Popes

The Protestant Reformation started in the sixteenth century by individuals who felt that the traditional Catholic Church had gone against Christianity’s basic teachings. Many felt that the church had too much power over their followers and were using this power to control others and gather money. The church had been charging for indulgences, or forgiveness of sins, which was seen as fraud and greed in many individuals’ eyes. Some of the leaders in this reformation where Martin Luther and John…

Francesco Petrarca and the True Restoration of Rome Ever since the fall of the Roman Empire many people and entities have claimed to be its inheritor. From Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire and from the Roman Catholic Church to the lowest of Barbarian tribes whose contact with Rome was so minimal that they would even know what a Roman was, everyone claimed they were the society that most deserved the title of the successor to Roman greatness, however one humble Italian man had a different…

The Medieval society viewed and treated everyone according to their social rank, meaning nobility and ecclesiastical dominated all at the top, and peasants worked for them at the bottom. The Catholic Church's increase in power and wealth in the 14th century resulted in the establishment of expensive churches decorated with excessive amounts of gold. These great displays of wealth angered the people experiencing disease, plague, and famine, especially when churchmen began taking advantage of…

he has accomplished many things. One of his first tasks was to help rebuild a church that was apart of the Eastern Bloc that fell with communism. Also, although some Eastern Orthodox Church members are against it, he is talking to the Roman Catholic Pope about reconciliation between the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church along with other branches of Christianity. He has also been talking to leaders of other faiths and religions like the Jews, Muslims and Christian Sects, attempting…

Personal interests of the king and the martyrs’ who would not back down for the sake of the gospel England would not have seen the reformation ad well as those who she influenced. With the entire nation of England’s departure from the control of the Pope and the rest of the Catholic Church, the power held by Rome depleted. Not only had they lost control of a key part of Europe, but also other countries laid witness to such a departure, as well as the results, and thus were…

The beginning of The Middle Ages, also known as the Dark Ages, came after the fall of the Roman Empire. The middle Ages was a time of disease and death for European culture that clouded the time from 400 AD to 1200 AD in darkness and hopelessness. The Political culture of the Medieval ages is what best known for its instability for power over the competition for royalty. The culture of the time was very idealistic in nature by thinking of their surroundings as they should rather than what they…

During the Byzantium Empire in the 700’s, the Iconoclasm Controversy and the Decree’s that followed were crucial points in the history of Christianity. The Catholic Church was largely affected by the Iconoclastic movement during that time and the continued growth and popularity of religion was tested. Both the Decree of the Iconoclast Council of Constantinople and the Decree of Second Nicea shaped the Byzantine Empire during the time of Constantine V and Leo III’s rule. During the time when…

Religious movements of the Lollards and Hussites greatly affected the medieval church. These two groups were supporters of leaders John Wycliffe and John Huss. Both criticized the Catholic church of its actions and words and questioned the papacy’s true role. The church retaliated to show power and keep control on their side. The church attempted numerous times to rid the teachings of the two men but even after their deaths they had influence over people. John Wycliffe’s writings inspired the…

Luther’s Ninty-five theses outraged leaders, who publically condemned Luther. However, Luther was not handed over; he was protected by Frederick III, Elector of Saxony. This act of protection by Frederick III, showed the limit on the Power the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor had not only in the religious environment, but also in the economic and political environments. This point in history marks a point at which the Roman Catholic Church’s power was highly in question, not only by its own…

power struggles in Anglo-Saxon royal families.” In addition, much speculation about this move by Carloman has taken place, including an idea that Carloman undertook this because of pressure from Pippin and that Carloman received his tonsure from the pope himself. Norman F. Cantor claims Carloman was "the first of a new type of saintly king, who was more interested in religious devotion than royal power, who frequently appeared in the following three centuries and who was an indication of the…