Question: Why is it so important to understand _ [i.e. the topic of your expert group] if one is to really understand the culture of the Middle Ages?
The Middle Ages was a time in history that introduced massive changes, especially when the Catholic Church was involved. There were social changes, worldwide conflict, and an illness called the Bubonic Plague that killed millions. Some leaders rose to high power and were looked up to, others went down in infamy. There were brilliant philosophers for the Catholic Church and their teachings are still used today. Some rebellions broke out and it was the start of reformation. It is important to understand the culture of the Middle Ages because it features the philosophy and theology of Thomas Aquinas and how it influenced the Catholic Church.
The Middle Ages lasted from 1154 to 1485 AD. “Although the Germanic tribes that forcibly migrated into southern and western Europe in the 5th century were ultimately converted to Christianity, they retained many of their customs and ways of life; the changes in forms of social organization they introduced rendered centralized government and cultural unity impossible.” (History Channel 1996-2011) There was a big conversion of Germanic tribes to the Catholic faith. This movement was a prominent event during the Middle Ages. This mean that the Catholic faith was continually spread throughout the known world. Even after the Germanic tribes became a part of the Catholic Church, they still kept their culture alive by respecting the ancient rituals.
Philosophy was also very important to the culture especially regarding religion. “The greatest work of Thomas was the Summa, and it is the fullest presentation of his views.” (Thomas Aquinas, 2009) Saint Thomas Aquinas was a great thinker for the Catholic Church. He had many new insights to contribute to the church. His most important writings were about God and how to conduct a relationship with him. He blended Greek philosophy and the church doctrine to form his theories. Even today, Thomas Aquinas’s writings still have an impact on the church.
Towards the late Middle Ages, the church faced a lot of hardships. “The church and its leading institution, the papacy, like the monarchy so strong in the 12th and early 13th centuries, also became weak and disorganized in the later Middle Ages.” The church went through many years of difficult changes and decisions in order to organize its system. The Catholic faith went through a huge reform in order to please the members of the church. Unfortunately, some important faces of the church decided to break away and form different faiths the way they thought things should be preached. The church was still a stronghold for many, but some found it hard to the faith while the papacy was falling apart at the seams.
The Catholic faith became very popular during Middle Ages because it was a part of almost every person’s life. The philosophers of the Catholic Church had a huge impact because they expressed their opinions of the teachings of the popes and bishops. Thomas Aquinas was a major figure for the church because his views on the doctrine were different and foreign to Catholics. The early Middle Ages had one of the biggest impacts on the church because of the rapid spread of the faith because it was a legal religious practice.
Works Cited
Overview: the middle ages. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/overview_middleages_01.shtml
Thomas aquinas. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/aquinas/
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