history of christianity?

Question

i'm taking a western civilization class, which i despise. i need to describe what it was like to live a holy christian life during the period of 1000 to 1500 AD, considering both clergy and laity. my book is just confusing..i really need some help!! thanks in advance!!

this class is a requirement for me, and you're right; it's all about the teacher...and unfortunately, we've got a not-so-interesting one

Answer 1

Read your Bible. It'll tell you all you need to know about life as an early Christian.

Answer 2

Another thought, If I remember correctly, during medieval times, religion was very particular and people were not educated as they are today. Many people traveled to churches and learned from images depicted by the churches. There was a lot of corruption and many were persucuted for not following church law. Different aeas contain different aspects to history. Are you particular about the area or do you mean in general. if you look back at the old churches that were built during this time period, it is easy to see that much money went towards the church. Most towns and cities were built around the church with the church being the center of everything. This may help you with a place to start. Like I said, there is so much about this subject that it really shouldnt be hard to find substance for the subject. Hope this helps, Good Luck!

Answer 3

This is not hard to find. I did a search on History of Christianity and got many sites.
Life in the Monasteries was similar to today. Everyone was Catholic, and tithes were actual taxes. Make sure you include "The Great Schism," the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and early reform movements, such as Savonarola's. Most monastic orders were established during this time period. Find a short biography of St Francis of Assisi, and Joan of Arc for examples of what it was like to live as a Christian during these times. You can find all of this in wikipedia and other search sources..

See site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity#Church_of_the_High_Middle_Ages_.28800.E2.80.931499.29

Church and the Italian Renaissance (1399–1599)
Michelangelo's Pietà in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican CitySee also: Italian Renaissance and Christian Humanism
The Renaissance was a period of great cultural change and achievement, marked in Italy by a classical orientation and an increase of wealth through mercantile trade. The City of Rome, the Papacy, and the Papal States were all affected by the Renaissance. On the one hand, it was a time of great artistic patronage and architectural magnificence, where the Church pardoned such artists as Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Bramante, Raphael, Fra Angelico, Donatello, and da Vinci. On the other hand, wealthy Italian families often secured episcopal offices, including the papacy, for their own members, some of whom were known for immorality, such as Alexander VI and Sixtus IV.

In addition to being the head of the Church, the Pope became one of Italy's most important secular rulers, and pontiffs such as Julius II often waged campaigns to protect and expand their temporal domains. Furthermore, the popes, in a spirit of refined competition with other Italian lords, spent lavishly both on private luxuries but also on public works, repairing or building churches, bridges, and a magnificent system of aqueducts in Rome that still function today. It was during this time that St. Peter's Basilica, perhaps the most recognized Christian church, was built on the site of the old Constantinian basilica. It was also a time of increased contact with Greek culture, opening up new avenues of learning, especially in the fields of philosophy, poetry, classics, rhetoric, and political science, fostering a spirit of humanism–all of which would influence the Church.

Answer 4

hmmmm...do you despise the class itself? Or Western Civilization in general? why even take it if you despise either? Or live in a Western Civ country for that matter?

Anyway, there was an interesting movie on the life of a monk starring Christian Slater and Sean Connery called 'The Name of the Rose'...check it out...it may give you a sort of hollywood-ized type of idea where Western Civ came from and how far it has advanced.

Answer 5

you are not going to find it all in one book.. start with the history of Catholicism.. and the division brought aboutt by Luther.. look up the history of the political advantages of the princes of the church.. find information abou the dark ages.. most everything that you want to know is in the books about those times. Political and religious doctrines were interlaced and affected each other.. also, see if you can find a copy of the book "the great controversy between Christ and Satan" written by E.G. White 1888.. it will give you an indepth view of the times you are studying about.. good luck

Answer 6

Well. . . much the same as it would be to live a holy christian life today, or at any period. Keep the commandments, love God, pray without ceasing, give generously of your time, talents, and material things to those less fortunate. Go to church regularly, confess your sins and repent of them. The highest and noblest thought of the middle ages was world-renouncing and ascetic- they cared nothing for material things and considered the world and the body as a source of temptation.

Answer 7

Read the Bible. Find a good translation of the Bible (the NIV will do just fine).

Also, check this book out from your local library:

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-History-Christianity-Century-Present/dp/0800638123/ref=pd_bbs_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197335244&sr=8-9