It was on July 16, 1054 at the church of Hagia Sofia that the legate Cardinal Humbert delivered the letter of excommunication. While this was not an official letter signed by the pope, it is recognized as the end of the unified church and the beginning of the Eastern and Western churches (Norwich 2011, 99). Moreover, the Great Schism of 1054 is commonly known for separating the unified Christian Church into Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Catholicism. Although this event was unexpected, tensions had been increasing since Rome entered its Dark Age nearly five-hundred years before (Cairns 1996, 196). The invasion of the Germanic tribes not only changed geographical and regional boundaries, but also highlighted cultural and theological differences. …show more content…
Muslim land surrounded Western and Eastern regions [to the East and West respectively]. Muslim influence was not predominant as the topography had numerous mountains that prevented contact. Though Muslim influence did not impact the Schism of 1054, it did prevent the proliferation of Christianity. In addition, both churches had a separate and unique geographic disposition. Historians note that the founding of Constantinople opened the door to the Schism of 1054 as it divided the East and the West and exclusively served Greek culture. Constantinople was viewed as the political capital of the East and Rome was the capital of the West (Cairns 1996, 119). Emperors of each region had distinct views of secularism and needed to reform their state’s religion to conform to their political agenda. Governance in the East resisted the pope’s want for greater political power. Finally, the Norman conquest of southern Italy affirmed that geographical differences would have large impacts on the unified Church (Dennis, 1990). The unified Christian Church maintained a harmony between state and religion, but as culture and technology began to develop in the Western Europe the need for their religion to change followed. Ultimately, against the will of the Greeks the Pope began to impose strict reforms to the unified Christian …show more content…
The Roman emperor was constantly trying to extend his own authority. This was made difficult because at the same time the Pope was trying to increase his own political power. However, the Byzantines of the East viewed the pope as primus inter pares meaning “among the patriarchs” (Norwich 2011, 97). Initially, this limited the pope’s potential to gain political power in the East. By the mid eighth century, the Germanic influence flourished in the West. To the Greek’s detriment, the Germanic people viewed the Pope as “Rex Romanōrum” meaning “King of the Romans” (“Great”, n.d). Ultimately, the Eastern people accepted the pope and allowed him to gain greater power and preside over Christendom. The Western society was based on a strict hierarchical order, while the Greeks had a “love for theological discussion” (Norwich 97, 2011). However, the pope’s quest for universal jurisdiction was refuted by the Byzantines. In addition, the Pope sought greater political authority, and for him to gain power in the East would result in an increase of political power in his church. To his demise, he never was able to extend rule through Byzantium as they did not want to be ruled by a foreign leader. Ultimately, the schism settled their conflicting views before other potential resolution could
Between the years 600 CE and 1450 CE in Europe, there was only one thing that stayed constant, and it was the Roman Catholic Church. The church remained a major influence on the people of Europe and the majority of the region continued to believe every single thing that the church preached. The only thing that did not stay constant was who had the power over the church and how the church made sure that everyone was following their rules that they had created. The church had varying teaching over the course of many years. It was also used as a tool for the rulers of that time.
geography in the schism. Should the east had accepted union with the west, they would become a
Einhard, in his The Life of Charlemagne, makes clear the fundamental integration of politics and religion during the reign of his king. Throughout his life, Charles the Great endeavored to acquire and use religious power to his desired ends. But, if Charlemagne was the premiere monarch of the western world, why was religious sanction and influence necessary to achieve his goals? In an age when military power was the primary means of expanding one's empire, why did the most powerful military force in Europe go to such great lengths to ensure a benevolent relationship with the church? One possibility may be found in the tremendous social and political influence of Rome and her papacy upon the whole of the continent. Rather than a force to be opposed, Charlemagne viewed the church as a potential source of political power to be gained through negotiation and alliance. The relationship was one of great symbiosis, and both componants not only survived but prospered to eventually dominate western Europe. For the King of the Franks, the church provided the means to accomplish the expansion and reformation of his empire. For the Holy Roman Church, Charles provided protection from invaders and new possibilities for missionary work.
Pope Urban II was sought by Alexius Comnenus, a Byzantine Emperor who wanted the papacy to help his army hold off the advancing Seljuk Turks in Asia Minor. The reason for Alexius Comnenus contacting the pope rather than another emperor or monarch wasn’t just the fact they were secular, but because the pope would have more power to persuade the people. The Gregorian movement in 1050-80 was ultimately was responsible for the new instilled power of the papacy’s position over nonreligious rulers. The pope agreed to aid the Byzantine emperor, but he also had his own agenda when it came to the military advances and the new power of his position. The papacy did not intend to only help the Byzantine Empire but to further save all of Christendom from being overrun.
This loss of power was a direct result of several factors: the patriarchal canons of early Eastern and Western Church councils, the conversion of the Emperor Constantine, and the decree of Emperor Theodosius that made Christianity the state religion of Rome (Lynch,10). These events led to positions in the Church such as presbyter, deacon, and bishop being held in high regard, and also hi...
During the Middle Ages, the politics and religious systems of the former western Roman Empire changed in many ways due to a number of events and interactions. One of the most important and defining events of this period was the rise of both Latin Christendom and the rise of the Islamic Caliphates. More specifically, is was the ensuing interactions between the two as both faiths struggled to establish their dominance. The rise of the heirs to the Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Caliphates and Latin Christendom, led to conflict and a more clearly defined and structured western world. This “new” western world was no longer simply divided along geographical and political lines, but was now demarcated by an additional principal characteristic:
The Western Roman Empire was constantly in chaos and could not firmly establish an undisputed government. When it fell, in 476 AD, the civilization had no central government to act as a backbone. It was ruled by the Pope, who appointed Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, as emperor in 800 AD. This event led to the transformation of the civilization into the Holy Roman Empire. This lasted unti...
With the decline of the Western Roman empire Western Europe was a disjointed land that had no true unifying structure till the rise of Christianity. In Roman antiquity people used the State or empire of Rome to define themselves and give them a sense of unity despite having a diverse group of people within the empire. When Western Rome fell this belief based on a Roman cultural identity disappeared and no longer were people able to identify themselves with any particular group as they once have. The Christian religion was able to fill this vacuum by having the people associate themselves to a religion instead of a given state or cultural group. During Medieval Europe Christianity became the unifying force that would define what it meant to be European. Christianity gave political leaders legitimacy by showing that they have been favored by the gods. The clergyman that recorded the histories surrounding the kings of the Medieval Europe also provided a link to the Roman Empire to give the Kings a link to Roman empire of antiquity. Christianity became the center of the cultural life in western Europe and created a new social elite in Europe which would dominate literacy and knowledge within Europe for centuries. Christianity provided Europe with an escape from the disorder of the Medieval ages and give them a spiritual outlet for their fears and desires for a better life, whether in the physical life or in the spiritual world after death.
Constantine the Great, first Christian Emperor, originator of Constantinople, creator of the Byzantine Empire, military conqueror, and honored saint, has been labeled by many the most instrumental emperor of the Roman Empire. Constantine played a crucial role in the development of Europe during the Middle Ages, and founded Christianity as the formal religion of the Roman Empire. His dynamic yet effective predominance laid the infrastructure of European development. From his humble beginnings, to his command of the Roman Empire, to his final days, Constantine’s impact on world history and Christianity has left behind an unforgettable legacy. He was described by Eusebius as “such an emperor as all history records not.” Ware compared him to, “a watershed in the history of the Church.” Additionally, Meyendorff states, “No single human being in history has contributed to the conversion of so many to the Christian faith.” Norwich declared that “No ruler in all of history has ever more fully merited his title of ‘the Great’…Constantine has serious claim to be considered the most influential man in all of history.” Some of Constantine’s notable acts in the history of Christianity was his calling of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, his institution of freedom for Christianity with the Edict of Milan, and the relocation of the capital of empire from Rome to Constantinople.
Justinian and Theodora inspired the Christian world by constructing spellbinding churches and patronizing the arts, as well as employing the politick philosophy of representing both major factions of Christianity at the time, orthodoxy and monophysitism (Byzantine Empire, 9/20). Though no emperor’s relationship with the Christianity was exactly the same, and though the balance of power and moral authority between the imperial court and Church shifted over time, the Eastern Christian Church became and remained a powerful tool of Constantinople for strengthening the Empire, expanding Byzantine influence abroad, and
The Great Schism of Christianity occurred at 1054 was mainly caused by the different ideas of understanding Christianity, and led to the variation in doctrine the truth and the different style of governing the Church.
Factors Which Led to the Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire Christianity was not born in a vacumn. There were many social, geographical, historical and religious issues prevailing at the time of Christ and all of which were favorable to the spread of Christianity. Geograpicly, Christianity came into being in the Meditation world, the largest of the various centers of civilization at that time. Israel stands almost central to the five continents, dividing the east and west.
...h while the Ecumenical Council became the main authority for the Eastern Church. During the Crusades, Constantinople was fought over and pillaged more than once. It was generally a time of more fighting and disagreement that really led to sacred relics being dispersed throughout Europe. Finally attempts of reconciliation were made after Emperor Michael VIII led the recapture of Constantinople in 1261. In the city of Lyons in 1274 an agreement was reached, but it was soon rejected by the people and even some monks. Again an agreement was made in Florence in 1438 by Emperor John VIII and Patriarch. However this time the public on the eastern side (including some original signers) forbade a resolution. As a final point, the Great Schism can be said to have begun because of the political and theological differences, the Crusades, and the many attempts of reconciliation.
Until 381CE, Christianity had experienced many persecutions. However, over time it became the central religion of the Roman Empire. Conversely, in the 11th century, Christianity had split into two main denominations, the Church of the East, known as the Orthodox Church, and the Church of the West, known as the Roman Church. This was due to breakdown of the Roman Empire.
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