Surname 1
Pope Gregory the Great
Pope Gregory I, who also goes by the name Saint Gregory the Great served as the head of the Roman Catholic Church from the year 590 AD until his demise in 604 AD. Pope Gregory the great is revered in modern times owing to his insight and deliberation on critical issues that were characteristic of the period that he headed the church (Straw 11). It is important to note that his contribution to societal engagements was holistic and focused towards development and sustenance of a just and fair social system that upholds human dignity at all times. According to historians, Pope Gregory the Great exuded a rare insight into the essence of religious piety through his writings that continue to influence human beings
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and their relationship with deity. His works of literature are captured in Eastern Christianity texts that often depict him as Gregory the Dialogist owing to his musings as exemplified in his Dialogues. Prior to his ascendency to the helm of the Roman Catholic Church, there had never been a pontiff who fitted his bill in regard to leadership and ability to contextualize religion into society (Straw 33). His efforts to revise the catholic liturgical order earned him the distinction as the author of the current order that is still applicable in the church today. His papacy was characterised by unanimous reforms that touched on the doctrinal orientation of the Catholic Church. Theological pundits have constantly argued that Pope Gregory the Great was the epitome of religious leadership due to his ability to lead by example and genuine action. His regard and concern for humanity was instrumental in strengthening the catholic faithful across the world. He surmounted numerous difficulties that were evident during his reign to ameliorate the stature of the Roman Catholic Church (Spielvogel 65). After his death, Gregory the Great was elevated to sainthood without delay because his life was evident of saintly deeds that made it easy for all to appreciate his qualification as a potential candidate for sainthood. Observers have constantly relayed positive reviews on his style during his tenure at the zenith of the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. For instance, John Calvin, a renowned protestant scholar and reviewer, argued that Pope Gregory the Great was “the last good pope.” (Anderson 54) The above statement is a perfect example of Gregory’s influence that has surpassed the religious institution that he led. In fact, his ideas and thoughts were not confined to the faithful of his church but went beyond to hold relevance among the general population in society. Calvin’s assertion not only appreciates Gregory’s position as an influence on social system but also his propensity to do good that often spread across the diverse faculties of the aforementioned system (Anderson 54). Since his birth, Saint Gregory the great exhibited signs of greatness that were evident in his deeds and relationship with friends and family. In a rather prophetic gesture, his parents assigned him the name Gregorius, which means being watchful. Indeed, he lived up to his name because he would later have the daunting task of watching over the church and by extension the society (Moorhead 78). He undertook his duties and responsibilities with remarkable zest that left many in wonderment. His ability to fuse spirituality with human existence was admired by many because it is evidently difficult to strike a formidable balance between the two elements. This reality is captured in Aelfric which states thus: “He was very diligent in Gods commandments.” His early life was spent in the midst of wealth and glamour that arose from his family’s stature in society. His wealthy parents had deep religious and political networks that enabled them to amass colossal amounts of material and social capital. However, Pope Gregory the Great managed to overcome the trappings and influence of his glamorous life and instead dedicated his life to serving humanity through leadership of the church (Moorhead 78). It is necessary to indicate that his family had previous influence on the management and leadership in political and religious spheres. For instance, his father was a politician who served as a senator for a lengthy period. On the other hand, Pope Felix III, who was his great-great-grandfather, served the church through a nomination that was effected by Theodoric. The above insight into the familial background of Pope Gregory the Great is indicative of the possible influences that could have triggered his desire to serve in the church (Moorhead 88). During the period of Gregory’s birth, there were numerous challenges that were evident in the Italian jurisdiction.
In the year 542 AD, Italy experienced the ravages of famine, disease, and political agitation that were the hallmark of the Plague of Justinian. The plague brought forth much suffering and spiritual torment because of its effects on the general population. This period was characterised by power struggles between the Gothic Kings and the Eastern Roman Empire that was headed by Justinian I whose seat of power was in Constantinople (Bhattacharji 33). Although the young Pope Gregory the Great did not bear a firsthand experience of the struggle, it is important to underscore the relevance of this period in regard to the decisions that he undertook later in life. It is evident that his life was largely influenced by social and political happenings that were prevalent in his early life. True to his stature and calibre in the roman society, Saint Gregory had sufficient level of education that enabled him to pursue critical issues in regard to the prevalent conditions of his time (Bhattacharji 33). He majored in pertinent academic exploits in areas such as grammar, sciences, legal studies, and art. His astounding ability to grasp and articulate issues enabled him to perform excellently in all academic areas that he ventured into. This view was confirmed by Gregory of Tours when he stated thus: “in grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric.......he was second to none.....” (Bhattacharji 33) Gregory’s rise to greatness was evident in early age, especially when he joined the civil service and achieved a great feat of becoming the Prefect of Rome, a very distinguished and honourable position in the Roman Empire. Notably, the young Gregory achieved this feat at the tender age of
thirteen. Prior to his ascension into papacy, Gregory the Great has confined himself to life of prayer and meditation. He revered this life because he felt that his life would be more meaningful under the serene circumstances that were characteristic of the life in the monastery. However, he was subsequently forced to revert to public life after assuming the throne of St Peter. Through his numerous works of literature, Gregory bemoaned the pressures of holding the papacy and the ultimate loss of the serenity that was offered the calmness of the monastery (Bhattacharji 42). His early years into the papacy were characterized by literary works that relayed any earlier intentions of occupying the throne of St Peter. On the contrary, he cited the desire to serve humanity as the only motivation for his ascendency into papacy. He submitted that he would have been content living as a monk and seeking a higher life of meditation and prayer. However, this discourse should not be misconstrued as being indicative of inner dissatisfaction with his role as the occupant of the throne of St Peter (Bhattacharji 46). It should otherwise depict his ability and willingness to speak his mind with candour and utmost humility. Although the life and times of Pope Gregory the Great are captured in the numerous literary texts that have been compiled by historians, the greatest tribute to this man is embedded in the tenets that govern modern Christianity. His influence is evident in all spheres of societal existence, be it religious, social, cultural, or political. Indeed, Pope Gregory the Great was a man who circumvented hardship and suffering to guarantee progressive indulgence that put humanity in sync with spiritual realities (Straw 76). Works Cited Anderson, Gerald. Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions. London: Wm. B. Publishing, 1999. Print. Bhattacharji, Santha. Reading the Gospels with Gregory the Great: Homilies on the Gospels, 21-26. London: St Bedes Publications, 2001. Print. Moorhead, John. Gregory the Great. Newyork: Psychology Press, 2005. Print. Spielvogel, Jackson. Western Civilization: Volume I: to 1715. Newyork: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. Straw, Carole. Gregory the Great: Perfection in Imperfection. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1991. Print.
Did Justinian impact life as we know it because he is such a great ruler, or is he just a follower who keeps trying to hold on to the loose threads of a fallen empire? Some might say that without Justinian, humanity is a step further back. Others may argue evermore that Justinian is a two-faced liar who you cannot trust (Doc. 2). Contrary to many beliefs, Justinian creates a new Byzantine Empire after the fall of Rome that is influential to many different cultures, more advanced and educated than Rome, and more economically thriving than the Roman Empire.
Emperor Justinian of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, was one of Rome’s greatest leaders. By building numerous churches, schools, and hospitals throughout the empire, Justinian not only managed to revive Roman society, but he also preserved Roman culture for over a thousand years. Justinian’s brilliant leadership led the Roman Empire to conquer lands in Europe and Africa and expand to its greatest size. Additionally, he unified and strengthened the empire by moving the capital to Constantinople and establishing a single faith. After his death, Justinian left a legacy that allowed Rome to continue thriving. Under Justinian’s rule, Rome flourished into a culturally rich civilization.
With the hindsight of the 1960s, it is easy for us to view how influencers of the era have reformed and revitalised the Christian tradition to a great extent. Because of this hindsight of the 1960s, an era in which the zeitgeist was full of intellectuals, poets, musicians and authors, we can see the traditions of Christianity were considered to be backward to a world that was changing in terms of beliefs and ethics as society embraced these social reforms. The statement then clearly reflects Pope John XXIII and his impacts on Catholicism. Pope John XXIII recognized these changes and through his leadership, the impacts he had on Christianity had a substantially large influence over the Catholic Church as he ultimately altered the Christian tradition by creating the Vatican II. By doing so, he adjusted traditional Church Scriptures (ressourcement), involved himself with promoting ecumenicalism and also interfaith-dialogue as well as becoming engaged in the modern world (aggiornamento), therefore meeting the needs of the evolving society by revitalising the old traditions.
Procopius continues to give Justinian a bad reputation as an individual and as an emperor by writing, “This Emperor, then, was deceitful, devious, false, hypocritical, two-faced, cruel, skilled in dissembling his thought, never moved to tears by either joy or pain, though he could summon them artfully at will when the occasion demanded...” Even
Saint Gregory of Tours was born around the year 538 at Arverni, which is now Clermont-Ferrand. He belonged to the Gallo-Roman family, which was a very prestigious family. He was also related to the houses of Gaul. Gregory’s original name was Georgius Florentius. He took the name Gregory to honor his late grandfather who was named Gregory. His Grandfather was the Bishop of Langres. When Gregory was young, his father died and he went to live with his Uncle. His uncle, Gallus, was the Bishop of Clermont. Gallus educated him until his death in 554. Gregory’s mother left to live with friends in Burgandy and left her son to Avitus who became Bishop of Clermont after Gallus. Avitus taught Gregory all about the Scriptures. Gregory was not too impressed with the scriptures. Gregory got seriously ill and wasn’t supposed to recover. He did recover though and this made him more mindful of God and the scriptures. Gregory then became a friend with the Bishop of Tours whose name was Euphronius. Euphronius died in 573 and Gregory succeeded him as Bishop of Tours.
Carleton- Munro, Dana. The Speech of Pope Urban II. At Clermont, 1095. The American Historical Review. 11. no. 2 (1906): 231.
...s a new Emperor. In 527 CE, Justinian was named Emperor and he was from a long line of Roman emperors. He did many great things to improve Rome such as reforming the Roman laws. He crushed the Vandals in Africa made Carthage part of the “true Roman Empire again. (Tignor, 2011, p. 296) He went head on with the Barbarians from the “old Rome” and was able to gain back most of the control. He created many more churches and made his mark for more than a thousand years of the future Rome.
In Titus Livius’, The Early History of Rome, Livy takes on the task of documenting Rome’s early history and some of the famous individuals who help contribute to the ‘greatness’ of Rome. Livy dedicates an entire portion of his writing to describe the reigns of the first seven kings of Rome; all who influence the formation and governance of Rome in some way. However, of the seven kings in early Roman history, King Romulus and King Numa Pompilius achieved godlike worship and high esteem from their fellow Romans. While both highly important and respected figures in Rome’s history, the personalities and achievements of King Romulus and King Numa Pompilius are complete opposites of one another. Despite the differences found in each king and of their rule over Rome, both Romulus and Numa Pompilius have a tremendous influence in the prosperity and expansion of Rome in its early days.
This was the beginning of Justinian’s famous rule, which lasted from 527 A.D. through 565 A.D. (The Reign of Justinian). The reign of Justinian was significant in many ways. First of all, it marked the final end of the Roman Empire. It was the establishment of the New Byzantine empire. It was also the beginning of Western Europe’s unique position within the civilization of the old world.
The prestige of papacy has faltered many times during the History of the Roman Catholic Church. One of the largest issues with papacy prior to the time of reformation was the influence of France on the church. Throughout history countries or monarchies have often fought for power and influence over the church and state. For a period of time, the papacy left residency in Rome and moved to Avignon, France due to France’s strength influence of the popes of the time. The results of this residency would affect both the church and all people in the surrounding areas. Not only that, but the effects lasted well on past the residency eventually leading to the Great Schism. In order to understand the effect of Avignon papacy it is important to
A very surprising fact is that it was under force from his father that Gregory became a priest. He did not feel that he was pure enough to be in such a sacred office, because he had not yet finished learning. Several times he took sanctuary in a monastery. He was eventually made into the Bishop of Nazianzus, but a larger position was offered to him as the Bishop of Constantinople. He accepted the role, but unfortunately could not keep it, since one cannot be Bishop of two places, and the original "bishopship" should be the position kept (Catholic Online).
She examines 6 popes between 1470-1530 who she claims lead in a way similar to politicians. They lost touch with the common people both emotionally and intellectually. A little known cleric led the revolution challenging papacy that culminated in the reformation of the church. In that context, Barbara outlines that the popes were venal, immoral, and their power politics was calamitous. The faithful were distressed by their leadership, which ignored all the protests and the signs that a revolt was coming. In the end, the papal constituency lost almost half of its followers to Protestants. Barbara says that these people were driven by the greed and the urge to create a family empire that would outlive them. This chapter sums up the essence of folly in these major failures, lack of a fixed policy, over extravagance, and the illusion that their rule was
According to many, no one can rival Gaius Julius Caesar’s accomplishments in conquest and politics; however, his means of achieving these lofty accomplishments is often debated. Chiefly, the use of his account of the Gallic Wars (namely the first, which I will cite as evidence) as well as his thought out use of propaganda in order to further his already imposing accolades and the honor that accompanies them. Evidence of Caesar’s intent for his account of the Gallic Wars to be used as propaganda largely lies in half-truths that I deem directly affect the perception of Caesar and his conquests in a positive manner. These half-truths consist of the embellishment of certain characteristics and features of the Gallic Wars and are most certainly
Christianity’s history is filled with division, controversy, and conflict. One of the most important people who contributed to the lasting success of this diverse religion was Constantine. While legalizing Christianity in Roman society, he founded the capital of the eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople. Because of this and other great accomplishments, Constantine appropriately earned the name Constantine the Great.
Perhaps no other event was as influential to the rise of papacy in Rome as the decline of the Roman empire. With the decline of the empire, the church became the last refuge of stability. Without the protection of the empire, Rome was subject to poverty, disrepair, and attack from enemies.1 The rise of the papacy was a response to this situation. It was further cemented by the leadership of such men as Leo I and Gregory I, the latter sometimes referred to as the father of the medieval papacy.2 Finally, the granting of lands and authority to the bishop of Rome greatly increased the power of the Roman church.3