LIFE IN THE HIGH MIDDLE AGESA FERMENT OF

CHANGE

Devotional Text John 1:4, 5 NLT The Word gave life to everything

that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

IntroductionEconomic System: Feudalism Foreign Trade Exploration Slavery

From Feudalism to Capitalism

Land ownership seen as basis of wealth. Feudalist system was beginning to be

dismantled. Flourishing of trade began to be a reality

with the incipient capitalism. Development in:

Monetary systems; bank notes, credit notes, bills of trade, etc.

Banking systems; need for recording keeping, book keeping, transfer of funds, safe-keeping of funds.

Spirit of capitalism: Lending of money with the purpose of gaining

interest. Services of feuds now done in exchange for

money. Wealth creation: land and agriculture used for

acquiring wealth. Labour seen as a means of gaining wealth. Territories began to introduce rules for

protecting wealth. Honor system no longer a part of society. Middle class virtue of initiative and industry

became enthroned.

Foreign Trade Trade with the Far East led to new

shipping lanes. Developed need for faster/shorter routes. Improvement in sea transportation. Improvement in organization of business. Formation of merchant organizations. Invention of printing saw merchant class

making use of reading. Law of demand and supply.

Changes in trade and economy led to change in social realm: End of the Medieval system which saw the

clergy as the head, nobility the arms and peasants as the feet.

Development of the middle class. Room created for upward mobility.

Exploration Columbus and the “discovery” of the new

world. Expansion of Europe into the new world. Opening of opportunities for wealth

generation with the discovery of new territory.

Spain and Portugal in particular took the early moves in colonizing and profiting from the new world.

Treaty of Tordesillas.

Secular Power: Church derived great power from its

extensive land holdings. It was not uncommon for high ranking

Church officials to have control over private armies.

Simony became rampant. The clergy ruled with unquestioned

authority. Church services were reduced to money

payments.

The church became increasingly wealthy. Pope had absolute rule over clergy and

all church land. Upper clergy - bishops, cardinals,

archbishops, high officials of Curia (Popes inner circle) lived like kings and princes

Creation of a religio-political system with the pope presiding as head.

Gregory VII (1073 – 1085) issued the Dictatus Papae, 27 statements on papal power. It claimed that the pope “is the only one whose feet are to be kissed by all princes,” pope had the power to depose emperors, etc.

Innocent III (1198 – 1216) saw the pope as being midway between God and humankind.

Concept of the “Two Swords;” Boniface VII (1294 – 1303) issued the bull Unam Sanctam claiming precedence of spiritual over temporal authority. To him, the pope can only be judged by God; being subjected to the pope is necessary for salvation.

Sacramental system created a gaping chasm between clergy and laity.

The sacramental system, sacerdotalism, was a means of keeping secular rulers, as well as society as a whole, in check.

Within this system, the clergy had the exclusive right to administer the sacraments which were seen as being the exclusive means whereby salvation is made available to humankind.

The Seven Sacraments: Baptism Confirmation Marriage Mass Penance Ordination Extreme Unction

Intellectual Developments:

Humanism: Humanism at that time was more of a

movement which placed an emphasis upon the study of the humanities or liberal arts.

Humanism was methodological; in that its point of emphasis was the manner in which ideas are obtained and expressed and not in the substance of the ideas themselves.

The slogan of humanism is best summarized in the term ad fontes, back to the sources.

There was a return to the study of the original biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek.

Humanism gave to the reformers some of the tools that they used for understanding the Bible.

Humanist believed that the Scripture was the key to reforming the Church.

They saw the theology of the Church as being in need of change when compared to the Scripture.

Many of the humanists saw the Bible as a source of moral conduct.

Prominent Humanists Francisco Jemines de Cisneros (1436 –

1517): He is also known as Cardinal Ximenez. He was the personal confessor of

Isabella, Queen of Spain. He also served as the Grand Inquisitor of

the Spanish Inquisition. He was the first person to publish a Greek

New Testament; a feat accomplished in 1514.

Desiderius Erasmus, (c. 1466 – 1536): He was fortunate to have had his

education at the school run by the Brethren of the Common Life.

His father was a priest and his mother was the daughter of a physician.

He felt that it was important for Christians to live a balanced life and urged his fellow believers to do so.

The “ethics of Jesus, purged of Scholastic speculation,” when concentrated upon will enable this to be a reality.

He spoke out against the excesses of the Catholics

Church should be purged of all pomp Was critical of monasticism. Discipline has a high role to play in the

life of the Christian; he may have even elevated it above the role played by doctrine.

The laity are capable of doing the work of the Church.

Believed in empowering the laity via an educational/informative process.

Saw the role of priests as being educators of the laity.

Did not have a place for auricular confession.

Believed that the reading of the Scriptures is transformative.

To him, the laity hold the key to a revival of the Church.

Placed an emphasis upon the relationship between a person and God.

The inner religion of the heart was seen as being possible for the average Christian.

In his understanding there are no “super Christians” and “ordinary Christians.” Anyone can be devoted to the things of God.

Erasmus’ conjured the concept called philosophia Christi; this was an attempt to strip the story of Jesus of scholastic speculations and rekindle the New Testament spirit. However, in doing so he reduced Jesus’ teachings to a mere moralism.

Some of his more noted works are: The Praise of Folly; a satire on the evils of the Church; Handbook of the Christian Soldier; (Enchridion Militis

Christiani) a work dealing with ethics and Christian living;

Greek New Testament; Familiar Colloquies; Free Will; a work done in a debate with Martin Luther.

Nominalism: Seen as being the intellectual brainchild

of both John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham, with the latter being seen as being the bigger contributor.

Nominalism disagreed with Realism as regards the universals.

Nominalism is not theological but it is a system of thought.

Luther was influenced by it since it was the prevailing thought in his day.

Two types of Nominalism: via moderna and schola Augustiniana moderna

Via Moderna: Developed at Merton College, Oxford. Propagated by the Dominicans Some of its teachers included:

William of Ockham Pierre d’Ally Robert Holcot Gabriel Biel

Basic features of via moderna theologians: Pelagian/Semi-Pelagian in its outlook The covenant: God established a covenant

between Himself and humanity concerning the necessary conditions of justification. God accepts the individual based upon the meeting of His demands; (facere quod in se est)

Merited salvation: God is obliged to accept human effort toward salvation. (Utilized an example from the social context; lead coins being used as a means of exchange even though the coin in itself was not worth much)

Initiative: sinner takes the initiative in the ordo salutis.

Schola Augustiniana moderna: “First” proponent: Thomas Bradwardine

at Oxford (Dei contra Pelagium) Propagated by the Augustinian Order

Some of its teachers: Gregory of Rimini Hugolino of Orvieto

Basic features of schola Augustiniana moderna: Augustinian in its outlook Soteriology: more Augustinian, developed by

Gregory of Rimini, showing the need for grace. Not merited: salvation seen as being God’s

work. Initiative: God takes the initiative in the ordo

salutis. Predestination: a place was given to

predestination since God takes the initiative.