The medieval age in England was characterized by the rapid growth of Christianity, specifically the expansion of Catholicism. The church became dominant due to various historical occurrences, including the fall of the Roman Empire, the financial breakthrough of the church, and the establishment of new rules and leadership (Tanner, 2011). I chose these aspects since they were fundamental steps that led to the worldwide spread of Christianity. The religion became victorious by defying the Romanian suppressive regulations by creating new norms such as freedom for worship (Stark, 2011). Such steps led to the establishment of a dominant religion. Therefore, the papal monarchy, economic growth, and the fall of the Roman Empire promoted the establishment of the church.
The papal monarchy gave the priests and the pope leadership roles that added authority to the Catholic Church. This period saw an increase in the development of international culture and religious order, such as the formation of the Cistercians and Dominican religious systems, which helped define the culture of this religion, resulting in widespread awareness and discovery of its beliefs (Tanner, 2011). This discovery led to the implementation of new rules that acted as a guide toward better religious practices. The formation of governance structures, such as the ecclesiastical power created by the church, gave the church power to create and implement rules like leadership and freedom of worship (Stark, 2011). As a result, the church gained its power leading to many other developments, including the fall of the Roman Empire and financial independence.
The Roman government persecuted Christians leading to the suppression of the church. The conservative leadership considered Christianity unholy because they did not make offerings to the Roman gods due to their monotheistic belief. However, Christians later displaced the polytheistic religion, which glorified a divine status to a sole deity by radical influence and crusades that advocated for change and respect for this new religion (Stark, 2011). After various attempts, the empire was brought to its knees following the strong influence of the growing Christian population. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the church regained its supremacy by keeping the wealth to itself through land acquisition (Tanner, 2011). The church gained popularity because missionaries were later allowed to travel across the continent, preaching the gospel of Christ, making the church popular again.
Another integral aspect of European Christianity’s development was the financial breakthrough period that led to the economic expansion of the Catholic Church in Europe. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the church acquired large pieces of land. They received grants and tithes from religious loyalties, which made them recover economically, becoming a dominant superpower (Tanner, 2011). This financial breakthrough enabled the church to run independently, giving it fame and strength to work as an organized group (Stark, 2011). They charged the worshippers for various religious customs such as baptism, communion, and marriage, enabling them to get enough resources to operate the group.
Three integral developments led to the development of Christianity in the Middle Ages. Some of those considerations included the papal monarchy, economic progression, and the fall of the Roman Empire that led to the growth and establishment of Catholicism in the medieval age. These developments were integral since they promoted freedom of the church, financial independence, and legislation security which enhanced operations. All these improvements enabled the church to operate independently, resulting in significant improvements.
References
Stark, R. (2011). The triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus movement became the world’s largest religion. Harper Collins.
Tanner, N. (2011). A new short history of the Catholic Church. A&C Black.