What Was the Role of the Medieval Roman Catholicism in Christianity?

467 Words2 Pages
What was the role of the Medieval Roman Catholicism in Christianity? Early Christianity was a way of living every day, every minute. Faith dictated every living moment from the way you dressed and wore your hair, what and when you ate, the way you spoke to one another, including who was permitted to speak in certain circumstances. Faith was the basis of the overall interconnection of the society. Generally disorganized, seldom was there any single person that was deemed as a leader. Every member was responsible for spreading the word of God and living by His principles and encouraging others to do so. Living by the code of conduct that had been set forth by the elders, based upon their beliefs, was necessary for acceptance, inclusion, survival. Anyone known of or even suspected of disagreeing with or questioning faith-bound principles would be labeled a heretic and would be exiled from society (if not punished outright or perhaps even put to death), even from one’s own family. The prospect of doing business within the community would be solely based on your level of faith and how you conduct yourself and that of your entire family. In the second century, designation between ordained priests and common worshipers began to emerge. And with this new found distinction came a lot of power and influence. With a Bishop established in each of the larger cities of the Roman Empire, the Bishop of Rome possessed the most authority and eventually became known as the Pope. The Pope’s power and influence grew immensely over the next few centuries and eventually claimed power of the monarchies. Christianity slowly spread across the Empire. Under the reign of Emperor Constantine, the church began to become more organized and politically centered. Constantine used the Bishops to help preserve the laws and impose justice throughout the crumbling Empire. As the

More about What Was the Role of the Medieval Roman Catholicism in Christianity?

Open Document