The Dark Ages To The Dark Ages To The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

500 to 1500 AD

Iconoclastic ConflictIconoclastic 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

Allegorical InterpretationAllegorical InterpretationOrigen – three levels of Scripture interpretation:Common / Historical – surface meaning for even

the ‘simple-minded’Soul of Scripture – which edifies those that

perceive itHidden 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-typeCommonly used in the Middle Ages

Collapse Of The Roman Collapse Of The Roman EmpireEmpireLatourette pages 269-274Enemies of Roman Empire In the North &

West – Germanic tribes, Huns, Goths, Visigoths etc

476 AD end of the Western EmpireEnemies In the South and East – IslamCorruption in the State and in the ChurchOver-identification of Christianity with Greco-

Roman thought and cultureYet 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.

The Rise Of The PapacyThe Rise Of The PapacyLatourette pages 336-341Rome 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

Monasticism -1Monasticism -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’

Monasticism - 2Monasticism - 2Benedict 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-supportingPrayer, work and studyOrderly lifestyle amidst chaos, widely admired24 hrs a day was planned in some way

(though not overly difficult or harsh). Idleness was an enemy of the soulMonks were ‘kept from contact with the world’

The East-West Split - 1The East-West Split - 1Tensions 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

The East-West Split - 2The East-West Split - 2After 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.

The East-West Split - 3The East-West Split - 3The Eastern Church (Constantinople) has

some unique doctrines such as chrismation (like confirmation but involves anointing)

Veneration (but not worship) of iconsEmphasizes the divinity of JesusEmphasizes our participation in the nature of

God, especially via contemplation Likeness to God is the aim ( not just

salvation)Theosis – becoming like GodThree Stages: Purification, Illumination,

Theosis

The Crusades - 1The Crusades - 1Latourette – p. 407-414 Islam – 622 AD Mohammed moves to MeccaBy 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

The Crusades - 2The 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!

IndulgencesIndulgencesStarted 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

The MongolsThe MongolsGenghis 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 centuryRuined large tracts of central Asia to this day!Was not hostile to Christianity, Christian faith

flourished in China at this time1368 break up of Mongol Empire, Ming

Dynasty, takes over, anti-foreign, Christianity completely eradicated from China

The PlagueThe PlagueAround 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 yearsUnable to resist the rise of Turkish and Muslim

armiesDecimated the missionary orders – the

Franciscans and the DominicansMonasteries forced to accept inferior candidatesLabor is short supply – spelled the end of

serfdom and of feudalismPlague lead to widespread questioning of the

faith for many lay people

The Rise of LiteracyThe Rise of LiteracyRediscovery of Greek bible

manuscriptsTranslation of the Scriptures into

the vernacularIncreased art, education,

especially with the RenaissanceThe invention of the printing pressRelative prosperity meant many

more people could be educated

The Long DeclineThe Long DeclineFrom 500 to 950 the Church went into serious

declineFrom 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!