Introduction

Ellie Mallory

Dr. Witt                   

Human Drama: Medieval World

29 April 2016

Introduction to the Glossary

            The Middle Ages were filled with years of uncertainty. Rome, one of the most impressive societies had just fallen and launched Europe into a Dark Age. This darkness encompassed most aspects of medieval life, as inventions, literature, and political stability were uprooted. The one aspect of life that acted as a light for this Dark Age throughout the whole time was Christianity. This was not only a religion, but a political and military catalyst for the West. From dictating the lives of the clergy, to valorizing the warrior class, to launching a Crusade, Christianity was what pulled Europe through the Middle Ages and out of the darkness.

            After Rome fell, there was skepticism about what the impact of Christianity would be; as Rome was deteriorating, Christianity was on the rise. The assumption that Christianity was somehow connected to this tragedy grew among the public, so St. Augustine stepped in to discredit this claim. In his book, The City of God, Augustine ascertains Christianity’s innocence by debunking the myth that Rome was perfect before the presence of this religion (Augustine and Dods 42). He points out the flaws that Rome had as an institution, such as its false assertion that it was a republic, and directs his readers’ attention to the fact that this great empire had undergone disasters far before Christ. (Augustine and Dods 63). This synthesis settled many peoples’ fears about Christianity and began to debunk the myth that Christianity was destructive in nature.

            St. Benedict, a lover of Scripture, took it upon himself to create a set of guidelines for monastic life. This Rule contains specific instructions on how a monk should conduct his everyday life. The days are broken up into specific times of prayer, and personal conduct is outlined in detail (White x). This kind of structure may appear too strict to modern readers, as there was very little time for self-reflection or pleasurable activities of choice, but it actually had a positive impact on the lives of the clergy. In a time of disarray in many aspects of their lives, the monks found solace in the communal goal of attaining perfect happiness in Heaven, as Augustine foretold. Some families even gave up their children to monasteries to live a religious life beginning as an oblate ( Cochelin 64). This type of order that Christianity provided gave structure to many lives in the Middle Ages, thus giving some direction to the people.

            One problem that the leaders during the Middle Ages encountered was the fact that there was a highly specialized, expertly trained military class of knights. These warriors had been an important part of fending of Viking invasions for much of Europe, but when this threat dissipated, the knights were left full of energy and without a purpose (Peters 37). For a while The Peace and Truce of God was implemented to try to control when and where warriors could fight, but it proved to be ineffective. Again, Christianity stepped in to give purpose and meaning to this group of people.

            In November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II addressed this problem at the Council of Clermont. He did not directly say that he was redistributing the duties of the knights, but he indirectly gave them a new mission by calling the people to a Crusade. The Christians wanted control of their beloved Jerusalem, a Holy Land that Christians share with the two other Abrahamic religions: Judaism and Islam. As a way to generate man-power, a resource that the Christians would need as much of as they could find, Pope Urban II promised that crusading could be used in place of penance. The unification of the warrior class to fight against the Muslims coupled with the prospect of the remission of sins is another case where Christianity gave structure to a group of people stumbling through the dark.

            Christianity as an institution was by no means perfect. Many religious figures demonstrated behaviors or held opinions that were not always Christ-like. Like many institutions, Christianity began to branch away from the central values of the Church. Some clergy abused their roles and became corrupt. This idea is evident through Chaucer’s characterization of the pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, one of the most holy pilgrimage sites in Europe. The most holy person on this journey is the Parson. This may not appear to be surprising at all, since the Parson is a holy man by trade. His job is to be a model citizen and to live in a way that reflects God’s will for himself and for others. What is remarkable, however, is the reasoning for why the Parson is the most moral; he is not like the other clergymen of the time. The Parson does not abandon his parish or pocket the money given to him by the Church (Chaucer, Wright, & Cannon 15-16). By telling the reader what the Parson does not do and how he is different from most clergy, Chaucer indirectly hints at how corrupt most priests were. Chaucer satirizes the hypocrisy within the church at the time.

The Catholic Church undoubtedly had its blemishes throughout the Middle Ages, but overall, the Church provided the stability that people were lacking. People want order, so when Rome fell, they needed to find another source of reliability. Christianity became the rock for many people during this tumultuous time, and it gave people a place to seek comfort and answers to their questions. Christianity was the great synthesizer of the Middle Ages. It gave purpose to those who were lost, while promising the glory of eternal happiness in Heaven for those who were faithful.