Download Early Middle Ages – Hierarchy of the Church

Early Middle Ages
–
Hierarchy of the
Church
9-3
The Church

The Church was well
established by the fall of
the Western Roman
Empire


476 A.D.
When the WRE collapsed
the church survived. It is
the larges and most
important unifying
factor to survive in
Western Europe.
The Split

Christian beliefs evolved
over the years,
especially between the
Western Europeans and
the Byzantine Empire.


(thing change over time
and space.)
This caused a split in the
Christian Church.


The Great Schism 1054
Roman Catholic Church in
the West
Roman Catholic Church


The church had a
structured hierarchical
bureaucracy.
It was structured much
like a pyramid, with
larger numbers of less
powerful church clergy
at the bottom (Priests)
and one supreme
authority at the top
(Pope).
Roman Catholic Church


The parish priests had the
least amount of “power,”
but they had the most
influence on the people.
Since the priests had
almost daily contact with
the people, the people
became reliant on them.



No support from Govt
No one else educated
Church seen as all knowing
and powerful.
Roman Catholic Church


During the Early Middle
Ages things were rough in
Western Europe. People
accepted their poor lives
and devoted their lives to
God in hopes of going to
heaven.
Generally, the church
clergy were the only
educated people. Because
of this and the lack of
interaction with their local
lords the people became
reliant on the Church for
most things.