Middle Ages Church Flashcards
Monasticism
Christian teaching to deny oneself, hermits (solitary life) or monastic communities (common life), persecution and martyrdom not as common, want a way to suffer like Christ
Antony of Egypt
hermit, moved to desert around 270, both parents died when 18, lived near a wise man, raised own food, prayer persistently, people, including the emperor, sought him
White Martyrdom
term given to monasticism as it is giving your life to Christ in a radical way but by living, not dying
Purpose of monasticism
originally to wrestle out demons and to follow Christ to holiness
Basil
fourth century monk, recognized that monks need a rule to follow in community in order to avoid excesses and guide them in their path, became a hermit, many men joined, formed a religious community, developed a rule, formed the role of abbot
Jerome
fourth century monk, hermit, raised pagan, educated in Latin and Greek, translated the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into Latin (Latin Vulgate)
Ambrose
mentor to St. Augustine, governor of Milan, Arian, calmed the crowd in Milan who was fighting over an Arian becoming bishop, everyone wanted Ambrose to be bishop, baptized, confirmed, given Eucharist, and ordained bishop, refused to give Theodosius communion until he did public penance
Augustine
Mother Christian, Dad pagan, became a Manichaean, his mother’s prayers, his study with Plato, and his meeting Bishop Ambrose led to his conversion, organized a small monastery, became priest, elected bishop, wrote The Confessions and City of God, “our hearts are restless, o lord, until they rest in you”
Leo the Great
named pope in 440, Rome was crumbling, had great skills as leader and negotiator, great homilies, called on to fill political vacuum, used the title Pontifex Maximus, made peace with Attila the Hun, called the Council of Chalcedon
Attila the Hun
leader of a barbarian tribe from Western Asia that was invading Italy, strong and fierce, Leo meets with him and convinces him to leave Rome
Council of Chalcedon
council discussing the Monophysitism (Eastern heresy that Christ is divine and only appears human), bishops state that Jesus has two natures, human and divine
Dark Ages
between 450-700, complete disintegration of the Western Roman Empire, Barbarian invasions, Europe divided, church was stable, land and money given to bishops and monasteries, in the east the government is stronger and controls the church while in the west the church is stronger and controls government
Barbarians and the Roman empire
waves of barbarian invasions put great pressures on the empire, pope and the church ascended in power and influence
Boniface
apostle to the Germans, Benedictine monk in England, follows Patrick’s model, incredible bravery, devoted to missionary work, martyred in Netherlands, chopped down tree devoted to Thor but wasn’t struck down so many people converted
Bede
spent his entire life in the same monastery, studying, teaching, and writing, wrote A History of the English Church and People
Clovis
king of the Franks, more acceptable to Catholics than Arians, married a Catholic princess, coverts after winning in battle, 3000 soldiers convert and eventually the entire kingdom, his rule sweeps out Arianism and leads to the rise of Christendom, Christian calendar begins
Justinian
last strong Byzantine emperor, set up a uniform code of law, rebuilt the Hagia Sopia, withstood barbarian invasion, church reached a pinnacle of influence in the East
Justinian’s Code
civil law that reflected Christian values (women’s rights, more humane punishment) , took 7 years to develop with a committee, persecution of non-Christians, cutting off hands and ears for punishment
Hagia Sophia
one of the grandest church buildings of all time in Constantinople rebuilt by Justinian
St. Patrick
taken captive by pirates, lived as a slave in Ireland, escaped back to Britain after six years of slavery, entered monastery, spent 20 years a monk, returned to Ireland, made bishop, established monasteries throughout Ireland using the shamrock
St. Brigid
mother was sold by father and took her with her, went back to serve father who was a pagan king, refused to marry, made vows with seven other women and formed a monastic community, founded Kildare
Kildare
double monastery in Ireland founded by St. Brigid, had one for men and one for women
St. Benedict
patron saint of spiritual warfare, hermit in cave, formed monastery at Monte Cassino (self -sufficient), founder of western monasticism, wrote the Rule of St. Benedict, life was ora et labora, sister Scholastica formed a women’s monastery
Gregory the Great
prefect of Rome, father dies, he resigns and gives away money and land, lives as a monk, turns castle into monastery, sent to Constantinople for 7 years, returns to Rome, Tiber River floods, pope dies from plague, he is elected Pope even though he doesn’t want it, cares for the poor, rebuilds crumbling churches and city, educates, celibacy, Gregorian chant, diplomat, sends Augustine of Canterbury to Britain, “Servant of the Servants of God”
Charlemagne
Pepin the Short’s son, organizes Western Europe into Frankish kingdom, crowned “Holy Roman Emperor” by Leo III, leads to tension between East and the Pope, Constantinople’s claims to political authority are denied, BAD= forced conversions, east/Constantinople unhappy, want to control pope and church, appoints bishops, creates dioceses, establishes monasteries and churches, required Latin Mass, GOOD= supported education, spreads learning throughout empire, Carolingian miniscule, regulates liturgy, moderate in eating and drinking
Church and State
in East, Byzantine Emperor tends to control the church; in west, wealthy roman families control the Papacy, bishops often had political control, simony became rampant
Cluny
new monastery founded in the 900s, charter denies control by those outside monastery, abbot chosen who answered to the Pope, develops under holy and wise abbots, devout life, food given to poor, inspiration to others, leads to revival within the church
Lay Investiture
practice by which a high-ranking layperson such as an emperor, king, count, or lord could appoint bishops or abbots, investing them with power and requiring their loyalty
Concordat of Worms
where lay investiture was banned
Lateran Council
most important council of the middle ages, reforming canons solidified papal authority, eliminated clerical abuses and simony, condemned heresies, required papal approval of new religious orders, relics, and canonization of saints, established seven official sacraments, required confession and communion at least once a year at communion, defined transubstantiation
Islam
founded by Muhammad, submission to God, belief that there is one God and Muhammad is his prophet
Crusades
Church’s attempt to regain Jerusalem from the Muslims who were capturing and persecuting Christians who visited the holy land
Inquisition
removal of Muslims, Jews, and other people from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella to make Catholicism the only religion
325
Council of Nicea
360
St. Basil’s rule
380
Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of Rome
440
Leo the Great becomes pope
527-565
Justinian rules the Byzantine empire
529
St. Benedict builds Monte Cassino
570
Muhammad is born
590
Gregory the Great becomes pope
732
Charles Martel and the Battle of Tours
800
Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor
1054
Great Schism
Thomas Merton
best-known modern monk who described the early monks’ call as striving for “purity of heart”, lived a wild life but then entered a monastery and wrote some of the most influential books on Christian living, wrote The Seven Storey Mountain
contemplation
being silently present or attentive to the loving God
Latin Vulgate
Latin version of the Bible translated by Jerome
Manichaean
believing that one god created good and another created evil and that therefore no one was responsible for their sins
The Confessions
Augustine’s autobiography where he wrote about his conversion
Donatists
Christians who had their own churches in Africa, believed that denial of the faith could never be forgiven and that the validity of a sacrament depended on the priest or bishop
Pelagians
said that a person could get to heaven without God’s grace and only needed to work hard and achieve it through their own efforts
The City of God
Augustine’s greatest work written over a period of about 12 years, responded to people who blamed Christianity for the downfall of Rome
Pontifex Maximus
title previously used by Roman emperors to indicate their role as high priests in the Roman religion, Leo the Great began using this title, “highest bridge maker”
Incarnation
belief that Jesus is both God and man
patriarch of Constantinople
bishop of Constantinople
Theodoric
king of a Goth tribe who took over the rule of Italy around the beginning of the sixth century, managed to keep the peace between Goths and Italians, Arian, granted religious freedom
Christendom
Christianity as the dominant organizational and cultural force in society
usury
lending of money with a charge for interest, service that rulers depended on Jews to provide because Christians were forbidden to
Celts
what the Irish were called
illuminations
elaborate, colorful designs that monks and nuns embellished books with
Monte Cassino
Benedict’s famous monastery
Scholastica
Benedict’s sister who formed a community not far from Monte Cassino
Rule of St. Benedict
basic guide for religious life and discipline in communities throughout the Western world
Gregorian chant
beautiful, haunting style of music that would nourish the faith of the church’s people in the west for centuries
Augustine of Canterbury
abbot who led Monks to Britain under Gregory’s orders
Muhammad
prophet who was the founder of Islam
Muslims
Muhammad’s followers
Islam
religion of followers of Muhammad, “submission to God’
Koran
Muhammad’s own writings that became the Islamic scriptures
infidels
people who refused to convert to Islam
Moors
Muslims who conquered Spain
Charles Martel
kind of prime minister of Gaul, “mayor of the palace”, met and defeated the invading Muslim army at the city of tours, name means “the hammer”, prevented Islam from spreading over Europe
Donation of Pepin
formal dede where Pepin the Short gave the pope a wide strip of Italy in the middle of the Italian peninsula
Papal States
what the territory from the Donation of Pepin became known as
Pope Leo III
crowned Charlemagne “Emperor of the Romans” at Christmas Mass in 800
feudalism
political and economic system of living with serfs, vassals, and lords
landlord
boss of the serfs
vassal
someone who pledged loyalty to a higher lord
vikings
sea rovers who swooped down from Scandinavia in their long narrow boats attacking seacoasts and traveling inland on rivers
Ansgar
bishop who led Christian missionaries to the Vikings’ homelands
Slavs
ancestors of today’s Czechs, Slovaks, Croatians, Serbians, Bulgarians, Poles, and Russians
Cyril and Methodius
Greek brothers who lived with the Slavs and devised a Slavic alphabet, Cyrillic, and translated the Gospels
Vladimir I
Russian ruler who adopted Christainty
Stephen I
converted and was crowned king of Hungary by the pope
Pope John XII
has been rated as the most unworthy pope of all time, begged King Otto I for help against Roman nobles and then joined a conspiracy against him
King Otto I
Ruler of the East Frankish section of Charlemagne’s old territory, crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope John
simony
buying the office of bishop
