Religious Studies
The Roman Catholic Church gained power and authority in the 6th century with a watchful management that lasted all through the 9th century . However, the invasion of the Barbarian has tore apart the Roman Empire, and also split through entire Europe. These circumstances have boosted the church to attain its greater attitude. Moreover, the whole Western Europe as well as preservation of values of Western Civilization is obliged to its existence to the rise of the Church. However, if it were not meant for the alliance of the churches with the royalty of the barbarian that pave the way to the sequential preservation of the literature, agriculture, and being the medium of learning, then nothing would have subsisted the middle ages.
Rome Became the Centre of Power
There are many incidental and circumstantial factors that have paved the way to the rise of the power of church in the 6th century. Firstly, the voluntary popularity of the church can be attributed to its association to the early disciplines and apostles. However, the office of papal is the direct descendent from Peter-the apostle whom the Christ appointed as the steward and the head of the church. Further, Pop Damasus has used Matt 16:18-19 as a doctrine’s base. Roman church is, however, considered as the first one in the entire empire that is formed by the Apostles. However, the self declared indicators of the church originate from Damasus, who referred to the church located in Rome as the apostolic see, and to himself as the pontifex maximus-a title that was previously reserved just for the emperor. However, this is the starting point of the existing title of the pop pontiff. Further, this has enhanced the authority and the value of church in the minds of the Christians.
Moreover, the synod that was held in Rome titled the pope as Vicar of Christ for the first time, which has further increased the perceived value and authority of church, by placing the individuals as substitute of Christ on the earth. Such proclamations stemmed from the caesaropapism that is actually treating and considering the emperor as pope. In the beginning of the century, the church has faced exceptional position and situation, Constantine has seized his power and authority over the affairs and doctrines of church. His acts, however, blurred the line of demarcation between the head of church and the head of state. It has also paved the way to the reciprocal effect by increasing the church’s political power.
So, the Romans were ready since the fourth century in order to consider the church as the highest authority in its land. Considering the circumstantial reasons, the Church and Christianity gained popularity because of the fact that Christianity was declared as the official religion of the entire empire in 395 AD. Further, in 451 AD, the Council of Chalcedon has revealed five dioceses, which declared that the Constantinople bishop is secondary in the authority in the matters regarding church. The Roman Bishop is the sole authority in the West to deal with the matters, while in the East; there are 4 bishops in order to satisfy the problems that occur.
Furthermore, the end of the invasion of Barbarian, the incapability of the emperors to secure their front, the victory of Christianity, and the increasing popularity of the church has set the grounds for the rise of the authority and power that the Rome’s bishop has attained. The 5th century Roman generals, however, fought over the ruling authority and fully ignored the protection of their frontiers, which paved the way to the creation of the gaps that ultimately led to the downfall of Rome.
However, with Rome, under the thumb of Barbarian, the Empire power was left to Church. The presence of eminent leader such as Pope Gregory has greatly increased the impact of the organization. The Pope was responsible for the papacy’s improved and better standings. He took the charge of the finances of Rome, food supply, water supply, and the policing matters. He became able to secure peace and harmony with the Lombards, he succeeded to ransom the prisoners from Lombards, who has attacked the empire in the sixth century. However, he was also credited for the establishment of the new church Liturgy and for being an efficient theologian. Further Gregory considered that the objective of papacy is to help the poor, and he formed the title of papal as Servant of the servants of Christ. Gregory has, however, put the form of integrity as well as benevolence on se-centered papacy.
Factors Contributing to Dominance of Papacy in Western Europe till the Reformation
The church was independent, while the entire Western Europe was under the control of the Barbarian that invaded, Italy, Byzantine, and Gaul Empire was the victims of attacks. The entire empire was, however, subject to the segregation among the precursors of emperors. The empire’s power was divided, but the power of church was not divided, it remained stable and undivided. There was a lack of proper leadership in Rome, so Pope Leo II was the sole protecting body against the attacks of Huns.
The Church was converted with the invasion of the Barbarian. Their objective was the conversion of the monarch so that the people would ultimately follow. The previous church has sent some of victorious missions, so because of them a few Barbarians were, however, already Christians. In the Western Europe majority of Christianity was Roman Catholic Christianity. Further, the church has not sought help from the Eastern Empire, and formed relationship with the Barbarian, the relationship proved productive. In 481 AD, Clove was declared as the Franks’ king.
Moreover, In Cappadocia, Ulfilas was born, who was raised by Goth, Ulfias has exerted great influence on Goths in the fifth century. He was sent as a Goths ambassador to Constantinople. In the early fifth century, Ulfilas was awarded bishop; he has translated the bible into the Goth language, and played an important role in the spread of the Christianity, in order to allow the Christian Goths to settle in the empire.
Further, in the 6th and 7th centuries, the Merovingians were exercising their authority. They have traded land and power in their fight that has ultimately destabilized their power. Due to the alliance of church with Merovingians, their weakening of power has affected the church. The Carolingians were the refined barbarian, they take advantage of the decline of Merovingians, when they seized the power to throne. In 765, the mayor has written a letter to the Pope, after considering the superiority of Caroling. The mayor asked the pope about the right to take advantage of being king, in case he is not responsible for the judgments and decisions that are being made. The church has, however, transferred the power and authority from Merivingians to the Carolingians by awarding the status of king to Charles Martel. Further, the church considered them for the purpose of protection from the attacks rather than aiding them from the eastern empire, who was indulged in conflict with Persians and Arabs.
Charlemagne, also called Charles the Great, became the ruler of Frank in 771 AD, and considering the foundation of Catholicism, he has established a novel post imperial Europe. Charlemagne has promoted education, arts, and sought the bishops in order to organize the schools in the area surrounding cathedrals. However, his educational mandates lead to Carolingian Renaissance, a time in the history of Western Europe, when the regression of the intellectuals in educational terms, which was cause by the influence of invasion of Barbarian, was starting to decline by Charlemagne’s directives and ideals. Even after the Charlemagne’s death, the church has continued to spread the learning and education in Europe.
Positive and Negative Ramifications of Reality
The barbarian government was influenced by conversion of Christian and Church at that time. The Church has; however, provide continuous guidance in order to guarantee the fact that the conversion has exerted its influence and taken hold in real terms, and to make it certain that the faith would pave the way to the transformation of the way of living and government. Charlemagne has encouraged the education under the church influence, and completely changed the barbarian into the builders of civilization. Succinctly, the entire Western Europe is obliged to the Roman Catholic Church for its survival.
In a nutshell, the survival and the preservation of the western civilization depend on the conclusion of the events that associate the church to Barbarian. Further, the papal fathers gained popularity because of several factors that include inability of the empire to defend itself against the attacks of barbarian, and successful expansion of the Catholic Christianity. Just as the barbarian has altered the Western Europe, the church has altered the Barbarian, his heart as well as his government. This amalgamation has resulted in revitalized, re-educated, and preserved western civilization.
Notes
1.Jackson J. Spielvogel., Western Civilizations (Belmont: Thomas Learning Inc, 2009), 189
2. Robert B. Eno., The Rise of the Papacy (Wilmington, Del: M. Glazier, 2008), 59.
3.E. Christopher Reyes. In His Name (Bloomington, Indiana: Author House Publishers: 2010), 605
4. Anura Guruge. The Next Pope (Alton, New Hampshire: WOWNH LLC, 2010), 101
5. Michael Gerson, Peter Wehne. City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010)
6. V.S. Soloviev., Freedom, Faith, and Dogma Essays by V.S. Soloviev on Christianity and Judaism. (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009), 72 .
7.I. S. Robinson. The Papacy, 1073-1198: Continuity and Innovation (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990), 371
8.Geoffrey Ernest Maurice De Ste. Croix. The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World: From the Archaic Age to the Arab Conquests (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1981), 483
9. Hilja. Delight to You (Bloomington, Indiana: Author House Publishers, 30), 2010
10. Thomas Woods Jr., How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. (New York: Regnery Publishing, 2005), 190 .
11.Keith Hopkins., Christian Number and Its Implications (Journal of Early Christian Studies,1998) 185-226
12. Herwig Wolfram. The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples (London: University of California Press, Ltd, 1997), 73
13. Thomas F. X Noble., From Roman provinces to Medieval kingdoms.(London: Routledge, 2006), 288.
14.John McClintock, James Strong., Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Volume 2 (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1868), 220
15.Oscar Gross Brockett., History of the theatre (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1977), 88
16.Timothy P. Jones., Christian History Made Easy. (Torrance, California.: Rose Publishing Inc., 2013), 68.
Bibliography
1. Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilizations. Belmont: Thomas Learning Inc, 2009
2. Eno, Robert B. The Rise of the Papacy. Wilmington, Del: M. Glazier, 2008
3. Reyes, E. Christopher. In His Name. Bloomington, Indiana: Author House Publishers: 2010
4. Guruge, Anura. The Next Pope. Alton, New Hampshire: WOWNH LLC, 2010
5. Gerson, Michael., Wehne, Peter. City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010
6. Soloviev, V.S. Freedom, Faith, and Dogma Essays by V.S. Soloviev on Christianity and Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009
7. Robinson, I. S. The Papacy, 1073-1198: Continuity and Innovation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990
8. Croix, Geoffrey Ernest Maurice De Ste. The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World: From the Archaic Age to the Arab Conquests. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1981
9. Hilja. Delight to You. Bloomington, Indiana: Author House Publishers, 30), 2010
10. Thomas Woods Jr., How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. New York: Regnery Publishing, 2005
11. Hopkins, Keith. Christian Number and Its Implications. Journal of Early Christian Studies,1998
12. Wolfram, Herwig. The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples. London: University of California Press, Ltd, 1997
13. Noble, Thomas F. X. From Roman provinces to Medieval kingdoms. London: Routledge, 2006
14. McClintock, John., Strong, James. Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Volume 2. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1868
15. Brockett, Oscar Gross. History of the theatre. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1977
16. Jones, Timothy P. Christian History Made Easy. Torrance, California.: Rose Publishing Inc., 2013
