1. The Power of the Medieval Church
Unit 1
Activity 17 Presentation

2. unify: to bring together
Setting the Stage
Collapse of the Roman Empire  CHAOS
Western Europe divided into various kingdoms  structured by FEUDALISM
The ONE UNIFYING factor  THE CHURCH!
The Church was involved in spiritual and political matters
unify: to bring together

3. Great Schism (Divide) 1054: Church split into WEST (Roman Catholic Christianity) and EAST (Greek Orthodox Christianity)
Timeline
We’ll look at events roughly around here for THIS lesson! (1000 to 1300 C.E.)
500 B.C.E C.E C.E C.E C.E.
Roman Republic
509 B.C.E. to 27 B.C.E
~500 years
Roman Empire
27 B.C.E. to 284 C.E.
~300 years
Roman Empire (West)
284 C.E. to 476 C.E.
~100 years
Various Kingdoms 476 C.E. to 800 C.E.
Holy Roman Empire +
Various Kingdoms
800 C.E. to 1806 C.E.
~1000 years
Roman Empire (East) later known as the
Byzantine Empire
284 C.E. to 1453 C.E.
Emperor Constantine moved capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium in 330 C.E.
= the fall of the Roman Empire
= the beginning of the MIDDLE AGES

4. Map THREE religions: Roman Catholic Christianity
Greek Orthodox Christianity
Islam
This lesson will look at the Catholic Church’s power and influence in western Europe.

5. How did the Church become so WEALTHY?
TITHES
LAND
People required to give 10% of their income/produce/labor to support the Church
Land given to the Church by nobles or taken by force

6. How did the Church become so POWERFUL?
With money, comes the power to INFLUENCE
With land, comes the power to PROVIDE
WEALTH
SOCIAL SERVICES
LITERACY
People look to the church for food, moral guidance, celebrations, sacraments, salvation
(Church could provide these services because they had $$ and land)
Church officials often the only ones who could read =
became trusted advisers to kings
People look to the Church for knowledge and information

7. SPIRITUAL/INTELLECTUAL
The Power of the Church
TWO KINDS OF POWER: Spiritual + political
spiritual: relating to sacred or religious things
intellectual: relating to learning or knowledge
political: relating to government, laws, power
secular: things NOT related to religion
SPIRITUAL/INTELLECTUAL
POLITICAL/SECULAR
People relied on Church’s teachings to gain salvation
Church performed sacraments for people
Church preserved learning and began universities
Church had $$$ and land
Power of excommunication
Pope crowned emperors
Church officials can READ