The Church in the Middle Ages

The Church in the Middle Ages

By The Middle Ages, one understands a relatively long historical period extending from the end of the Roman Empire to the 1500's. The conquest of The Roman Empire by Germanic tribes, and synthesis of Germanic and Roman ways of life formed the civilization which we call medieval (medieval-from Latin words; medium (middle) and aevum (age)). Medieval civilization was greatly influenced by the Muslims in Spain and The Middle East, and by Byzantine Empire and Christians in Southeast Europe.

The power of The Church, in The Middle Ages, was enormous. It touched almost everyone's life in many important ways. The Church baptized a person at birth, performed the wedding ceremony at people' marriages, and conducted the burial services when one died. The Church would threaten to excommunicate (excommunicate-cut the person away from church and take all hope to go to heaven), those who would rebel against its power. Monopolization of culture, literature, science and philosophy in its hands gave The Church almost an unlimited power over the body and mind of medieval people. It is impossible to see the spiritual quest of medieval man outside of the boundary established by the church.

On the other hand, The Church was creating universities and schools, encouraging theological debates and publishing of books. The search for God, inspired by religious ideals, gave birth to a colorful, diversified, and breathing culture of Middle Age.

The church's rule caused the fact that the main characteristic of medieval philosophy was theocentrism. During Middle Age philosophy was developing as a part of theology. Philosophy was a methodological basis for theological work of medieval, rather than independent study...

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...h Anthony Kenny, who wrote, "… a valid philosophical proof of God's existence would be sufficient, though not a necessary, condition for the possibility of a rational acceptance of theism…"

Whenever I would need rational justification, or philosophical proof of God's existence, I will offer the arguments of St. Thomas Aquinas as such justification.

Bibliography:

Bibliography

Books

Kenny, Anthony The Five Ways, Schoken Books Inc., New York 1969

Plantinga, Alvin The Ontological Argument, Anchor Books, New York 1965

Ansombe, G.E.M. and Geach, P.T. Three Philosophers, Cornell University Press, New York 1961

References

Audi, Robert The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, 1999

Longman Dictionary of American English, New York, 1983

Internet

America on Line, keyword Search and Learn