The Church in the Middle Ages

1
The Church in the Middle Ages

• The Rise of the Catholic Church

2
Goals

• Why was the Roman Catholic Church so important
  and powerful during the Middle Ages?

3
Religious Power

• Middle Age life short and hard.
• Church message Hope after death, comfort also
  taught punishment
• People wanted comfort and to avoid punishment,
  followed teachings

4
Economic Power

• The church took fiefs from lords, in exchange for
  providing religious services provide by clergy.
• Clergy Persons with authority to perform
  religious ceremonies.
• The church able to collect taxes, gained wealth.
• Single largest land owner, in Europe, during the
  Middle Ages.

5
Political Power

• Set up its own courts and made its own laws.
• Excommunication To be expelled from the Church
  and participation from Church life.
• If you did not follow the laws of the church, you
  could be excommunicated.
• Excommunication meant unable to gain rewards of
  the afterlife.
• High church officials advised kings.

6
Church Organization

• Every village had a priest
• Bishops supervised several priests.
• Archbishop (also could be called a cardinal)
  supervised several bishops
• Pope supervised archbishops
• Papacy Government of the church in Rome.
• The Church had power in every kingdom, fief, and
  village

7
Monasticism

• Monastery Religious community made up of monks
  and nuns
• Monks/men Nuns/women
• Middle Age monasteries worked to improve farming,
  served as hospitals, and educated people

8
Summary

• Own government The papacy
• Advised kings (even crowned emperor)
• Message of hope and fear
• Excommunication
• Collected taxes/owned fiefs
• Provided hospitals, farming changes, and schools