in a country or state. The innocent were denied access to the
church (sometimes for years) as a means of pressuring those out of favourusually politically rather than religiously- with the Papacy.
At one time or another, most countries in Europe had been under interdict
(some several times) and many kings and princes had suffered (or been
threatened with) excommunication at one stage or another.
The Patriarch of Constantinople, Nicholas Mysticus, even excommunicated
the Emperor Leo VI in 906 because of his fourth marriage.
INQUISITION
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After Pope Innocent III’s crusades against heretics
failed in the 12th century, Pope Gregory IX in 1231
instituted Courts of the Clergy- The Holy Inquisition.
Left unchecked by secular leaders, the Inquisition used
torture and death on people all over Europe accused of
infidelity or Heresy.
Perhaps its worst expression was the Spanish
Inquisition instituted by Ferdinand and Isabella in order
to unite Spain and force one faith on the newly united
states. Jews and Muslims were banished or put to the
trial.
The Inquisition is perhaps matched only by the
Crusades as the worst aberration among many of
Catholic Christianity. The Congregation for the Doctrine
of the faith is its modern day successor.
AVIGNON OR ROME?
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The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1378 during which
seven Popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France.[1] This arose
from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown.
During its time in Avignon the Papacy adopted many features of the
Royal court: the life-style of its cardinals was more reminiscent of
princes than clerics; more and more French cardinals, often relatives
of the ruling pope, took key positions.
In 1378 the seat was moved back to Rome, while a disputing party
continued to honour the bishop in Avignon as the head of the church.
From 1378 to 1414 was a time of difficulty which Catholic scholars
refer to as the "Papal or Western Schism“.
The Council of Constance, which convened in 1414, finally resolved
the controversy, dismantling the last vestiges of the Avignon Papacy
and brought the Great Schism to an end in 1417.