Influence of Catholic Church in Medieval England

Throughout history, scholars recognize The Medieval Period as a pinpoint of religious, artistic, and expressive diversity. Many came to rely on the church, the only institution to survive the fall of Rome, and depended on its guidance. Eventually, people began to shape their lives around the Church and the way it functioned. As the Catholic Church expanded and thrived, divisions and disagreements occurred that resulted in a split- The Great Schism. European thinkers, writers, and artists began to look back and celebrate the art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome (Blake 52). This curiosity and authority to speak at will sparked an innovation that made the Catholic Church so prevalent. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church dominated society and its surroundings; as the prominent religion, economic system, and the only way to salvation, the Catholic Church served as the most powerful institution in all of Europe.

As the Catholic Faith spread across England and the rest of Europe, it became the most largely followed religion of the Medieval Period. After the fall of Rome, no single state or government existed that united people who lived in Europe (Blake 78). The only foundation people could look to was the Church, and Europeans gradually drifted and attached to the Catholic faith. As the faith grew in popularity, its dominance thrived even greater. Almost the entire population relied on the Church for support. Even royalty derived much of their power from alliances with the Church (Blake 78). People came to the church with both religious problems and basic needs issues. Many Europeans, especially commoners, could not afford provisions and went to the Church for food and shelter.

The strict policies and historic...

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Works Cited

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Coulton, G. G. Medieval Panorama: The English Scene from Conquest to Reformation. New York: World Pub., 1955. Print.

Knowles, M. D. "Church, History Of, II (Medieval)." New Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 597-606. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.

Oakley, Thomas P. "Religion and the Middle Ages." Catholic Culture. Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle (The Paulist Fathers), Feb. 1939. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.

Salisbury, Joyce E. "Monasticism in Medieval Europe." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.

Schnürer, Gustav, and George Joseph Undreiner. Church and Culture in the Middle Ages. Vol. 1. Paterson: St. Anthony Guild, 1956. Print.