Religious Education: Nov 4, 2009 10th grade Holy Rosary
Prayer: Romans 5: 5-11
Attendance: 10th grade
Review:
Christianity illegal, grows anyway
Christianity
becomes the official religion under
Roman
Empire is divided into two empires West (
West falls in 476 / East no fall until1453 at hands of Ottoman Turks
Having completed the 1st 500 years of Church history we now move into the second 500 years:
Missionaries
and Emperors 500-999 AD Today
Outline of Today:
· Heresies & politics / Pope vs Emperor
· Monastacism (orders of monks) & Missionaries
o St.
Patrick (
o St.
Boniface (
· Rise of Islam
· Iconoclasm (Icons vs Idols)
· Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor and the end of 1st millenium
1. Heresies and Political struggle:
Who decides Church teachings Pope or Emperor?
476
Collapse of Western Empire No Emperor in
While in the west local power falls to the local German
chieftains, the Church begins to fill the void of “no emperor” in administering
& organizing
Recall:
Arius (250-336) who claimed (Arianism) heresy that Christ was not God but an exceptional man. Nestorianism (after Nestorius 351-451) claimed that there were two persons: a human and a God person fused together in Jesus and Mary was only the mother of the human person. Both of these were flawed in that they would make redemption meaningless. Either God did not die and rise as a true son, or he was not fully human & fully God when he did so, thus, He could not bridge the gap between man and God. This did not fit scripture. First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea 325 gave us the “hypostatic union” that Christ is both God and Man, 100% each – The Nicene Creed – Thus He suffered, died, and was raised as God, and God’s son, and also as a true, full human being = one of us.
Next, Monophysitism (400-600 AD) – Greek “Mono” (alone) and “physis” (nature):
So a similar question comes up again in the East in different form: Monphysitism that claims Jesus only had ONE NATURE. So, He is God and man separate but fused. However, what that means is that of his two natures, his divine nature is so infinite that it swallows up his human nature as insignificant and gone at the moment of the incarnation. This means that Christ was no longer fully human = not identical to other humans in his humanity – and again destroys the concept of a redeemer between God and man who is truly BOTH by necessity.
The reason this is important is because of the politics. Eutyches (378-454)
was head of an important monestary in
Three Chapters Controversy:
Again monophysitism type thinking arises in 550’s -- because if Jesus has two natures, you have Nestorianism all over again = two persons. Difference between “persons” and “natures” is not clear. So, the Eastern Church believing the orthodox “two nature one person” position is heresy, declares it such.
Emperor Justinian I (east) issues an edict condemning the 3 bishops (3 chapters) writings. Problem is that some of their writings are correct (= “orthodox”) while some is not. Emperor wants Pope Vigilius to approve edict. He refuses because of the potential to condemn some correct teachings along with the incorrect.
Now Vigilius was made pope as a perceived Monophysite from the east supported by Justinian’s wife the empress, because elected Pope St. Silverius was deposed on false charges (possibly with Vigilius help). Emperor Justinian may have expected Vigilius to be a puppet Pope, but he was not. (Which supports that the office of Papacy is infallible in regard to teachings of faith even when the person may not be all good.)
Emperor Justinian sends forces to
Summary: Pope decides official church teaching but the Emperor in East has influence.
Later in 680 AD we have the 3rd council of
2. Missionaries:
·
·
Pope St. Gregory the Great 590-604 –
Wrote biography of St. Benedict
Defended the church against the secular rulers
Strong
civic leader in the City of
1st Pope to use title “Servant of Servants of God”
Preserved tomb of saints
Reformed the Liturgy – Greogorian Chant
Wrote the Lives of Saints
Pastural writings
Also: Sent missionaries to Angles (
Concern Question St. Augustine of Cantebury
to Pope St. Gregory: What to do with Pagan festivals and traditions,
temples?
Answer: Destroy as few of them as possible rather change their purpose – coop them to preserve the tradition and habit of worship with them but redirect them to the true God – Policy that we will see continues in the future.
· St. Patrick (dies in 493 AD) and the Irish -- Disc 6 Track 12 on EPIC – monasteries and missionaries
·
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3. Rise of
Islam: 632 AD / Koran 633 AD
EPIC Disc 6 track
14-20 – 20 ˝ minutes
Mohamed born 570 AD, 40 years old awakens in cave by heavenly voice – Angel Gabriel. Told to keep secret then to reveal publically in 613 AD.
“No God but Allah”
Islam = “submission to God’s will” does not mean peace
620 AD
622 AD lees
630 AD conquers
Personal life: 14 wives, assassinates critics, dies 632 AD (age 62)
Contrast:
Mohamed’s Farewell: “Fight all men until they say there is no God but Allah.” = war.
Jesus’ Farewell: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.” (Mat 28:19) = peace
Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II:
“Some of the most beautiful names in the human language are given to the God of the Koran, but He is ultimately a God outside of the world, a God who is only Majesty, never Emanmanuel, God with us. Islam is not a religion of redemption. There is no room for the Cross and the Resurrection. Jesus is mentioned, but only as a prophet who prepares for the last prophet, Muhammad. There is also mention of Mary, His Virgin Mother, but the tradedy of redemption is completely absent. For this reason not only the theology but also the anthropology of Islam is very distant from Christianity. Nevertheless, the religiosity of Muslims deserves respect.”
Muslims capture
Muslims invade
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4. Iconoclasm: Icons or Idols?
160 years in the East it arose and lasted. Common to the Muslims and later the Protestants of 16th century – no statues, pictures, etc = idols
Catholic position is NO they are Icons. What is the difference?
Emperor Leo III 726 AD claims that a great volcano revealed God’s anger over idolatry. He decreed to destroy all public Christian images. While unpopular, he was emperor.
Pope Gregory II (715 – 731 AD) writes to Emperor Leo III to condemn this action in 727 AD: Icons are NOT worship, thus not idols, they serve to remind and focus us on the real object of worhip which is God.
“Christ knows that so often as we go into the
It would have been better for you to have been a heretic than a
destroyer of images. The dogmatizers
fall easily from ignorance, partly because of the darkness of the subject, and
their guilt is not as great as yours.
For you have persecuted that which is good and clear as light and
stripped the
Emperor Leo dies and Constantine V persecutes anyone who believes in Icons. Monestaries and convents are seized and executions occur. Emperor Constantine V dies and Emperor Leo IV less adamant but also an Iconoclast. His wife Empress Irene is an Iconodualist (ok but not necessarily the best to have icons). He defers to her. Leo dies and Empress Irene becomes Regeant – calls for an ecumenical council.
2nd Council of Nicea 787 AD convenes. Pope Hadrian clarifies Icon vs. Idol and veneration vs. worship.
“As a figure of the Scared Cross, so also the Sacred
figure. Whether of color, or of stone,
or of any material may be depicted on vessels, on cloths, and walls, on tables,
on houses, and on roads, namely, the
figures of Jesus Christ, of our Immaculate Lady, of the venerable Angels, and
of all Holy men. The oftener one looked on these representations, the more
would the looker be stirred to the rememberance of the
originals, and to the imitation of them and to offer his greeting and his
reverence to them. Worship belongs to
the Godhead alone, for the honor which is shown to the figure, passes over to
the original. And whoever does reverence
to an image, does reverence to the person represented by it.”
Consider a picture of a family member held in value. It’s the family member, NOT the picture who prompts and to whom the sentiment is directed.
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5. Holy
Roman Emperor: Charlemagne (768-814 AD)
Grandson of Charles Martel (Franks) who defeated the Muslims
in
Son of Pepin – who establishes the new line of kings. Pepin was
“Mayor of Palace” not king but wheeled the power of the king. Sought Popes decision: Who is king one with title or one who acts
with power of king. Pope answered
the latter. Pepin becomes king and
defeats the
Pepin dies and rule falls to his son Charlemagne – tall,
handsome, impressive man. Very devote to
Mass every day, Vespers (evening prayer) at night. Military campaigns: lost to Muslims in
Pope Leo III is attacked in the street on Xmas 800, unrest
in
Education thrived in importance: Liberal Arts established: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric; Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, and Music. Monks scriptorias made > 7,000 copies of manuscripts.
814 AD Charlemagne dies and kingdom divided among his sons begins to fall apart.
1. Muslim raids
2. Vikings
from the North raid
·
·
3. feudalism – Lord and vasals, code of honor, loyalty
4. Stagnation – Art, Architecture (Romanesque), Education – maintain but do not advance, no innovations.
More Politics: Church and State: Pope St. Nicholas I the Great vs Emperor Michael III
This time heresy is not the trigger – simply power hunger.
Photius becomes the “Patriarch of
Constantinople” having deposed the true Patriarch Ignatius. Fotius sends a
letter to Pope Nicholas I telling him that he is the new Patriarch. Pope sends letter back: What happened to Ingnatius? Does not get a good answer. So he sends representatives who are
bribed. Pope Nicholas claims Phocius to be illegitimate.
Emperor Michael says the Pope MUST accept him and threatens to attack
Nicholas writes back using Scripture / Tradition / History / Cannon Law defending the primacy of the Pope in Church matters; Emperor has NO authority in the Church.
867 AD Photius excommunicates Pope Nicholas as a Heretic – Eastern Church is now in Schism (does not recognize the Roman Pope authority but is not in heresy – still same faith).
1 month later, a coup deposes Emperor Michael II, placing Basil of Macedonia on the throne and restoring Ignatius to the Patriarchs position.
Pope Nicholas dies, 2 years later the 4th Council of Constantinople (869 AD -- 8th council of 21 ecumenical councils upto today) convenes, Photius is excommunicated. This is the last council for 254 years – and now the church seems to stagnate in Theology relative to the past years.
During the rest of the first 1000 yrs of the church, there
is much unrest. Term expectancy of Popes
is on average about 1 year – either killed or politically moved out. In 882 Pope John VIII is beaten to death in
the streets of
Pope Formosus (891-896 AD) reigns for 5 years and mishandles political alliances by changing sides frequently among 4 men seeking recognition of the Emperors throne. He dies at age 80 years.
Pope Steven VII (896-898 AD) succeeds but is pressured by force of Emperor “candidate” Lambert II to exume the body of Pope Formosus, put him on trial: “Synod of the Corpse.” Actually dress the dead Pope’s body in his proper cloths and charge him with pluralism – holding of more than one diocese (against cannon law – gives more revenue than due). He’s assigned a deacon as his lawyer. Found guilty, found to have never been a true Pope, stripped of his regalia, blessing fingers chopped off, and body throne into the River. Legend has it that a monk discovered the body and buried it properly.
Now Pope Steven VII is arrested in 897, sent to prison, and found strangled. Two more Popes totaling 4 months and 20 days, then Pope John IX elected.
Pope John IX (898-900 AD) condemns the synod of Corps, restores Pope Formosus as legitimate Pope in history.
What does this and other recent stories tell us?
Pope is not Infallible? -- NO
a. How bad the times were
b. Faith remained unchanged. Infallibility was still present. What was corrupted was the political maneuvering for power. Politics no doctrine of church was changed. Example: If president commits a crime or is impeached we don’t say throw away the presidency. Difference between the man and the office.
Next Class: Crusaders and Scholars: 1000-1299 AD.
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