Lesson 105 Review Essay(not yet completed)

1. The tenth and eleventh centuries brought an onset of issues to the church, with debilitating conditions increasing within it's borders. The level of discipline was horrendous among the monks and only continued to go downhill, as time progressed. Bishops, abbots, and priests were chosen by laymen, who were not qualified to make this crucial decision(this was known as lay control.) This was evident by the fact that they appointed some notoriously awful popes. One such example was Pope John XII, who ruled from 955 to 964. He was a godless, cruel and depraved human being, certainly not deserving of his position at all. Pope John was known for indulging in many forms of immoral behavior, including the rape of two of his own sisters!
He also toasted to the devil himself, murdered a cardinal, and attempted sex with women visiting his domain. What was intended as a holy palace soon became a foul site and a brothel. Pope John even took a warped delight in conducting orgies, some of which took place at the holy grave-places of Saints Peter and Paul. If Pope John wasn't an indication of the the laymen's incompetence, then I don't know what is. Their conclusions were based solely on politics and never for religious reasons. They were incapable of making wise, appropriate selections, especially as they were never meant to do so. A general amount of hostilities went on between aristocratic families as well. They were all venturing, along with some emperors, for the papal office.

Pope Leo IX made some attempts to make amends for the terrible events going on in the church. He was a follower of moderate reform, where he tried desperately to put a stop to simony and clerical marriage(Simony was the illegal sale of church offices and clerical marriage was the marriage of the clergy.) He firmly believed in the legitimate appointment of popes and bishops, ones who were actually respectable applicants. Pope Leo himself rose to his status in the proper way, to show he wasn't a hypocrite in his conviction. However he still didn't deal with the root problem;which was limiting the laymen's ability to appoint church officials at all.

2.Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV had a heated disagreement, over the roles of church and state during this time. It was an intense conflict, to say the very least, one that brought dire consequences to King Henry. Pope Gregory was passionate about reinstating the pope's power and also ending the practice of lay control. He thought it was scandalous that they had been allowed to decide on bishops, without holding a church office. So he set out to stop what he looked upon as a highly inappropriate custom.
He also wanted to put his foot down and end the act of lay investiture. This was where laymen would endow bishops with their symbols for spiritual authority. King Henry, on the contrary, was astounded when he found out Gregory's plans for change. It was his opinion to accept ritual as it was, and not generate radical reform. In rebellion to Gregory, King Henry went ahead and invested a new bishop in Milan, Italy. The Pope was in favor of keeping the old bishop, who was instated by a insurgent movement. He was apt to warn Henry of his impending punishment, but the king recklessly persisted. Naturally, afterwards, he was overthrown by Pope Gregory at the Council of Worms. Gregory even went as far as to liberate the King's subjects from loyalty.Realizing the gravity of his error, Henry's attitude became contrite and broken after some time.

Desperate for restitution, he traveled in the bitter snow of the Alps to reach Canossa. After three long nights, he was at last able to retain Gregory's forgiveness. Shocking as it was, he fell right back to his old ways after recanting and being granted pardon! The pope proceeded to excommunicate him once again, for such impudence. Eventually Gregory won the battle between them, returning the papacy to it's rightful spot of authority.
This bitter fight between Henry and Gregory was symbolic, because it paved a fine line between church and state. It showed that their roles were not to be confused with each other,where one would dominate completely over the other.






3. Christendom during the 1100s was a universal religion that overshadowed every part of the world. It was an understand pact between people everywhere, something that brought them all together in cohesive integration or "unity'. Evidence of this brotherhood abounded everywhere. Monasteries would frequently send their monks from one country to another, to minister to people. The gospel was spread quickly throughout the globe in this manner.

What were the problems besetting the Church in the tenth and eleventh centuries? What was "moderate reform"?

(2) Describe the events that took place during the conflict between Pope Gregory VII and Henry IV. What was at stake?

(3) What was Christendom?