Rough Draft Essay: The Culture of the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages were a time in history that introduced massive changes, especially involving the Catholic Church.  There were social changes, worldwide conflict, and an illness that killed millions.  Some leaders rose to high power and were looked up to, others went down in infamy.  Hostility between countries started wars that lasted for years and some it also resulted in the conquering of land.  Rebellions broke out and it was the start of reformation.  People do not need to understand the culture of the Middle Ages.  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.  The Catholic faith was continually spread throughout the known world.  Even after the Germanic tribes became members 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.  Even today, Thomas Aquinas’s writings still have an impact on the church.

During 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 disorganised in the later Middle Ages.”  The church went through many years of difficult changes and decisions in order to organize the system.  The church went through a huge reform in order to please the members of the church.  Unfortunately, some people of the church decided to break away and form different faiths.  Even through hard times, the church was still a stronghold for many.

It was important to understand that the Catholic Church was 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 refined the teachings of the popes and bishops.  Thomas Aquinas was a major figure for the church because he expressed his views on the way Catholics should conduct their lives.  The early Middle Ages caused the conversion of the Catholic Church to soar and influence the culture into a holy state.

Works Cited

The middle ages. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages

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/