THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE AGES. Up to the beginning of the sixteenth century, there was only one Christian church in Europe. All members believed in the same teachings, and followed the same form of worship. The Pope who lived in Rome was the head of the church. Different peoples disagreed about many things, and their quarrels often ended in war. But there was one bond which united them all. This was the Christian Church, headed by the Pope. This united them all. This united Christian world was called Christendom, and the Pope was its supreme head. All people of Christendom looked upon the Pope as their common father. They took his advice on all matters, even on things which had nothing to do with religion. Often kings asked him to settle their quarrels. Thus, in 1493, when a quarrel arose between Portugal and Spain about the newly discovered countries beyond the seas, they appealed to the Pope. He helped the nations settle matters by agreeing on an imaginary line running north to south through the Atlantic Ocean. This line divided the world into two, Portugal taking the east and Spain taking the west.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 09:52:20 +0000
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