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Religious Education Teacher Guide The Church‘s Story – The Middle Ages LEARNING STRAND: CHURCH HISTORY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND 10D TEACHER GUIDE THE LOGO The logo is an attempt to express Faith as an inward and outward journey. This faith journey takes us into our own hearts, into the heart of the world and into the heart of Christ who is God’s love revealed. In Christ, God transforms our lives. We can respond to his love for us by reaching out and loving one another. The circle represents our world. White, the colour of light, represents God. Red is for the suffering of Christ. Red also represents the Holy Spirit. Yellow represents the risen Christ. The direction of the lines is inwards except for the cross, which stretches outwards. Our lives are embedded in and dependent upon our environment (green and blue) and our cultures (patterns and textures). Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, is represented by the blue and white pattern. The blue also represents the Pacific… Annette Hanrahan RSCJ UNDERSTANDING FAITH YEAR 10 This book is the Teacher Guide to the following topic in the UNDERSTANDING FAITH series 10D THE CHURCH’S STORY – THE MIDDLE AGES (800-1500 AD) TEACHER GUIDE © Copyright 2002 by National Centre for Religious Studies No part of this document may be reproduced in any way, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, without prior permission of the publishers. Imprimatur: † Leonard Boyle DD Bishop of Dunedin Episcopal Deputy for Religious Studies October 2002 Authorised by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference Published by: National Centre for Religious Studies Catholic Centre P O Box 1937 Wellington New Zealand Printed by: Printlink 33-43 Jackson Street Petone Private Bag 39996 Wellington Mail Centre Lower Hutt 5045 Māori terms are italicised in the text. The first time a Māori term occurs its English meaning appears in brackets after it. A Māori glossary at the back of the book gives a more detailed explanation of these terms and provides a guide for their pronunciation. CONTENTS Introduction to the Topic .............................................................................. 2 Part One: The Pope and the Emperor ................................................. 30 Part Two: East and West ...................................................................... 40 Part Three: Monasteries .......................................................................... 45 Part Four: Pilgrimages .......................................................................... 49 Part Five: Crusades .............................................................................. 56 Part Six: Devotion to Mary .................................................................. 61 Part Seven: Cathedrals and Universities ............................................... 67 Part Eight: Popes and Reformers .......................................................... 74 Glossary of General Terms ......................................................................... 84 Glossary of Māori Terms ........................................................................... 100 Acknowledgements ................................................................................... 103 1 TOPIC 10D: THE CHURCH’S STORY – THE MIDDLE AGES (800 – 1500 AD) LEARNING STRAND: CHURCH HISTORY INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC This book contains the teacher material for Topic 10D “The Church’s Story – The Middle Ages” which forms the Church History Strand of the Understanding Faith programme at year ten. The study of topics in the Church History Strand is intended to give students some historical perspective – an awareness of the interplay of continuity and change in the story of the Church. This teacher material should be read alongside the following: • The Religious Education Curriculum Statement for Catholic Secondary Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. • The student resource book for 10D “The Church’s Story – The Middle Ages”. • The student write-on activities for 10D “The Church’s Story – The Middle Ages” in the year ten student workbook. • The supplementary material and activities on the website. Topic 10D “The Church’s Story – The Middle Ages” picks up the history of the Church’s story where Topic 9D “The Church’s Story – The Beginnings” left off. It looks at Christianity’s development and growth from around 800 to 1500 or thereabouts. The year nine material covered the first eight centuries of the Church’s story. It emphasised the beginnings of the Church at Pentecost, early Christian witness and martyrdom, the opening of the Church to Gentiles, features of Church life, persecution, the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Empire, the establishment of the canon of scriptures and the development of the creeds, early desert, Celtic and Benedictine monasticism, the Germanic invasions and the collapse of the Empire, and the first contacts between Christianity and Islam. This topic begins with an overview of the Middle Ages before focusing on the partnership between the popes and Charlemagne that established the Holy Roman Empire. It goes on to examine the relationship between the Church in the East and the West and the eventual split that occurred between them, the 2 development and significance of monasticism, pilgrimages, the Crusades, devotion to Mary, the great Gothic cathedrals, challenges to the papacy and movements of renewal. The Middles Ages is the longest era in Christian history and the most difficult to grasp and interpret. This topic is very selective in the material that it presents from seven of the most complex centuries in history. While the Middles Ages can seem such an alien time, there are key themes that serve as “hooks” to an understanding of the period: • Migrations of barbarian tribes reshaped the Roman world. • Missions – often heroic ventures – reached all of Europe. • Monasticism became a preserver of learning and Scripture and the spearhead of missions and education. • The papacy grew more powerful and individual popes for better and for worse shaped not just religion but the whole of society. • The interests of the Church merged with those of the State. • The Eastern and Western parts of the Church developed in isolation from each other and eventually severed ties. • Islam overtook established Christian centres and was perceived as a great threat to Christianity. • Devotion to Mary and the saints increased and expressed itself in pilgrimages and new devotions. • At times when the Church seemed to lose its sense of direction, Te Wairua Tapu (the Holy Spirit) inspired individuals and movements to renew Christian life. Many of the year ten topics in Understanding Faith focus on the theme of journey. Missionary journeys, pilgrimages, crusades, papal journeys are all part of the Church’s story during this period. ACHIEVEMENT AIMS In this topic students will gain and apply knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to understand: 3 1. The story of the Church from the end of the eighth century (when the formation of the partnership between the pope and Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire) to the end of the fifteenth (and the eve of the Reformation). 2. That God is revealed in history through the actions of the Church and the lives of Christian men and women. 3. That we come to a knowledge of God by reflecting on the events of history. ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: 1. Understand the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Catholic Church as the universal Church of Western Europe. 2. Explore similarities and differences between the Church in the East and in the West and identify factors that contributed to an eventual schism between the two. 3. Recognise the contribution of monasticism to the Church and to society. 4. Understand the significance of journeys – pilgrimages and crusades – in the life of the Church during the Middle Ages. 5. Recognise the development of Marian devotion and the construction of the great Gothic cathedrals as expressions of genuine Christian spirituality. 6. Develop an understanding of the role of the pope and of reformers within the Church and society of the Middle Ages. CHURCH TEACHINGS AND LINKS WITH CHURCH DOCUMENTS Underpinning the six achievement objectives for the topic are important teachings of the Church. Where possible direct links with the Catechism of the Catholic Church have been established and quotations used to highlight the relationship between the various achievement objectives and the Church teachings that they embody. On occasions, other Church documents are referred to and quoted. In all cases the official translations of Church documents have been used, but where necessary changes have been made so that the language is gender inclusive. Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to understand the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Catholic Church as the universal Church of Western Europe. 4 Church Teachings • The Church was established to spread Te Rangatiratanga (the reign of God) on earth rather than to gain temporal or political power. • The two powers of Church and State are distinct from each other, each having its own sphere of competency. • The Church has a right to scrutinise events in society and interpret them in the light of Te Rongopai (the Gospel or Good News). Catechism and Church Document Links The Church and State The Church, by reason of her role and competence, is not identified with any political community nor is it tied to any political community. It is
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