Latin crusaders wished to serve Pope Urban II and with his call for crusaders many leaped at the opportunity to serve. The Crusades established the ideal of a knight, as a layman, not a monk, doing God’s work as this was the basis for which an essential moral code was to be created. These ideals were represented in the First crusade however in the later crusades the economic problems and the lack of fighters lead to significant changes in the ideals of the crusaders. The sacking of Constantinople was a huge controversy. It lead to the Latin west taking precious relics home and advocating their victory which they believed God had proclaimed to them, however Pope Innocent III debarred their actions and accused them of losing their purity and faith.
THE CRUSADES By: Patrick Downpoop Professor Schlomann 17 October 2011 INTRODUCTION When an individual thinks of Christianity it is more than likely that one of the thoughts that cross their mind is the Crusades which occurred over in Europe. While most people will think of the Crusades as being simple fights between knights and Muslims there was a much deeper rooted issues at hand. The first was the issue of religious rule and the second is that of regional rule. Both the Christians and the Muslims wanted to have ultimate power over both which led to the Crusades. In this paper I will attempt to discover why the Crusades began, what where the motives, and have the Crusades furthered the cause of Christ.
It is easy to see why this is a hotly debated subject because death is not to be taken lightly. Opponents worry about the ethical and moral implications. They consider P.A.S. to be immoral and violating God’s will. Catholics believe that life is the most basic gift God has given to us and in return we are to take care of our own health; but in our lives, “we are not morally obligated to use all available medical procedures in every set of circumstances.” (ProCon.org).
Christianity teaches that people should not work on the day of Sabbath as God himself didn’t and that it should be the day of rest. However, Jesus didn’t follow these rules and decided to do the most loving thing and heal a sick person on this day even though he wasn’t supposed to. Some could argue that situation ethics and its ideas about love fit into Christian theology perfectly because even Jesus broke rules to do the most loving thing possible. Johns part of the gospels state that “God is love” and from this we can interpret that Christians must live their lives by trying to be Omnibenevolent and doing the most loving thing in all situations no matter how extreme. Fletcher incorporated the quote from the gospels into his ethical theory and devised six propositions and four principles.
The First Crusade began in 1095 after the speech of Pope Urban at the Council of Clermont. There were many reasons as to why people joined the First Crusade, including religious, economic and social factors. I believe that the most important reason is the religious factor. This is because since religion was so important and present at this time, people were constantly reminded of the fact that it was their right as Christians to kill the infidel and claim their ‘rightful’ holy place in Jerusalem. Pope Urban, in 1095, gave a speech which called people to crusade.
Although in some areas this medieval system of power severely restricted rights of the individuals, it also bestowed upon others certain privileges and authority according to their placement in the hierarchical structure. As a prime example, religion in sixteenth century France was placed on a very high pedestal in society, therefore the authority of the church and its teachings weighed heavily upon all characters. Bertrande’s quest for absolution is one such scenario that acknowledges the power of the church, and therefore the Curé, as an agent of god. “No matter, said the priest... it seems to me that he has been towards you both wise and gentle. Go now in peace...Be disturbed no more.” Janet Lewis fabricates the Curé’s absolute power and supremacy over Bertrande through the ease and finality of his voice, “warm, Definite and uncomprehending.” This diction used by Lewis connotes a strict and influential tone, foregrounding the Curé’s dominating authority.
What motivated men to join the crusades led by Louis IX? Throughout the Middle Ages the idea of the crusade was employed by both the Church and the secular rulers of Western Christendom as a weapon against the infidels of the Holy Land. Shortly after Pope Urban II proclaimed the First Crusade to a large clerical gathering at Clermont in November 1095, the crusade became a traditional element of both Christian and knightly life. The notion of the crusade as both an act of service to God and as a means of celestial improvement inspired a number of Christian men to join the crusading movement. [1] The loss of the territory of Jerusalem in the summer of 1244 had unravelled the unexpected success of the Sixth Crusade and as a result King Louis IX of France, as a devout Christian, wished to travel to the East to reclaim the lost Christian lands.
People turned to the church for guidance, if the pope was of strong character the leadership of the church was the law but if the pope was weak or lost control leadership was in the hands of the current emperor which meant whatever group had the ruler’s ear at any given minute influenced the course of events. This continued from Constantine (324-337) in the west through Arcadus (395-408) in the east. Christianity became the authorized government belief of Rome in 391 however it certainly did not begin or end there as nonspiritual and religious groups seeking supremacy and status for themselves over others to the disadvantage of God’s people. This is still true today with the church and state especially during this election year. Mitt Romney if a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Barack Obama is either a Christian or Muslim depending on who you ask, both men want the power and both men have used religion as a stepping stone and a political platform.
In Article 10, it states, “No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law.” However, Martin Luther and John Wycliffe were excommunicated for their religious views. Martin Luther and John Wycliffe questioned the Catholic churches beliefs such as people paying for their pentanence and whether people must communicate with God through priest. Martin Luther raised a question that why the church services was written in Latin only. Latin was a language studied by the upper class only and lower class people did not understand Latin that forced them to listen to the pope. Martin Luther in On Christian Freedom wrote, “For Holy Scripture makes no distinction between them, except that those who are now boastfully called popes, bishops, and lords….” He said that Pope or bishop are no different than other people.
Church - State Relations under Hitler and Mussolini. (What were the main developments in church-state relations under Hitler and Mussolini? 2010) Both Hitler and Mussolini were not religious men. However, in both Italy and Germany, the Church was seen as a source of huge power, with a wide influence. The Catholic Church was not alarmed at the rise of fascism, as it combated Communism, which was feared greatly by the church.