Download Into the Darkness

INTO THE DARKNESS
476- 800
RALLY ROBIN (PARTNER)
Going back and forth with your Shoulder Partner, name as
many things as possible that you saw the monks doing in the
video.
QUICK REVIEW
• Rome falls in 476 A.D.
• The lack of a substantial and stable emperor leaves a power
vacuum in the Roman Empire.
• The Church steps up.
• Well structured and organized
• God – given authority
• Stability
THE BENEDICTINE ORDER
• St. Benedict (480-547) – Father
of Western Monasticism
• Wrote “The Rule of St. Benedict”
a book of precepts for living the
monastic life style.
• The Rule can be summed up
“Ora et labora” which means
prayer and work.
• 1500 year old tradition.
MONTE CASSINO – BENEDICT’S MAIN
MONASTERY BUILT IN 529.
MONKS TODAY – BELMONT ABBEY
MONKS SAVED THE (WESTERN) WORLD
Monasteries become pockets of
knowledge, culture, and prayer
3 Main Effects on Europe
1. Recovery and Evangelization of
rural society
- Boosted agriculture, acted as
small towns for places not near
cities.
2. Chief centers of learning and
knowledge
-Preserved important items and
texts
3. Civilizing the Barbarians
POPE ST. GREGORY THE GREAT
“THE SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD”
• 540-604
• Originally the prefect of Rome – civilian leader (mayor/police
chief/treasurer)
• Lived as a monk & established 6 monasteries
• Served as Papal Ambassador to Constantinople under Pope Pelagius
II
• Elected as the 64 th Pope in 590 1st monk to become pope
• Responsible for the conversion of much of Europe  especially
England
• Motivated by having watched a young English boy being sold as a slave
FIVE LEGACIES OF
POPE GREGORY THE GREAT
1.
Friend of the Poor: used Church wealth to feed the poor and
build churches and city walls
2.
Church Leader and Reformer: Standardized seminary education,
wrote guidelines for Bishops and standards for the moral life of
clergy
3.
Diplomat: Sent negotiators and missionaries to barbarians
4.
Musician: Organized and wrote Christian music  Gregorian
Chant
5.
Establishment of Christendom  especially though the mission
to Britain
EARLY MISSION ACTIVITY IN EUROPE
•
Monks were pivotal in the converting of pagan tribes.
•
Violence and cruelty common among the barbarian tribes.
•
Many lands and people converted when their King or leader converted.
•
Europe totally Catholic (nominally) by 1330.
MISSIONARY ACTIVITY CONTINUED
Conversion of Franks
•
Clovis: King of the Franks (late 400’s)
converted after winning battle.
•
Married to St. Coltilda
•
Merovingian Dynasty- Begins with
Clovis.
•
Clovis unites Gaul (modern day
France)
Spain
Spain is Christian due to the missionary
efforts of the Apostle James the Greater
and St. Paul
Controlled by Visogoths in late 6th c.
St. Hermengild (Visogoth prince) marries a
Merovingian princess and eventually
converts. Civil war with his father, captured
and then killed.
His brother converts to Catholicism and all
of Spain soon follows.
“The queen did not cease to urge him to recognize the true God and cease worshipping
idols. But he could not be influenced in any way to this belief, until at last a war arose
with the Alamanni, in which he was driven by necessity to confess what before he had of
his free will denied. It came about that as the two armies were fighting fiercely, there was
much slaughter, and Clovis's army began to be in danger of destruction. He saw it and
raised his eyes to heaven, and with remorse in his heart he burst into tears and cried:
"Jesus Christ, whom Clotilda asserts to be the son of the 1iving God, who art said to give
aid to those in distress, and to bestow victory on those who hope in thee, I beseech the
glory of thy aid, with the vow that if thou wilt grant me victory over these enemies, and I
shall know that power which she says that people dedicated in thy name have had from
thee, I will believe in thee and be baptized in thy name. For I have invoked my own gods
but, as I find, they have withdrawn from aiding me; and therefore I believe that they
possess no power, since they do not help those who obey them. I now call upon thee, I
desire to believe thee only let me be rescued from my adversaries." And when he said
thus, the Alamanni turned their backs, and began to disperse in flight. And when they
saw that their king was killed, they submitted to the dominion of Clovis, saying: "Let not
the people perish further, we pray; we are yours now." And he stopped the fighting, and
after encouraging his men, retired in peace and told the queen how he had had merit to
win the victory by calling on the name of Christ. This happened in the fifteenth year of his
reign.” - St. Gregory of Tours, “History of the Frank”
CONVERSION OF THE CELTS
St. Patrick
St. Columba
•
Roman Briton born near the beginning
of the 5th c.
•
Important saints who helped Irish
Monasticism.
•
Captured by pirates and became a
slave, worked in NW Ireland.
•
Converted the Scots.
•
His spirituality and spreading of the
faith led to the use of private, frequent
penance.
•
Eventually he escaped and became a
priest and Bishop of Ireland.
•
Preached and converted thousands in
Ireland.
CONVERSION OF ENGLAND
St. Augustine of Canterbury
•
Sent to evangelize in Britain in 596.
•
Great example of obedience, upon
hearing of the terrible violence of the
Anglos/Saxons Augustine turns around
and heads back to Rome. Gregory the
Great then urges them and insists
there is nothing to fear.
•
Missionary efforts were not always
successful. St. Augustine had to work
very hard.
St. Bede
•
Father of English History, known as
“Venerable” Bede.
•
First one to use “B.C.” and “A.D.”
•
Sets standard of historical
scholasticism, leads to how history
ought to be written.
CONVERSION OF GERMANY
St. Boniface – Born Winfrid in England
•
Apostle of Germany
•
Plagued by despair and discouraged by his suffering and the difficulty of evangelizing to
the Germans
•
Felled the Oak of Thor- Not just cutting down a tree but a symbol of false gods and
paganism.
•
Martyred by pagans
•
His work was pivotal in the expansion of Christianity within Germany. His establishment of
monasteries, leadership, reform of the Church helped Catholicism take root and grow
within the heart of Europe.
CONVERSION OF THE SLAVS
•
St. Vladimir – Apostle of the Russians
•
Began as a Pagan Chieftain, multiple wives, many children worshipped idols and a feirce
ruler
•
Wanted to use religion to solidify his rule. “Christianity was more edifying than Islam or
Christianity”
•
Made a deal with Byzantine emperor Basil II  Either I attack or I marry your sister Anna.
•
St. Vladimir was baptized then marred Anna.
•
Grace of God seemed to convert Vladimir. Reformed his ruling and focused on being a
good follower of Christ.
CONVERSION OF SLAVS CONTINUED
•
St. Cyril and St. Methodius
•
Helped convert the area of what is today Slovakia.
•
Feast Day February 14!
•
Did the liturgy in Slavic language
• What was the common language of the Church at that time?
• JPII  “Patrons of Europe”
CONVERSION OF SCANDINAVIA
• St. Ansgar (801-865) Apostle of the North
• Important figure with in Denmark and Sweden.
• Worked to undo the slave trade, example of the Church’s
social progressiveness.
SO WHAT?
• Evangelization is a necessary part of the Catholic faith. Jesus
commands that we spread the word of God, “Go and make
disciples of all nations.”
• Christendom has now been established but a new religion
begins and history shall unfold…
• Example of the Church being “Apostolic”
MISSIONARY REVIEW
•
Clovis & St. Clotilda
•
Franks, Gaul (France)
•
St. Patrick
•
Ireland
•
St. Columba
•
Scotland
•
St. Augustine of Canterbury
•
England
•
St. Bede
•
Father of English History
•
St. Boniface
•
Apostle of Germany
•
St. Cyril and St. Methodius
•
“Patron’s of Europe” , Slavic People
•
St. Vladimir
•
Apostle of Russia
•
St. Ansgar
•
Apostle of the North
RISE OF ISLAM
• Began in Mecca (Arabia) by Muhammad in 610
• Based on revelations by an angel of the one true God (Allah)
• A mix of Judaism, Nestorian Christianity and Arabian Paganism.
• Became very popular among tribal groups eventually led to jealousies
that forced Muhammad and his followers (Muslims) to leave Mecca on the
hijrah in 622 (year 1 on the Muslim Calendar) for the city of Medina
• Muslim: submission to God
• Islam: religion and way of life of Muslims
ORIGINS OF ISLAM
• The “prophet” Muhammad preaches monotheism in Mecca.
• Forced to flee Mecca for his life. His teaching has caused problems with the
Arabic elite.
• This flight is known as the hejira or “flight” in Arabic.
• Muhammad goes to Medina and is hailed as a religious leader. Becomes
political and military leader of Medina.
• (While in Medina Muhammad slaughters the Jewish population of men and
sells the women and children into slavery).
• 630 A.D. Muhammad conquers the city of Mecca. The Kaaba was spared
destruction.
SCRIPTURE
BIBLE
•
Written by many authors over time =
historical validity
•
Multiple recordings of same event(s).
i.e. 4 Gospel accounts all telling the
same story.
•
Divinely inspired – Holy Spirit works
directly the free will of individuals to
produce Christian scripture.
•
The Canon (list of Biblical books)
decided by authority of the
Magisterium.
•
The Bible is both prescriptive and
descriptive.
KORAN
•
Written by one man in a cave–
Mohammed. Claimed that the angel
Gabriel dictated the exact words of the
Koran.
•
Koran means “recitation” in Arabic.
•
Written in the form of poetry, meant to
be memorized.
•
Koran is prescriptive.
COMPARISON OF LEADERS
JESUS
•
•
Miraculous birth. Part of the Holy
Family.
Heals many, controls nature, casts out
demons, raises others from the dead.
MOHAMMED
•
Raised as an orphan.
•
Adopts monotheism and begins
preaching.
•
Political and Military leader.
•
Teaches about love, provides a perfect
example
•
Has multiples wives, some very, very
young.
•
Suffers the passion and dies on the
cross. Resurrects.
•
Teaches submission to the one god
Allah.
•
Ascends into heaven, promises to
come again. Also provides help and
grace in the mean time.
•
Dies of a fever at age of 63.
JEWISH-CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS
• Muslims consider Christians and Jews “people of the Book”
• Muslims also call of conversion or death of all non-believers.
• Jews and Christians have the same God, but Muslims think we
corrupted the message of the prophets
• Many converted because of religious enthusiasm or tax breaks
• Muslim empire spread rapidly: Spain by 700’s
• Failed sieges on Constantinople and France
•
defeated by Charles Martel@ Battle of Tours, 732 – if Muslims had been victorious all of
Europe would have been conquered
• In conquests: Jewish and Christian houses of worship were protected
because God was worshipped there.
ISLAMIC BELIEFS/IDEOLOGY
•
Jihad – “struggle”
• Greater Jihad- personal spiritual battle to follow religious duties
• Lesser Jihad – physical struggle against the enemies of Islam.
•
House of Islam/House of War
•
Theocracy – no separation of religion and government, both are one in the same.
•
Allah is the same God of the Jews.
•
Borrows from Judaism and Christianity – claims those two Religions have “misinterpreted”
God’s will.
EXCERPTS FROM THE QURAN
And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other]
women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right
hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice]. Quran 4:3
Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah . But if they cease,
then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors. Fighting in] the sacred month is for [aggression
committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then
assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who fear
Him. Quran 2:193-194
Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause]
corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or
that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a
great punishment. Quran 5:33
Obey Allah and His Apostle": But if they turn back, Allah loveth [hubb] not those who reject Faith Quran 3:32
CONSIDER THIS….
““You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39 But I say
to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other
to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your [am]shirt, let him have your [an]coat
also. 41 Whoever [ao]forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks of you,
and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was
said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [ap]be sons of your Father
who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on
the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you
have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what
more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore [aq]you
are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:38-48
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1. According to these scriptures do Christians and Muslims
have the same God or are they essentially different?
2. How do the views of marriage differ?
3. How are “enemies” dealt with in Islam? In Christianity?
4. Where did the Bible come from? Where did the Quran come
from?
5. As Christians we called to obey God. Why should we obey
God? Why do Muslims obey Allah?
WHAT ABOUT VIOLENT BIBLE VERSES FROM THE
OT?
1. We must understand the bible as a whole, both OT and NT.
OT violence must be understood in the light of Jesus Christ
and his saving action.
2. The Bible has a certain degree of interpretation guided by
the authority of the magisterium.
3. OT violence is described within a story, it is not proclaimed
as a decree which Christians must follow. This is different
from the Koran (prescriptive vs descriptive).
SPREADING OF ISLAM
•
Islam quickly spreads its empire after the death of Muhammad in 632.
•
The spread of territory and religion go hand in hand. The Islamic faith seeks converts and
wages war on non-believers.
•
638- Jerusalem falls
•
643 – Alexandria falls
•
698 – All of North Africa is under Muslim rule.
•
711 – Spain falls
•
732 – Muslim expansion into France is halted by Charles Martel in the Battle of Tours.
•
Muslims also attempted to take over Constantinople twice in 717 and 740.
WHY DOES IS SPREAD SO QUICKLY?
1. Muslims gave newly conquered civilians two options:
Conversion or the sword. Many chose to convert.
2. Islam appealed to the uncivilized, poor and ignorant.
• It requires blind faith, intellectually easy, satisfies religious
instincts without forbidding the baser pleasures of human
life.
MISC.
•
Islam claims is origins in the OT with Ishmael (Abraham’s son) but denies the Messianic
theme of the OT.
•
Recognizes Jesus as a profit but wholly denies the NT accounts of Jesus life.
•
Rejects the divinity of Jesus
•
Mohammed picked and chose what he liked and did not like from Christianity and
Judaism.
•
Preaches tolerance and peace but also the annihilation of non-believers.
BATTLE OF TOURS 732 A.D.
• Muslim conquest is quelled by Charles Martel (The Hammer)
• Prevented from attacking Europe.
• Defining moment of Christendom – Christian failure at the Battle of
Tours would have led to full Muslim invasion of Europe and a very
different story of history.
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=OTCPCN
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CAROLINGIAN DYNASTY
•
Merovingian Dynasty corrupted and incompetent has nominal power over the
Franks.
•
Carolingian Dynasty (named for Charles Martel) maintains the actual power
over the Franks.
•
Charles Martel  Pepin the Short  Charlemagne
Pepin the Short
• Short, built, physically strong stature (namesake), yet
extremely smart and clever = ambitious leader.
• Asked Pope St. Zachary to name him King of the Franks
because it was him who actually held the power.
• The Pope officially recognized Pepin as the King
bringing in the Carolingian Dynasty.
Other members of the Carolingian Dynasty
Charles the Fat, Charles the Bald, Charles the Simple,
Pepin the Hunchback, Odo the Insane, Louis the
Stammerer
FRANKS AND THE PAPACY
•
November 11, 751 Pepin is crowned King of the Franks by St. Boniface.
•
Pope has shown that it has the Authority to appoint secular Kings.
•
Pepin becomes protector the Papacy
• Threatened by the Lombards (Italian barbarians) Rome (the Papcy) looks to the
Franks for help.
• Pepin defeats the Lombards, preventing them from attacking Rome.
• Secures Ravenna and Perugia thus creating the Papal States.
THE PAPAL STATES
•
Donation of Pepin
•
The Papacy is now a sovereign political leader as well as a
spiritual leader.
++++++
•
Papacy gains independence from Byzantine influences.
•
Provided set boundaries to protect against Lombards and
other belligerents.
-----
Graying of Spiritual and Political power of the
Pope/Church.
-
Temptation to abuse power can lead to the Church not
always make the best decisions.
CHARLEMAGNE –CHARLES THE GREAT
•
Son of Pepin the Short.
•
Reigned for almost half a century (769-814)
•
Extremely effective and good leader
•
Talented military strategist
•
Very intelligent, knew Latin and Greek,
memorized portions of “City of God”
•
Brought about many reforms in his Frankish
Kingdom; political, religious, cultural.
•
Devoted Catholic, adored the Church, created
dioceses, gave to the poor protected the
papacy,
CHARLEMAGNE – UNITING AND RESCUING
• July of 773 the Lombards (Barbarian tribe in Italy) threatened Rome.
Charlemagne protects the papacy by defeating the Lombards.
• Makes himself King of the Lombards thus uniting the Germanic tribes under
one ruler.
•
Pope Leo III is attacked due to charges of corruption. Charlemagne comes
to the rescue and helps the Pope regain his office.
HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR
• Christmas Day Mass in 800 Charlemagne is crowned by the Pope.
• Reaffirms Charlemagne as King of the Franks and Lombards but also
gives him the imperial title of Holy Roman Emperor.
• This effectively includes the Germanic tribes into the Roman Empire.
• Byzantine (Eastern) Empire is not pleased with the coronation but soon
accept Charlemagne as the Emperor.
CHARLEMAGNE AND THE SAXONS
•
Charlemagne forced the Saxons to become Christians!
• How do we reconcile this?
•
Keep in mind Saxons practiced human sacrifice and ritualistic cannibalism.
•
Charlemagne struggles with the Saxons for 30 years, they continuously broke treaties,
looted and terrorized Frankish villages.
•
785 around 4,500 Saxons were tried in a military court and found guilty. They were all
executed in one day. (Massacre of Verden)
•
Strict laws were passed to prevent Saxons from reverting back into heathenism.