Chhi 301 Papacy Paper - 1697 Words

RAMIFICATIONS OF THE PAPACY’S POWER IN ROME Church History 301 April 20, 2014 Ramifications of the Papacy’s Power in Rome The papacy – the office held by the pope as head of the Catholic Church - gained great power from the sixth through eighth centuries, and there are several reasons for this surge in influence. Starting around 590, Pope Gregory I sought to convert Teutonic invaders to Christianity. Islam was also in play, as it had taken over most of Asia and Africa. According to Earl Cairns, by trying to win Teutonic tribes to Christianity, the medieval church â€Å"†¦further centralized its organization under papal supremacy and developed the sacramental-hierarchical system characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church.† In†¦show more content†¦The power of the Bishop in Rome resulted from several factors, including the barbarian invasions, the failure of the emperors to defend their homeland, the success of Christianity, and the fame of the Church. The Roman generals battled over who would rule and thus failed to defend their borders adequately. This created gaps in the land, which was a factor the fall of Rome. With the invasion of the barbarians, it was up to the Church to defend the lands. Pope Gregory greatly influenced the situation. He was responsible for the improved standing of the papacy. He became Rome’s financial officer, and he managed food and water supplies. He created peace with the Lombards, and was able to ransom prisoners from them in the 6th century. He created a new Liturgy of the church, and he believed the purpose of the papacy was to help the poor, thus establishing the papal title â€Å"Servant of the servants of Christ.† Gregory turned a self-se eking papacy into an office of kindness and humility. Barbarians were invading Western Europe. Gaul, Italy and the Byzantine Empire were being raided while the church remained independent. The empire was divided but the church remained undivided and stable. With no true leader in Rome, Pope Leo II was the only defense against the Huns. As the barbarians invaded, the Church converted. Their motto was â€Å"to convert the monarch and the peopleShow MoreRelatedThe Rise of the Papacy Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesCHHI-301-D10 LUO FALL2013 PAPER 2 The Rise of the Papacy INTRO In the void left by the collapse of the Roman Empire, the bishop of Rome grew even more in both power and prestige beginning in the sixth century and continuing to the reformation in the ninth century. It is the aim of this paper to explain how and why the papacy in Rome became the center of power of the medieval world, the factors contributing to this dominance over Western Europe, and the positive and negative ramificationsRead MoreWhy Were The Crusades?1389 Words   |  6 Pages WHY WERE THE CRUSADES STARTED SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR C. PAUL KING CHHI-301-B06 LUO BY KEVIN SCOTT WILLIAMS JUNE 29, 2015 â€Æ' Why Were the Crusades Started Most have heard of the crusades of the middle-ages or at least heard of some famous people such as Pope Urban II, Richard the Lionheart or others. Whether you see the crusades as events that tried to promote Christian values in a pagan territory or of you see the crusades as chivalrous knights fight for a valiant cause one will stillRead MoreEssay about The Rise of the Papacy1770 Words   |  8 PagesThe Rise of the Papacy Barry Blankenship CHHI 301 - History of the Christian Church I Professor – Dr. Jeffrey S. Mayfield February 20, 2012 The Fall of A Great Empire and the Rise of the Papacy Before the fall of the Roman Empire you must stop and look at the power that was held within the millions of miles of land, building, people, cities, kings, and customs. The Roman Empire was not known for being just another city or empire but it was known for its strength, power and victories