1. The Middle Ages and the Catholic Church

2. Introduction The Church was the center of religious and social life.
There was only one church at this time--the Catholic Church.
The Church was AS important if not MORE important than the king and queen.

3. Why was the Church so powerful?
The Middle Ages was a DARK, DANGEROUS and DIRTY time.
Life was tough and often very short.
The Church offered a reward for those who listened ( heaven) and punishment (hell) for those who didn’t.
The Church performed sacraments such as Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage and Last Rites.

4. Clergy The people who performed sacred functions of the church
Pope
The pope was the spiritual and political leader of the church
Cardinals and Bishops
Helped the pope run the Church and were in charge of many local churches
Priests
Ran local churches and administered the sacraments

5. Monks and Nuns Ranked Below Priests
Often shut themselves away from the world.
Monks lived in monasteries to pray and serve God.
Nuns lived in convents.
Grew their own food and herbs for medicine.
Joining an order was a way to move up to a higher class and become educated.

6. Rules of the Church
Canon Law- Laws set by the Church that members were expected to follow.
Heresy- Denying or not believing in the teachings of the Church.
Excommunication- Being kicked out of the Church.

7. Power of the Church
The Catholic Church was the largest land owner in Europe. It owned 1/3 of all land.
Kings and nobles would pay the Church in land because the Church provided an advisor to serve them.
The Church collected a tithe from its members. Most were expected to pay the Church 10% of their earnings.
The Church also did not have to pay taxes. This saved it a large amount of money and made it far more wealthy than any king of England at this time.
The Church also had political power because church officials were often the only ones who could read and write in Latin ( the only common language in Europe at that time) and often kept records for the king.

8. Corruption As the Church’s wealth and power grew, so did corruption.
Some clergy lived luxurious lives and ignored their religious vows.
This led to a reform that would later split the Church.

9. Review
Feudalism and the manor system isolated people from one another.
Shared belief in one faith connected people during difficult times.
The church promised salvation ( heaven) for people during a time in which is was hard to have hope.
The Church had power because it was in charge of administering the sacraments, which people believed led them to heaven.

10. Review Videos Please view these videos and take notes in the correct section of your sheet.