The Medieval Mind: Fusion and Order

Generations

If we are not Jewish, then what are we?

If Jesus does not return soon, then how do we organize ourselves?

What, exactly, makes us “Christians?” in other words, what is essential to the Faith?

Who has authority to interpret Scriptures now that the Apostles are gone?

How does our faith fit with what we “know” to be true of the physical world (Greek philosophy)? Does Christianity have an answer? Is it important to have an answer?

Generations (2 Peter 3:10-16)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Generations:Doctrine & Organization

Clement of Rome (c.30-100)“Laymen”Apostolic succession (Demos)Obedience to Elders

Ignatius of Antioch (died c.117)

Christ fully human and GodDocetist Heresy

Submit to authority of bishop“Monarchical bishop”

Communion central to Church

Generations:Doctrine & Organization

IIJustin Martyr (c. 100-165)

Athenagoras & TheophilusTriad (trias)

Tertullian (c. 155-215)Trinity = 3 persons, 1 substanceDoctrine of Original Sin

Clement of Alexandria (c. 155-215)

Christianity is perfect philosophySought synthesis of Christianity (revelation) with Greek philosophers (reason)

“Clergy” (kleros)

Late Roman Empire

Late Roman Empire

East – West Differences

Secular authority failing, barbarian (Arian) invasions

Hierarchy of Church more stratified, secular roles where Roman rule breaks down, growing independence from Caesar

Establishes “Orthodoxy”

Existential threat in Arian Heresy

Relatively peaceful, strong secular authority

Hierarchy of Church remains collegial (until Council of Nicaea)

Willing to engage philosophies that are heretical & debate them

“Eternal” Rome Falls!

410: Rome Sacked by VisigothsAugustine’s The City of God

420: Benedict of NursiaMonte Casino Monastery

451: Council of ChalcedonNicene Creed now “orthodox”

476: Rome falls to Arian Vandals!

Bishop of Rome

664: Synod of WhitbyIrish Celtic & Roman Catholic united under Bishop of Rome

“Medieval” Church is born

Monks

Missionaries

Councils

Pope

Monks (Monasticism)Influence of Greek philosophy

Material world is corrupt;

Spiritual world is pure

Church after ConstantineNominally Christian

AD 400: 10% Christian

AD 500: 90% Christian

Anchoritic & Cenobitic Hermits

Day in the life of a monk (Benedict)

4 hours communal prayer

4 hours individual prayer

6 hours physical labor

10 hours sleeping & eating

MissionariesMission: Convert & Civilize

Celtic Monks “White Martyrs”Missionaries to Arian Europe

Over 200 monasteries in France alone

Roman Catholic Missionaries

Synod of Whitby (664)Selecting bishops, shaving heads, & dating Easter

Charlemagne (800)“Emperor of the Romans”

Arianism all but eradicated

Petrine Theory(Matthew 16: 13-19)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Pope

Petrine TheoryClement of Rome, Irenaeus, Tertullian

Damasus, Bishop of Rome (366-384)

Claimed Peter’s authority

Latin, pilgrims, veneration of saints

Innocent I (401-417)Claimed supremacy over all doctrinal issues, East and West

Leo I (440-461)“To deny the Pope is to deny Peter; to deny Peter is to deny Christ.”

Council of Chalcedon (451)

“Peter has spoken through Leo.”

PopeGregory I (590-604)

Sent missionaries to England & Spain

Original Sin, not Original Guilt

Free Will & Predestination … Both!

Bible & Church tradition both equally inspired

Now 7 Sacraments Communion, baptism AND confirmation, penance, extreme unction, ordination, marriage

Priests set apart from laymen

Grace dispensed through sacraments

Power & authority of Medieval Church rested on control of access to grace

1st Century Church had 2 SacramentsEvery believer was considered a priest

Grace given through faith in Christ

“Christian” Europe Begins

Charlemagne’s Coronation (800)

Fusion of Christianity, German culture/paganism, Greek philosophy

Faced Magyars, Muslims and Vikings

Church supreme

Pope crowned emperor

All education is Church-controlled

July 16, 1054: Great Schism

Roman Catholic & Eastern Orthodox churches excommunicated each other

Not fixed until December 20, 1965

Crusades1095-1291

Reason it is still hard to witness to Arabic people

Bloody and brutal

Even sacked Constantinople!

Greek SynthesisBible and Church tradition are supreme in spiritual matters

Greek/Roman philosophers are supreme in matters of this world

Ptolemy’s Almagest/Ptolemaic System

Perfection of the “heavenly spheres”

Crystal spheres

Thomas Aquinas (c.1225–1274)

Summa Theologica