Download File - Religious Studies Course Notes

Significant Dates in the Middle Ages and Influences of Certain Events
410 -- Fall of Rome
570's -- Rise and Spread of Islam
732 -- Battle of Tours: Charles Martel repels the Islamic forces and stops
the spread of Islam into the West
800 -- Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III
1054 -- Excommunication of the Patriarch of Constantinople: formal
split between Eastern and Western Christianity
1096-1270 -- Crusades: military expeditions sanctioned by the Pope to
recover Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Muslims
1302 -- 'Unam Sanctum': highest claim of papal authority pronounced by
Pope Boniface VIII
1309-1377 -- 'The Babylonian Captivity': Papacy is controlled by the
French monarchy
1337-1453 -- The Hundred Years War between France and England
1338-1417 -- 'The Great Schism': Christendom has two and then three
popes
1417 -- Council of Constance: Reformer John Hus is burned at the stake
1492 -- European 'discovery' of the Americas
Impact and Influences of Certain Events – Middle Ages
The East/West Schism (1054)
The schism between the churches of the East and the West was political, geographical,
and religious in nature, and the final act of separation between the two had been centuries in
the making.
Geographically and politically, Rome and Constantinople were divided due to the ongoing
invasions of their enemies, particularly the Germanic invasions of the Western territories. In
matters of religion,
Rome and the papacy represented the center of power for the West.
Constantinople, in the East, did not wish to submit to Rome in theological matters, and the
Eastern Orthodox church had developed its own practices and liturgy.
For example, Rome followed the baptismal practice of sprinkling, while the Eastern
Orthodox church practiced triune immersion.
Roman Catholic liturgy was spoken in Latin/ Eastern church spoke their liturgy in Greek.
Additional theological divisions occurred in relation to icon worship, the worship of Mary, art
forms, and architecture.
On July 16, 1054, the tension between the East and West came to a head when
excommunication orders against the Patriarch of Constantinople were placed on the altar of the
Hagia Sophia during worship. Effectively, Pope Leo IX was cutting ties with the Eastern church,
and four days later, the East responded in kind.
The immediate results were the severance of any relationship between Rome and
Constantinople.
Now another Christian church was born that was now out of union with the Catholic church.
To be outside of the Catholic church was to be outside of the will of God.
While Rome viewed itself as the sole chief authority, Constantinople viewed the Pope as the
first among equals (and clearly, this distinction was not acceptable to Rome).
The long-term effects of the Great Schism remain, as the Roman Catholic church and the
Eastern Orthodox church are still separate and independent of each other.
10. Publication of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica (1274)
Summa Theologica stands as an accomplishment of its own right as the first thorough
systematic theology for Christian instruction.
Thomas Aquinas wrote this work over a period of years from 1265-1274, at which point Aquinas
died with the book not yet complete. Nevertheless, what he had written was released for the
absolute benefit of the Christian community.
Summa Theologica covers a variety of theological topics, written, as would be expected, from
the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church. Indeed, this work was designated as the official
doctrine of the Catholic Church by the Council of Trent. The volume was useful for instruction in
its own time and still remains a valuable tool for theological and historical studies today.
11. The Invention of the Gutenberg Press (1440)
The impact of a movable-type press upon Christian history is unmistakable. The timing of the
introduction of the printing press is equally remarkable. Until the advent of the movable-type
press, books were scarce and very expensive.
The books - hand-written copies, primarily copied at the hands of monks, letter by letter,
and word by word. Now, a press was available which could print many copies of a
book in the time it would take a monk to make only a copy or two.
The immediate effect of the printing press was that books, including the Gutenberg Bible,
became more widely available to the masses. Scriptures that could previously only be heard
during mass could now be read by the literate commoner. Thoughts, ideas, and writings of all
types could now be disseminated quickly and with relative ease (as compared to the pre-press
era). The demand for education and literacy increased, and the demand and supply for
reproductions of ancient works and translations of foreign works likewise increased.
The ideas and writings of the Reformation era in particular had a profound effect on
European society.
Luther’s works came less than a century after the advent of the printing press. Had the press
not been available, perhaps Luther would not have had the widespread audience, the support,
and the influence that he affected upon the Roman Catholic Church.
The church has benefited in a very significant way from this one single invention.
12. Erasmus’ Publication of the Greek New Testament (1516)
Now, theologians and other students of the Bible could study the New Testament in the original
language, simultaneously comparing it to the Latin that was used as the common language of
the Roman Catholic Church.
Scripture were written in Hebrew and Greek. Access to those original languages is of the utmost
importance for those who desire to discern the meaning of God’s Word. This was true at the
time of Erasmus’ publication of this work, and it remains true today. This particular work has
lasting implications for all those who wish to study the Scriptures.
13. Martin Luther’s Posting of the 95 Theses (31 October 1517)
When Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg, he made a
bold move that few had attempted prior to this point. Others had challenged the Catholic Church
at one level or another, but Luther proclaimed loudly and unmistakably on October 31, 1517,
that the Catholic Church was guilty of grievous errors that needed to be corrected.
Luther dared to question the authority of the church, going so far as to say the church was guilty
of practices that stood in direct contradiction to the scriptures.
The selling of indulgences, which effectively communicated to the common man that all his sins
would be absolved (and perhaps even the sins of his family) if he would merely buy a certificate
of indulgence from the local priest.
The church, in the selling of indulgences, was preying upon its unsuspecting and trusting
congregants who were mostly illiterate and uneducated in the scriptures, aside from what they
had been taught from the priests who were now taking advantage of them.
Though Luther merely intended to be a catalyst for reform in the Roman Catholic Church, he
served as a catalyst for something far greater. As Luther demonstrated boldness in confronting
errors, others stepped forward to do the same. Word of Luther’s actions spread rapidly, as did
the theological contents of the theses and his other disputations. It was not long before people
began worshipping according to Luther’s teachings rather than submitting to the teachings of
the Catholic Church which were being exposed as fraudulent.
Many events in the Reformation era had lasting effects, but Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses is
foremost because it resounded so readily with the people of his day and it had such profound
effects both within and outside of the Catholic Church. The time had come for change, and
Luther led the way with this singular event.
Lasting change erupted, as well. The Protestant Reformation continued forth from this point for
many years and in many forms. Many denominations exist today which came about as a result
of this one act, and the acts that followed suit. Specifically, the Lutheran denominations point
back to this one event, but other protestant denominations can also attribute a portion of their
history to this very point in time when Luther confronted the church with its errors.
14. 1545-Council of Trent Begins
The Protestant Reformation was met by what theologians have called the Catholic Counter
Reformation. In 1545, the Council of Trent, consisting of 255 leaders, met to address internal
clergy corruption and deal with the Protestant threat. As a result, indulgences were banned and
clergy corruption was curtailed. Most importantly, though, the Roman Catholic Church solidified
its doctrines in the face of the Protestant challenge. The Protestant doctrines of "scripture alone"
and "justification by faith alone" were condemned and curses were pronounced on those who
believed these doctrines. The findings of the Council of Trent, which relied heavily on the
teachings of Thomas Aquinas, characterized Roman Catholicism until the 1960s.