The Role of the Church in the Middle Ages “The Age of Faith”

Roman Catholic Church The Christian Church led by the Pope in Rome. During Medieval Times, this was the only major Christian Church in Western Europe. It was present all throughout European countries. (Remember, the Byzantines formed the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople. This was the only other major form of Christianity at the time.) As a result, in this unit, we will often use the terms Catholic and Christian interchangeably, even though Catholicism is only one branch of modern day Christianity.

What do you most want to know about this topic? Think/Pair/Share What do you most want to know about this topic? A’s tell B’s B’s tell A’s I will now choose someone to share with the class.

Historical Importance of the Church in Medieval times The Catholic Church was the center of life in Medieval Europe. Some historians called it the “Age of Faith.” We will also need to understand the historic role of the Catholic Church in order to understand future periods of history, such as the Crusades, the Protestant Reformation, the Age of Exploration and the Scientific Revolution.

Relevance to today There are currently 77.7 million Catholics living in the United States today. (25% of the population) You probably know many people who follow this very old religious tradition. Our country’s history has been heavily influenced by Christianity in all its forms. Pope Bascillica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

I will now choose someone to share with the class. Think/Pair/Share Which of the reasons for learning about this topic seems the most important to you? WHY? A’s tell B’s B’s tell A’s I will now choose someone to share with the class.

Basics about religion in the Middle Ages Daily presence in a person’s life from birth to death. The Church taught that salvation, or the saving of a person’s soul, would come to those who followed the Church’s teachings. Interesting Fact: Religion was so important in the Middle Ages that people determined the proper time to cook eggs by how long it took to say certain prayers. People looked to the Church to explain things like natural disasters. In many cases, people fought and died in wars in the cause of their religions. (example: The Crusades)

Name one way religion was important in the Middle Ages. A’s tell B’s Think/Pair/Share Name one way religion was important in the Middle Ages. A’s tell B’s B’s tell A’s I will now choose someone to share with the class.

The Church building was the center of the community. In larger towns, this would be a cathedral: a large or important church. Usually, a bishop is in charge of a cathedral. Religious services held several times per day. The church helped poor and sick. The Church was often the only path to an education in the Medieval world.

Church Hierarchy Just like the social structure of feudal Europe, the Catholic Church had a distinct hierarchy. All together, we call the church workers “the clergy.” POPE Cardinals Bishops Priests Monks and Nuns

What is the generic name for all church workers? Clergy REVIEW QUESTIONS What is the generic name for all church workers? Clergy What is a cathedral? A large, important church building. Who was at the top of the Church hierarchy? The Pope Who was at the bottom of the Church hierarchy? Monks and Nuns