The Dark Ages To The Renaissance

1
The Dark Ages To The Renaissance

• 500 to 1500 AD

2
Iconoclastic Conflict

• Related to Church-State conflict 726 -843 AD
• Latourette pages 292-297
• Emperors (Leo etc.) against icons in worship
• Clergy, particularly Greek clergy, were for icons
  in worship, also women in favor of
• Icons a popular way of instructing the illiterate
  but became objects of veneration
• 2nd commandment was against images
• Pro-icons sense of historical faith
• Against icons (iconoclasts) neo-Platonist,
  Origenist, Christianity stood outside history
• 7th Ecumenical council in 787 AD approved icons
  but regulated how they should be honored finally
  resolved in 843AD
• Eastern Church no sculpted or 3D images, just
  2D paintings

3
Allegorical Interpretation

• Origen three levels of Scripture
  interpretation
• Common / Historical surface meaning for even
  the simple-minded
• Soul of Scripture which edifies those that
  perceive it
• Hidden Meaning lying beneath the surface of
  difficult or morally / intellectually repugnant
  passages and which can be exposed by allegory
  for the perfect.
• Allegory helps perfect a person in Christ.
• Related to typology OT is a type and NT the
  anti-type
• Commonly used in the Middle Ages

4
Collapse Of The Roman Empire

• Latourette pages 269-274
• Enemies of Roman Empire In the North West
  Germanic tribes, Huns, Goths, Visigoths etc
• 476 AD end of the Western Empire
• Enemies In the South and East Islam
• Corruption in the State and in the Church
• Over-identification of Christianity with
  Greco-Roman thought and culture
• Yet also saw the conversion of Clovis, King of
  the Franks and of many Germanic tribes.
• The Great Recession many formerly Christian
  lands became Muslim or pagan.

5
The Rise Of The Papacy

• Latourette pages 336-341
• Rome rises to first place among the five main
  bishops Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople,
  Rome and Alexandria
• As Rome and the Western Empire is abandoned by
  the Emperor and invaded by the Germanic tribes
  the Pope is the only societal leader
• Gregory the Great stabilizes Rome and sets the
  model for the papacy
• Roman practical and administrative skill gave it
  and edge over the more spiritually-minded
  patriarchates
• Bold theological claims to power and legitimacy
  and to authority over the life of the believer

6
Monasticism -1

• Latourette p. 331-336
• Monks and nuns and friars were an important part
  of medieval life
• Desert Fathers Anthony the Great, Pachomius
  etc known as Eremitic monasteries,
  unstructured, often solitary
• Cassiodorus learning, manuscripts, structure
  introduced Cenobitic monasteries with an abbot
  in charge
• Ireland monasticism was the dominant expression
  of Christianity, scholarly copied many
  manuscripts
• Irish monks travelled all over Europe, and even
  to Iceland and were powerful evangelists
• The Irish annoyed the established Church in
  Europe as they were wanderers and did not fit
  in

7
Monasticism - 2

• Benedict of Nursia Rule of Benedict, cenobitic
  (structured, communal) monasticism is defined
• Head was an Abbot (from Abba as in father) and
  various officers
• Community was to be self-supporting
• Prayer, work and study
• Orderly lifestyle amidst chaos, widely admired
• 24 hrs a day was planned in some way (though not
  overly difficult or harsh).
• Idleness was an enemy of the soul
• Monks were kept from contact with the world

8
The East-West Split - 1

• Tensions built between the Eastern Western
  sections of the Roman Empire for centuries over
  questions of theology, church structure and
  administration and the role of the Bishop of
  Rome.
• 1014 AD the Roman Catholic Church (known then as
  the Western or Roman Church) added the words and
  the Son to the Nicene Creed (in the section
  about the Holy Spirit) without consulting the
  Eastern Church (Bishop of Constantinople).
• In 1054 AD the two main Bishops (Rome and
  Constantinople) excommunicated each other

9
The East-West Split - 2

• After the split the Catholic church became split
  into the Roman catholic Church (based out of
  Rome) and the Orthodox Church (based out of
  Constantinople)
• The Orthodox Church continues today as the Greek
  Orthodox, Russian orthodox etc.
• The Orthodox churches are regional and are all in
  communion with one another that is a Greek
  Orthodox is welcome in a Russian Orthodox Church
  etc.
• There were various attempts at reconciliation but
  none was truly successful.
• The Nicene Creed issue and the Roman Catholic
  claims about the papacy stand in the way.

10
The East-West Split - 3

• The Eastern Church (Constantinople) has some
  unique doctrines such as chrismation (like
  confirmation but involves anointing)
• Veneration (but not worship) of icons
• Emphasizes the divinity of Jesus
• Emphasizes our participation in the nature of
  God, especially via contemplation
• Likeness to God is the aim ( not just salvation)
• Theosis becoming like God
• Three Stages Purification, Illumination, Theosis

11
The Crusades - 1

• Latourette p. 407-414
• Islam 622 AD Mohammed moves to Mecca
• By 650-670 most of North Africa and the Middle
  East subdued under Islam including the Nestorian
  and Arian Christians
• Conquered Spain in the 600s and 700s and
  threatened Constantinople
• In 1096 there was a call from Constantinople for
  help against the Seljuk Turks.
• Forgiveness of sins and eternal life promised to
  those who took part

12
The Crusades - 2

• 1096 First Crusade eventually a success,
  captures Jerusalem
• 1144 Second Crusade organized after the fall of
  Edessa, a poorly organized failure
• 1187 well organized Muslim armies under Saladin
  destroy the Crusaders
• 1189 Third crusade, very costly, recaptures
  Acre
• 1202 - Fourth Crusade , plundered Constantinople
  for gain (sponsored by merchants from the city of
  Venice)
• Made matters worse between Roman catholic
  Orthodox Christians
• Various other Crusades also generally failed
• Need BOTH piety and logistics for success!

13
Indulgences

• Started off as applying the merit of the saints
  to sins in this life with genuine repentance
  required
• Remission of the good works required of penitent
  sinners in satisfaction for their offenses.
• Then became able to be earned by participating
  in Crusades and eventually by paying money
• Eventually indulgences applied to souls in
  purgatory (but not Hell) in order to shorten
  their stay there.
• Plenary indulgences remission of all the
  temporal penalties for sins
• Eventually became abused as a license to sin
  and led to the Reformation

14
The Mongols

• Genghis Khan (Universal Emperor) 12th and 13th
  centuries (Latourette p. 383-384)
• Mongols largest land empire ever! Sweep down
  from Mongolia, conquer Russia, China, Central
  Asia, Arabia and even reach as far as Vienna,
  Austria in Europe. Even threaten Japan
• Stopped just outside Nazareth
• Influence in India lasted until the 19th century
• Ruined large tracts of central Asia to this day!
• Was not hostile to Christianity, Christian faith
  flourished in China at this time
• 1368 break up of Mongol Empire, Ming Dynasty,
  takes over, anti-foreign, Christianity completely
  eradicated from China

15
The Plague

• Around 1350 Bubonic Plague reduced the population
  of Europe by a third and that of England by a
  half
• Continued on and off for hundreds of years
• Unable to resist the rise of Turkish and Muslim
  armies
• Decimated the missionary orders the Franciscans
  and the Dominicans
• Monasteries forced to accept inferior candidates
• Labor is short supply spelled the end of
  serfdom and of feudalism
• Plague lead to widespread questioning of the
  faith for many lay people

16
The Rise of Literacy

• Rediscovery of Greek bible manuscripts
• Translation of the Scriptures into the vernacular
• Increased art, education, especially with the
  Renaissance
• The invention of the printing press
• Relative prosperity meant many more people could
  be educated

17
The Long Decline

• From 500 to 950 the Church went into serious
  decline
• From 950 to 1350 it saw some growth and
  resurgence through monasticism and by pushing
  Islam back
• From 1350 to 1500 it went into even deeper
  decline and by 1350 was far, far, worse off than
  it had been in 500 AD.
• The mixture of Christian Church Roman State
  Greek Culture was toxic to the Church!
• The Church needs to be independent of the State
  and the Culture
• Church was now doctrinally astray and materially
  corrupt and God was going to change it!