The English Medieval Church
- Created by: SGriffin49
- Created on: 21-06-21 09:01
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- The English Medieval Church
- The Importance of the Church
- Religion was the most important thing in most people's lives.
- The vast majority of people were illiterate therefore, religion was a way to organise their life
- Many people feared death in a time where medical knowledge was only basic. They were told they would go to hell if they didn't support the Church.
- Almost everyone in England at this time was Christian. There was also a small Jewish population.
- Christendom covered the whole of Europe, apart from some Muslim areas in Spain and Southern Italy.
- Christendom was split into 2 parts.
- In Western Europe the Christian Church looked to the Pope in Rome as leader.
- In Eastern Europe people followed Orthodox Christianity and looked to the Emperor of Byzantium as leader.
- Christendom was split into 2 parts.
- Nearly everyone had some link to the Church. for example family members as clergymen or they may work for the Church.
- Christendom covered the whole of Europe, apart from some Muslim areas in Spain and Southern Italy.
- People left money to the Church so that prayers could be said to shorten their time in purgatory (where they go before Heaven to have their sins cleansed).
- The Church also made money by selling religious relics. These were things such as parts of Jesus's cross, bones of saints and dust from the Holy Land. Some people made money by selling fake relics.
- The Church also sold documents called indulgences which were believed to shorten a persons time in purgatory.
- Why was the Church so powerful?
- The Christian Church owned large amounts of land making it rich and powerful.
- Monasteries and Churches employed thousands of people to help the bishops, priests and monks.
- Life was unpredictable due to the constant fear of disease and death, The Church offered a route to everlasting life in heaven.
- Even the King and lords looked to the Church to help them get to heaven.
- One of the Pope's greatest powers was his ability to excommunicate people, even the King. Excommunica-nts were no longer members of the Church and would go to hell.
- The Church was home to priests and monks who could read and write. They were employed by the King and lords to help them administer their lands.
- One of the only ways people could leave their town or village would be by going on a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey to a religious place. They were regarded as a quest for heaven.
- The clergy didn't have to pay taxes, and ordinary people had to pay them for baptisms, weddings and funerals.
- The Church could afford to build impressive stone churches and cathedrals that have lasted centuries.
- Organisation of the Churches and Monasteries
- There was a separate organisation for the Christian Church.
- The Head of the Western Church as the Pope, in Rome, Italy.
- In England the most senior churchman was the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- Below the Archbishop was the bishops who organised the Church across England in areas known as dioceses.
- Within each diocese were hundreds of parishes, each led by a parish priest who performed religious services in church.
- Below the Archbishop was the bishops who organised the Church across England in areas known as dioceses.
- Monasteries and convents were where religious people worked and prayed. These were led by abbots and abbesses.
- Monasteries and convents looked after monks, nuns and friars who were religious people who chose to live there to pray and do good works.
- The Importance of the Church
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