Gregory The Great Flashcards
The three “Gregorys” of History
- Volks Katholizismus
- Papal Bureaucrat and Autocrat
- Spiritual Prototype and Progenitor
- The Medieval Volks Katholizismus
Author of the Dialogi (dialogues Benedict of Nursia), which was very inaccurate
He collected relics
He was very superstitious and created enthusiasm for relics
Disciple of Benedict
Liberal, Roman scholar, patrician, known for great learning
- The Papal Bureaucrat and Autocrat
Relentless organizer and hard worker Pastor of church Able to influence because of learning He transformed institution Very zealous Suppressor of heresy Cheerful unless heresy was mentioned Standard of orthodoxy during 13 years he was a pastor
- Spiritual Prototype and Progenitor
Lived a life of Monastic asceticism
Zealous evangelist - sent missionaries to Kent because….
Supposedly heard about the Angles and misinterpreted the word to be Angels
Tireless liturgical reformer, established prevailing pattern of worship
Accomplishments of Gregory
The Church
The Papacy
The Liturgy
Gregory’s accomplishments in the Church
- After the confusion of the Roman world, Gregory brought back piety, spirituality, prayer and devotion to the church
- Gregory was able to restore the Church’s tradition
- Gregory brought new emphasis to pastors, before pastors were not powerful and unqualified, but G turned this around
Gregory’s accomplishments in the Papacy
Gregory was one of the first great reformers
He brought new autonomy and authority
The Church of Rome grew in power
Gregory was the first citizen of Christendom
He killed the secular void left by the wars
He made papacy the center of spirituality
He established patterns for history
Created the idea that the pope is the head of the church
Gregory’s accomplishments in the liturgy
Gregory had great influence over worship
He brought truth into worship
He established an order of worship
Before…mixed cultural norms, whatever people liked aimed at God, but Gregory said that God is unchanging so He should be approached in the same manner during worship
Utilized Benedict of Nursia’s ideas and established a regular pattern of worship
Restored Biblical content to worship, because often the Bible wasn’t used enough
He emphasized that art should be incorporated into worship
Emphasized the Psalms in worship
Gregory
Born into an aristocratic family Became a monk and then a pope eventually became bishop of Rome Born in 540 and died in 604 Father of modern papacy
Latifunda
Farm owned by wealthy farmers
Gregory
Born into an aristocratic family Became a monk and then a pope First pope who had been a monk Wrote many books that added to Christian literature of the Middle Ages Worked with king Ethelbert Wanted to stop heresy in Rome Servant of servants of God
Thomas Carlye’s philosophy of history
History= men’s accomplishments
G.K. Chesterton’s philosophy of history
Popular History is just the recording of unpopular people
Leaves out the popular stuff
Thomas Carlyle
historian
Born to a strong Calvinist parents
G.K. Chesterton
Roman Catholic
English writer
