1. How did the Catholic Church
maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
2. How did the Catholic Church maintain
power in
Europe’s middle ages?
Political Power
• They made alliances with powerful rulers
3. • They used wealth to intimidate and impress
commoners
• They influenced kings, emperors, and other
political leaders
• They had alliances with powerful rulers
4. How did the Catholic Church
maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• They owned approximately 1/3 of the land.
• They barred priests from marrying (so they
could not pass land on to the next
generation).
5. The man wearing white
with a gold cape is a
Roman Catholic pope.
What is being depicted in
the scene?
What does this painting
say about the pope?
6. How did the Catholic Church
maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• They threatened
people with
excommunication:
• If they disobeyed
the teachings of the
church, they would
be excluded from
salvation and sent
to hell.
7. How did the Catholic Church maintain
power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• Church members
had to pay a tithe
(10% of their wages)
• They built
impressive
cathedrals and
churches
8. How did the Catholic Church maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• Imagine you are a
French peasant from
1200 CE. You live in a
cramped apartment.
• How would the interior
of this cathedral make
you feel about the
Roman Catholic church?
9. How did the Catholic Church maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• They controlled and influenced education.
• Church officials were highly educated.
• The first universities were founded to educate
and train the clergy.
• Most people were illiterate
10. How did the Catholic Church maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• Religious beliefs were used to explain
everything in the natural world.
• If it rained, God made it happen.
• If you won a battle, God was on your side.
• If you got sick and died, he wasn’t.
• Reason and science were at odds… until…
11. How did the Catholic Church maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• Look at the painting. Who
are the men around
Aquinas? Why are their
books closed, while
Aquinas’ is wide open?
What does the glowing light
on Aquinas’ book
represent?
12. • Thomas Aquinas (13th century CE), along with
other religious scholars began to
think, write, and teach that theology and the
natural law can coexist.
13. How did the Catholic Church maintain power in
Europe’s middle ages?
• Theology = study of god and religion
• natural law = there is a universal order built
into nature that guides moral thinking
• Examples: Human rights (like the right to
live, travel freely, defend yourself)
