THE CHURCH S MIDDLE-AGED SPREAD HAD NO LOVE HANDLES. Lesson 6: The Dark Ages When The Scriptures Are Ignored, The Light Goes Out

Transcription

1 THE CHURCH S MIDDLE-AGED SPREAD HAD NO LOVE HANDLES Lesson 6: The Dark Ages When The Scriptures Are Ignored, The Light Goes Out

2 The Dark Ages Refers to the lack of light and understanding of Scripture and education after the fall of the Roman Empire and during the Roman Catholic Church s control

3 At 500 A.D. - Three main branches of the church West (Rome and Constantinople) Africa (centered in Alexandria) East (centered in Persia)

4 I. VATICAN RISING

5 A. The Weakening Of The Roman Emperor, The Rise Of The Pope 1. The Sack Of Rome The Barbarian tribes (Goths, Franks, Vandals) sacked Rome and the Roman Empire in the fifth century 2. The Last Emperor August Romulus (r ) 3. The Power Vacuum Political demise and cultural chaos in the Roman Empire opened the door for the church to become powerful.

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8 B. The Increased Power Of The 1. The Donation Of Constantine 2. The Investiture Contest 3. On Consideration 4. Innocent III ( ) Papacy

9 II. HEY, HEY WE RE THE MONKS: THE IMPACT OF MONASTICISM

10 A. Notable Monks Basil of Caesarea (c ) Athanasius Benedict of Nursia ( ) Boniface ( )

11 B. Monasticism And Worship 1. Worship And Work 2. Scholarship

12 C. Monasticism And Evangelism

13 D. The Rise Of Religious Orders

14 E. Monasticism Evaluated 1. Brain Drain 2. No Perpetuation Of Progeny 3. Spiritual Pride 4. Rich & Powerful

15 III. The Holy Roman Empire, Batman! A. The Frankish Merovingian Dynasty After sack of Rome, Franks ruled No. Europe B. The Carolingian Dynasty ( ) Charles Martel (c ) Pepin III (The Short)

16 Charlemagne (Charles the Great) ( ) 7 tall warrior king He spread Christianity to the Saxons by force He engaged in over 50 campaigns Pope Leo III crowned him emperor on Christmas day in 800 giving him the title Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire

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21 IV. The Son Rises In The East: The Rise Of The Eastern Orthodox Church Basil the Great ( ) opposed Arianism and other heresies, organized Eastern monasticism Gregory, bishop of Nyssa ( ) brother of Basil, led orthodox defense at the Council of Constantinople (381), seen as the founder of the Eastern church Gregory of Nazianzus ( ) bishop of Constantinople (381), defended Nicene faith against Arianism

22 John Chrysostom ( ) golden mouth great preacher Led Greek church Grammatico-Historical Interpretation (opposed allegorical of RCC) Patriarch of Constantinople in 398

23 V. The Theological Controversies A. The Iconoclastic Controversy Leo III who decreed in 726 and 730 that images be banned and destroyed B. The Adoptionism Controversy Christ was the adopted Son of God condemned in 790 C. The Filioque Controversy Holy Spirit sent by Father & Son or Father only

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25 VI. The Emergence Of Islam And The Effect On The Church

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27 VII. Doing The Splits: The East-West Schism (1054)

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29 The East-West Schism of 1054 Cause Eastern Church Western Church Political Rivalry Claims of Papacy Theological Development Filioque Controversy Iconoclastic Controversy Differences in Language and Culture Clerical Celibacy Outside Pressures Mutual Excommunicat ions of 1054 Byzantine Empire Patriarch of Constantinople was considered second in primacy to bishop of Rome. Stagnated after Council of Chalcedon. Declared that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. Engaged in 120-year dispute over the use of icons in worship; finally concluded they could be used (statues prohibited). Greek/Oriental Lower clergy were permitted to marry. Muslims constricted and put continual pressure on Eastern church. Michael Cerularius anathematized Pope Leo IX after having been excommunicated by him. Holy Roman Empire Bishop of Rome claimed supremacy over the entire church. Continued to change and grow through controversies and expansion. Declared that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Made constant attempts to interfere in what was purely an Eastern dispute (Statues permitted). Latin/Occidental All clergy were required to be celibate. Western barbarians were Christianized and assimilated by Western church. Leo IX excommunicated Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople. (John Walton, Chronological and Background Charts of Church History, Zondervan, 2005, Chart 37)

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32 VIII. The Great Schism ( )

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34 Discussion The more powerful the Church became, the problems arose. What were some of the examples of problems from history? What are some of the problems power plays can bring to the church? (3 John 9-10) When and why should we consider leaving a ministry over an issue or to stay and fight? When is it too petty, personal or just? (Rom 16:17; Jude 3-4)