Church & Empire in Tension

Boniface & Bede Furthered monastic accomplishments in

missionary work and scholarship Boniface: established monasteries and

traveled throughout Germany – converted pagans with his logic/preaching

Crowned Pepin “King of the Franks”◦ Foreshadowed entanglement of church/state

Spent his entire life in one monastery, studying, teaching, and writing his History of the English Church & People

Name a false “idol” that can be found in society today – something that people wrongly assume is of ultimate value -

Pepin’s protection of Rome and donation of Papal States entangled church in state affairs

Charlemagne: ◦ Conquered barbarian tribes & forced their

conversion to Christianity◦ Reunited Roman Empire◦ Protected the Church, appointed clergy to high

governmental positions, dominated church affairs

What are advantages & disadvantages of acquiring more and more costly material possessions?

Late 800s: Feudalism offered stability Overlords & Kings Vassals Serfs Bishops & Abbots often had large

landholdings, and monasteries reflected feudal estates in organization, management, and self-sufficiency

Empire weakened after death of Charlemagne – lacked power of central authority

Viking invasion occurred throughout Europe◦ Ansgar, bishop leader of Christian missionaries

eventually converted Viking invaders

Slavs: ancestors of today’s Czechs, Slovaks, Serbians, Poles & Russian

Cyril & Methodius: Byzantine emperor sent these two Greek brothers to do missionary work amongst the Slavs◦ Devised a Slavic alphabet – called Cyrillic◦ Translated Gospel into this language◦ Many conversion followed◦ Some objected to Mass offered in language other

than Greek or Latin…but pope eventually accepted

Eastern & Western rulers regarded the church as another department in their government◦ How could this lead to potential conflict??

Holy Roman Empire Pope John XII Papal States Cluny Vladimir I Charlemagne