How Did Christianity Influence Western Civilization

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The Christian Church was a dominant force in Europe during the Middle Ages. During this time often referred as the “Dark Ages”, there was no concrete religion or state, however after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christian influence vastly spread throughout Europe making it the most powerful institution to surface the continent. Highly influential political leaders such as kings, queens, and other authoritative leaders turned to the church for guidance and eventually adopted the Christian doctrine making the church the center focus for western civilization. The Christian Church contributed to various beneficial aspects of European life such as the rise of monasteries, pilgrimages which served as a guide for spiritual awakening, and many others. As the Roman Empire fell and the rise of Christianity spread like wildfire throughout Europe, people began to change the way they viewed the world. Many Europeans began to study the scripture of the Bible, which was what Christianity was based upon, and by doing so the attitudes of the Dark Ages dramatically changed as time progressed. The rise of monasteries greatly influenced the lives of Western people because they provided a multitude of services that benefited
Its influence on Western Civilization took control of all aspects of life, some of which were extremely beneficial for the betterment of society. Books and social services that the monasteries provided allowed for civilization to thrive when the Dark Ages were prominent. Pilgrimages served as a purpose for the absolution of sins, and converted even more people to Christianity. Tragically as the Middle Ages progressed, corruption within the church as well as politics lead to violence and many pivotal points throughout Christian history such as the Crusades. Without Christianity of the Middle Ages however, life as we know it today would not be the same in this modern

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