The Medieval Church © John Stevenson, 2008. 1000 150015002000 The Medieval Church The Reformed Church The Ancient Church.

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?