Download Role of the Church - Pottstown School District

Warm Up Question (April 4)
What is the difference
between an apprentice
and a journeymen?
Church Dominates
 Church’s most important
achievement was converting
people of Western Europe to
Christianity
 Anyone who was not part of the
church was suspicious.
Parish Priest
 The priest of the parish was often
the only contact people had
with the Church.
 Celebrated mass and
administered the sacraments
 Christians believed
participation in the
sacraments would lead them to
salvation or the everlasting life
with God.
Village Church/Cathedrals
 Church was the social center and a place of worship.
 Daily life revolved around the Christian calendar.
 Church required people to pay a tithe or tax equal to tenth
of their income.
 Cathedrals were often built in Gothic style.
Women
 Women were equal in the eyes
of God.
 Women were seen as weak and
easily led to sin.
 Churches could fine men who
injured their wives.
 Churches often punished
women more harshly than men.
 The church frowned upon
women learning
Monastic Life
 Some men and women
withdrew from life to
become monks and
nuns
 They devoted their
entire lives to spiritual
goals
Benedictine Rule
 A monk named Benedict
organized a monastery in
Central Italy
 He created life rules for
monks and nuns called the
Benedictine Rule.
Monks and nuns took 3 vows
1) Obedience to Church
2) Live a life of Poverty
3) Chasity (purity)
Service and Scholarship
 Monasteries provided basic health and
educational services
 Monks and nuns looked after the poor
and sick and set up schools for children.
 Educated monks wrote and taught Latin
Who Has the Power?
 The pope claimed papal
supremacy giving pope
authority over kings,
emperors and secular rulers.
 Churches Power
o Economic = land
holdings and estates
o Political = own armies,
educated church
officials served in the
courts
Medieval Church
 Church’s spiritual power
 Breaking the church’s moral
laws, or canon law, could lead
to excommunication or
unable to receive the
sacraments.
 No sacraments = if you die
you will go to hell.

Rulers feared the interdict =
everyone under the king is
also excommunicated
Problems With
Church

Discipline weakened,
corruption set in

Monks and nuns began to
ignore their vows of poverty

Priests focused more on
family than religious duties
(at time could be married)

Some clergy lived in luxury

Church ruled the courts
because educated were also
church officials.
Economic Recovery Sparks Change
Technology Improves Farming
 Peasants began
using horses
 Peasants used
iron plows to
plant more
crops.
 The population
tripled between
1000-1300
Results of More Food
 Warfare declined
 More people began
to travel
 Trade routes
expanded
 Towns & cities grew
Money
• People sought capital,
banking grew.
• Merchants formed
partnerships and
developed insurance.
• Serfs became tenant
farmers, paid rent.
Guilds
 Merchants and
artisans formed
middle class and
built guilds
•
A child would first be
an apprentice, or
trainee.
•
Guild members were
called journeymen.
Medieval Cities
 High walls & narrow
streets
 Cities always had a
church
 Overcrowded and
smelled