“Church” is a term that is used to identify Christians that exist in different parts of the world and is synonymous with the terms “body of Christ,” and the “ecclesia.” This suggests that the people who form the Church are persons of the body of Christ as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Romans 12:5. In this paper I focus on the purpose and calling of the Church, the relationship of people in position as pastors with the congregation (that is,
Throughout the high middle ages, the Medieval Church exerted power of a great magnitude. Not only did the church have religious power but also political as well. “The papacy asserted the Church of Rome as the sole authority in Christendom, a position strongly opposed by the patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church in Constantinople”. The Medieval church was also very wealthy. Throughout time the people have donated land to the church, making the church the single largest landowner by the end of the twelfth century.
The Church Split – 1054 A.D. The Split between the East and West was very crucial to Western Civilization. This is when the Christian Church split into two parts. The two parts or churches that developed were the Eastern orthodox church and the Roman Catholic Church of the West. There were so many theological and political differences that the leaders had disputes over that led to the split including the major dispute of who held what office and ruled over whom. They could not agree; therefore, the churches split.
During the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation challenged the beliefs and trusts of the Catholic Church. Between the years of 1517 to 1648, the Protestant Reformation began a time of testing the ideologies of the Church; this resulted in extreme political, religious and social shifts in the Church of England. Protestant reformers began to object the language that the Bible was written in and therefore translated it into various other languages, most notably in English. These religious shifts in Europe initiated changes to the ideology and beliefs of Popes, Bishops, and Priests. This was further fuelled by the influence of the Kings, and the power they held over his people especially King Henry.
The views on Christianity throughout Rome changed immensely from the early years of the empire through the fourth century. For a while, Christians were looked at as a threat to many because of their belief in monotheism. Nero and his followers persecuted and punished the lower class and women who followed Christianity as well as use them as political scapegoats. As time went on, the tolerance for Christianity in Rome grew and Christianity gained acceptance. By the fourth century, Christianity was the official religion in Rome.
During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church had a large impact on everyday life for almost every group of people. Most popular events and holidays had religious influences incorporated into the celebrations. Church leaders ran the schools, preformed at weddings, recorded births, and burial services. The church also played a role in politics of the time. Church leaders were advisors to the king.
This was a big change because now people do not have to believe in only one religion. They could believe in what they wanted freely without being punished like before. Christianity was not the only religion, which allowed others to flourish, helping other religions become as popular as they are today. The last important change is the fact that lay people were called to have a greater role in the church. Now that there was more participation, the mass became more enjoyable for everyone.
Often times the ministers are untrained and do this as a side position. Churches include men in the roles of a bishop per church, 2 to 3 ministers and deacons for the church. Since church is a special occasion it takes place every other Sunday and can last anywhere from 2 and a half hours to 3 hours. The service itself includes singing, 2 sermons differing in lengths, Bible readings, prayer, and more singing. Communion services take place twice a year and includes a foot-washing ceremony, preaching, reviewing of Bible stories of Jesus’s life, death, and teachings, congregational affirmations of unity and communion using bread and wine.
The Catholic church makes changes to prevent people from leaving and becoming Protestant. St. Ignatius of Loyola created the Society of Jesus to modernise the church. The Catholic Reformation happened because the church needed to reclaim its self to the Christians that they weren’t selfish. The Catholic Reformation affected today’s society.
“Power”, former English prime minister Benjamin Disraeili once said, “has only one duty-to secure the social welfare of the People ''. Using their utmost power, the Catholic Church provided stability and security for those in society during medieval times. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church’s power over Western Europe became the dominant force due to their philosophical doctrine, multifaceted social strengths, and use of didactic art and theater to educate the illiterate masses. Through the establishment of Saint Augustine’s seven sacraments, the Church's doctrine was solidified, allowing for vital implementation into society. With the sacraments in place, the Church’s power over Western Europe grew exponentially, granting them non-secular
According to Bruce P. Powers and James T. Roberson, Jr. the church is described as the people of God, the body of Christ, and the new humanity. It is easy to visualize the body of Christ with, Christ as the head and believers as other parts of the body. Powers and Roberson said, “As the new humanity could not accomplish.” This tool is easy to visualize – God changes people from being self-centered to being God-centered – from the old creature to the new creation capable of righteousness and love.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ is the head of the church. All of our work in the ministry comes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Apostle is the headship of the church, the foundation layer. The Apostle is able to touch every member of the body of the five fold ministry which helps to build and establish churches. The prophet was known as the “seer” and was feared in the old testament.
Corruption in the Catholic Church has been prevalent through out history. Throughout the ages, the church has been able to survive scandals, wars, and corruption and has been able to maintain popularity. But during the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church started to decline in popularity. Catholics started to regard the church with skepticism and suspicion. Although the church was created for the purpose of religious guidance, the corrupt leaders and followers of the Catholic Church changed the morals and ideals the church was founded upon.
The religious ideals promoted by Reformation writers in the sixteenth century were in conflict with that of the Roman Catholic Church. The belief and practices of the Roman Catholic Church prompted others to examine the intentions and character of its theological viewpoints. Reformers disagreed with the practices of pious authority usurped by Roman authority, The Pope, and the misappropriation of religious sacraments. Differing opinions also appealed to the selling of papal documents that guaranteed the penitent their remission of sins called indulgences. These practices countered ambitious political rulers in their efforts of extending their power and influence at the churches expense.
worshippers to become more effective as the body through the body of Christ. We should question ourselves on a routine basis, “How much does Jesus means to me?” Lead: We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father, and to his deeds we testify; Congregation: He calls the worlds into being, creates man in His own image and sets before him the ways of life and death. Lead: He seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.
