Christianity in Late Antiquity/Early Middle Ages Western Civilization Ms. Tully

The Middle Ages Western history divided up into roughly 3 eras: 1. Ancient/classical era (aka. Antiquity) 2. The Middle Ages 3. Modern era

The Middle Ages Middle Ages: 5th – 15th century Early Middle Ages: 5th cent. (fall of Rome)  1000 CE High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1300 CE Late Middle Ages: 1300 – 1500 CE

Church/State Relations after fall of Western Roman Empire, 2 sources of continuity: Eastern RE/Byzantine Empire Christian church worked closely together in 4th-5th centuries

Church/State Relations 312 CE: Constantine makes Christianity legal, encouraged no Roman taxes for clergy made Sunday a public holiday, day of rest built Christian churches, Lateran Palace (Pope’s home until 14th cent.)

Lateran Palace

Lateran Palace

Church/State Relations 380 CE: emperor Theodosius makes Christianity official religion of empire practicing old Roman religion = treason! allowed church to make own courts for clergy/religious issues (canon law) ***church becoming independent, powerful political entity***

Church/State Relations Get Nasty political tension between church and state Theodosius orders Bishop Ambrose of Milan to hand over cathedral to empire

Bishop Ambrose’s Response At length came the command, “Deliver up the basilica”; I reply, “It is not lawful for us to deliver it up, nor for your Majesty to receive it. By no law can you violate the house of a private man, and do you think that the house of God may be taken away? … But do not burden your conscience with the thought that you have any right as Emperor over sacred things … It is written, God’s to God and Caesar’s to Caesar. The palace is the Emperor’s, the churches are the Bishop’s. To you is committed jurisdiction over public, not over sacred buildings.

Bishop Ambrose, cont. Statement served as cornerstone of Christian theory of civil-ecclesiastical relations for centuries Church independent of state jurisdiction Bishops judge of emperors Church ultimately the superior power Orthodox church (Byzantine) less independent of secular control than Western church

Church/State Relations empire becoming a Christian society church ultimately more powerful entity, because everyone (even the emperor) answers to God

Organization of Church Church filled power vacuum after fall of Rome Diocletian (284-305) divided empire into “dioceses” for administrative purposes Bishops est. headquarters in dioceses Central of authority = cathedral (Latin cathedra) Bishop of Rome = Pope (Latin papa) Church leaders capitalized on Roman imperial method of organization and adapted it to ecclesiastical purposes

Monasticism Rejected immorality of society – first real nonconformists Began in Egypt in 3rd century Individuals and small groups withdrew from city Eremitical life – hermitism Hidden life Coenobitic monasticism Communal living in monasteries

St. Benedict Benedict of Nursia (480-543) established regulations for monks – The Rule of St. Benedict Influenced all forms of religious life in Roman church Regularity, discipline, moderation, silence Balance between asceticism and activity Became dominant form of Western monasticism

Christianity & Classical Culture Hard-lined piety “The wisdom of the world is foolishness, we preach Christ crucified.” – St. Paul “We have no need for curiosity since Jesus Christ, nor for inquiry since the gospel.” – Tertullian Others argued acceptance of Greco-Roman (pagan) culture Result = compromise The best ancient literature should be interpreted in light of the Christian faith

Christian Notions of Gender and Sexuality Jesus was a feminist! Believed women equal to men – no disreputable qualities, not inferior Women some of Jesus’ earliest and most faithful converts Active role in early spread of Christianity “Virgins in the service of Christ” Worried Roman officials

Superiority of celibacy Paul’s Influence Forbad women to preach, hold offices in church Saw celibacy as superior to marriage Jewish and classical Mediterranean culture viewed female subordination as natural and proper Superiority of celibacy Mind superior to body Self-denial led to misogyny Women and female sexuality chief obstacles to preferred existence Same-sex relations esp. evil/unnatural

The church fathers’ misogyny and hostility toward sexuality had a greater influence on the formation of later attitudes than did the relatively egalitarian actions and words of Jesus.