The Medieval Church
© John Stevenson, 2008
10001 500 1500 2000
TheMedievalChurch
TheReformed
Church
TheAncientChurch
VisigothsVisigoths
Angles Angles and and
SaxonsSaxons
VandalsVandals
OstrogothsOstrogoths
UlfilasUlfilas310-383310-383
• Missionary to the Goths
• Translated the Bible into the language of the Goths
PatrickPatrick373-493373-493
• Grew up in England in a Christian family
• Captured by Irish raiders and made a slave
• Escaped to Europe
• Ordained as a priest and bishop
• Returned to Ireland as a missionary
PatrickPatrick373-493373-493
• The first to speak out unequivocally against slavery
• Slave trade in Ireland came to a virtual halt
• Ireland became a sender of missionaries to England and Scotland
672-754672-754
How should the church How should the church respond to other respond to other
religions?religions?
While stands the Colosseum, Rome shall
stand,When falls the Colosseum,
Rome shall fall,And when Rome falls the
world.
Why did Rome fall?Why did Rome fall?
ConstantinopleConstantinople
• Comes to throne in 527• Theodora• Belisarius & Nike Riots• Retakes Italy, North Africa,
and parts of Spain
ConstantinopleConstantinople
ConstantinopleConstantinople
• Empire weakened in wars with Persia
• Plague ravages Europe
ConstantinopleConstantinople
• Roman centurion who murders emperor
• Persian Shah takes opportunity to invade
Persian Persian EmpireEmpire
ConstantinopleConstantinople
Persian Persian EmpireEmpire
• Leaves Constantinople in the hands of the Patriarch
• Invades Persia
• Retakes all lands
MohammadMohammad570-632570-632
• Claimed to have a revelation from God– Monotheist– Islam (“Submission”)– Qu’ran (“Recitation”)
• Moved to Medina in 622
• Conquered Mecca in 630
● ● MeccaMecca
Muslim Restrictions to Muslim Restrictions to Christians and JewsChristians and Jews
• Wear a special mark on their clothing
• No proselytizing permitted
• No new churches or synagogues could be built
• No church bells could be rung
• Involvement in politics limited
● ● MeccaMecca
• Charles Martel
• 732
• Tours, France
• Muslims halted
800 A.D.
• Grandson of Charles Martel
• Crowned emperor of a united central Europe
• Promoted schools and learning
• Kingdom divided at his death
Rome● Constantinople●
The Bishop of Constantinople shall have the primacy after the Bishop of Rome,
because his city is New Rome. ― Canon 3, Council of Constantinople
Rome● Constantinople●
Western Church Eastern Church
Church is over the state State is over the church
Pope is the final authority
Church council is thefinal authority
Theology is for theologians
Theology is foreveryone
Celibacy demanded fornearly all positions
Marriage permittedexcept for bishop
Opposition to icons Veneration of icons
1033-11091033-1109
• Philosopher and theologian
• Ontological argument for the existence of God
““I do not try to understand in I do not try to understand in order to believe; I believe in order order to believe; I believe in order
to understand”to understand”
Anselm’s Reasoning for GodAnselm’s Reasoning for God
• God is the greatest thing we can imagine
• If God only exists in our thoughts, then there is a greater quality we could attribute to Him ― that of existence
• Therefore we would be able to conceive of a Being greater than He really is
• But since that is absurd, then God must really exist
1225-1275
• Dominican theologian & scholar
• Brought Aristotelian Logic to Christianity
• Summa Theologica: A systematic theology
1225-1275
God’s God’s ExistenceExistence
Proven by reason
Known by faith
God’s existence
Full knowledge
of God
What was What was the rationale the rationale behind the behind the Crusades?Crusades?
• Muslim invasion of Anatolia
• Byzantine Emperor Alexios I appeals to Pope Urban II for mercenaries
• Urban II’s call to arms
• Kingdoms of Jerusalem, Tripoli, Antioch, & Edessa
Began in 1096Began in 1096
How have the Crusades How have the Crusades impacted our world?impacted our world?
Results of the CrusadesResults of the Crusades• Integration of Arabic learningIntegration of Arabic learning
• Emphasis on the ClassicsEmphasis on the Classics
• Weakening of the Byzantine EmpireWeakening of the Byzantine Empire
• Growing power of the Christian Growing power of the Christian ChurchChurch– Intolerance of other faithsIntolerance of other faiths– Increased emphasis on indulgencesIncreased emphasis on indulgences
What are the What are the similarities and similarities and
differences differences between the between the
Crusades versus Crusades versus today’s Conflicts today’s Conflicts
in Iraq and in Iraq and Afghanistan?Afghanistan?
Francis of AssisiFrancis of Assisi
• Served as a soldier
• Taken prisoner and a year in captivity
• Devoted himself to a life of poverty
• Church recognized order of Franciscans & ordained Francis as a deacon
1181-12261181-1226
Francis of AssisiFrancis of Assisi
• Travel to Egypt– Pilgrimage of
non-violence– Meeting with the
Sultan– Permitted to
preach to the people
1181-12261181-1226
Francis of AssisiFrancis of Assisi
“Let all brothers
preach by their
deeds.”
1181-12261181-1226
What does Francis What does Francis teach us about how we teach us about how we
ought to live?ought to live?
What is the What is the difference between difference between
Christendom Christendom versus versus
Christianity?Christianity?
What do the cathedrals tell us What do the cathedrals tell us about medieval Christianity?about medieval Christianity?
