Popes Challenges

The Popes of the sixth and seventh centuries were faced with various challenges, both religious and secular. In this era, the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west was occurring and so the west was in dismay. This allowed the Catholic Church to gain influence but with problems occurring along the way. There were four main challenges of which the Popes had to overcome; The primacy of Rome within Christian World, control of the western church and its secular administration, imperial medalling and the collapse of imperial power.

Concerning the primacy of Rome, there was no real challenge. Although there were five Patriarchates within this era, Rome was considered to play a significant part in the Christian World. It was here that the bodies

Viligius becoming Pope was itself a result of imperial medalling and he “soon found that he had to choose between the support of the Western churches or the support of the Emperor ” This is greatly seen in the three chapters controversy, a highly political affair which got the church involved. The emperor Justinian did not wish to condemn Monophytism due to the political reasoning of that if he did, he would lose provinces in Syria and Egypt and so he asked Viligius to condemn the writings, which would keep the Monophysites on side with the Emperor. In order to get Viligius to condemn these chapters, Justinian “was prepared to use force where persuasion failed. ” This is a great clash between the Empire and the Church where the emperor believed he was far superior to the bishop of Rome, especially through the treatment of Viligius; “He was pulled away from it, thrown outside the church and had a rope put around his neck. They dragged him through the whole city until nightfall, then cast him into prison, giving him small amounts of bread and water. ” The Pope Viligius had, “literally been kidnapped and brought to Constantinople. ” Although Viligius was treated so poorly, when he condemned the Three Chapters, there was great disapproval in the west as people believed the Pope was being influenced by political powers, even when religion and politics

In the early years of the papacy, arguably up until the time of Gregory the Great, the church did rely on the empire; it was what kept the church alive. However, when the church arguably needed the empire the most, it refused as it had it’s own problems of its own decline. With the collapse of Imperial power, Gregory had to form his own government to control Rome and the neighbouring areas, especially when it seemed the Lombards were about to attack. Gregory to defend Rome from the Lombard’s himself as the emperor was too busy with the problems of the empire. Due to the friendship of Queen Theudelinda and Pope Gregory, a treaty was developed between Gregory and Agilulf. However, Gregory “allegedly placated King Agilulf by paying a huge sum of money (500 pounds of gold) and a yearly tribute drawn from church sources. ” Yet this was not the role of a pope, and “Gregory himself found that he was even acting as the Emperor’s banker…or the money to be paid as tribute to the Lombards. ” Gregory also took a political role concerning the people although not intentionally he did so to save their souls. Gregory’s charity ran further to the soldiers of Rome. Through another of Gregory’s letters, he told of how the soldiers were paid “in such a way that they all received the gifts of their lordship under due discipline… ” This in