THE RISE OF THE PAPACY Essay examples - 1637 Words

Introduction Early in history, the Roman papacy consolidated its power. It became one of the most influential organizations in the medieval period. This rise to power resulted from the decline in the Western Empire, the leadership of Roman bishops, and special grants that gave the church land holdings. This rise to power caused some positive ramifications, such as the protection of the church from heresy. However, the absolute power of the pope also caused corruption and abuses, many of which would eventually spark the reformation. Rise of the Papacy Perhaps no other event was as influential to the rise of papacy in Rome as the decline of the Roman empire. With the decline of the empire, the church became the last refuge of†¦show more content†¦The church rose to the challenge, providing food and supplies to those in need.5 The church also took over many the tasks the government had abandoned, such as repairing structures and overseeing the law enforcement of Rome.6 Furthermore, as the Eastern Empire neglected Rome, the popes turned to other nations and peoples for support. This would eventually lead to the crowning of Pepin, a Frank, by the papacy. This provided Rome with protection from the enemy lombards who threatened to attack. In turn, the Franks were indebted to the church, and granted the papacy extensive lands.7 Strong Leadership The decline of the Western Empire was not the only factor contributing to the rise of the papacy. Strong leaders served to solidify the power of the Roman bishop. Through their efforts, the people began to see the Roman bishop as far more than a mere spiritual leader. They looked to the bishop for guidance in matters of state as well. An excellent example of this is found in Leo I. In AD 452, Attila the Hun marched towards Rome, intending to conquer the Western Roman Empire. He was met by a delegation from Rome. Among this delegation was the Roman bishop, Leo, in place of the Roman emperor. The men spoke, and Attila was apparently swayed from destroying Rome. Through it is questionable how much of Attila’s decision was based on the words of Leo and how much was based on Attila’s weary army, the people saw Leo as a hero.8 A similar event occurred a fewShow MoreRelatedThe Rise Of The Papacy Essay947 Words   |  4 PagesThe Rise of the Papacy There many Roman Catholics worldwide, who looks up to the Pope’s authority. The great question is, what is the foundation of the Papacy? The rise of the papacy came at a very important time in history, after the fall of Rome. In 380 CE, Emperor Theodosius I, made Nicene Christianity the state church of the Roman Empire. After this establishment, and the church was the top religion in Rome, order was a must. The head of the church normally known as the bishop, now knownRead MoreThe Rise of the Papacy948 Words   |  4 PagesINTRODUCTION This paper will look into the primary reasons for the rise of the Roman papacy to power, and a few of the many things that aided the papacy in getting there. The fall of the Roman Empire is clearly a key factor in the rise of the papacy, so a look into the factors that caused the fall of the Roman Empire is essential. Secondly, a look into how the church positioned itself, to step into the vacuum of power left behind by the fall of the Roman Empire will prove to be needed. Lastly,Read MoreThe Rise Of The Papacy1473 Words   |  6 PagesThe Rise of the Papacy Introduction The birth or the beginnings of the Papacy is a rather difficult task to really nail down to a specific time, place or person and also the growth of the Papacy was a rather slow and gradual process. In this modern age Rome has been associated with the birth place of the Papacy but history shows that Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in the 4th century. In Constantinople the father of the church was referred to as the Pope. TheRead MoreThe Rise of the Papacy Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesCHHI-301-D10 LUO FALL2013 PAPER 2 The Rise of the Papacy INTRO In the void left by the collapse of the Roman Empire, the bishop of Rome grew even more in both power and prestige beginning in the sixth century and continuing to the reformation in the ninth century. It is the aim of this paper to explain how and why the papacy in Rome became the center of power of the medieval world, the factors contributing to this dominance over Western Europe, and the positive and negative ramificationsRead MoreEssay about The Rise of the Papacy1770 Words   |  8 PagesThe Rise of the Papacy Barry Blankenship CHHI 301 - History of the Christian Church I Professor – Dr. Jeffrey S. Mayfield February 20, 2012 The Fall of A Great Empire and the Rise of the Papacy Before the fall of the Roman Empire you must stop and look at the power that was held within the millions of miles of land, building, people, cities, kings, and customs. The Roman Empire was not known for being just another city or empire but it was known for its strength, power and victoriesRead MoreThe Roman Empire And The Rise And Fall Of The Papacy1337 Words   |  6 Pagesin profound changes that demand a theological response. A candid but rational inquiry into the progress and establishment of Christianity may be considered a very essential part of the history of the Roman Empire and the rise and fall of the papacy. The history of the Papacy began over two thousand years ago with the reign of John Paul II. Peter, the humble fisherman of Galilee and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, became the figure head and the basis for the institution that has outlined not only theRead MoreThe Christian Era Of The Western Roman Empire1424 Words   |  6 Pagesthe full potential of the papacy was Leo the Great. In his two decades of servitude, he planted the seeds of Christian control to come over the next millennia in asserting the pope’s authority over other bishops by the power of the keys, granted by Jesus to Peter. In doing this Leo the Great positioned the pope as the sole arbiter in holy matters, establishing the position as that of enormous spiritual power. With the collapse of Roman authority in the West, the papacy found itself well positionedRead MoreChhi 301 Paper 21749 Words   |  7 PagesPAPER 2 Submitted to: Dr. Nickens Liberty University Online Lynchburg, VA by Richard M. Shouse June 17, 2013 Introduction: In response to the how and why the papacy in Rome became the center of power as it did. Shortly after the Fall of the Roman Empire there was a fight for power between several barbarian tribes like the Ostrogoth’s, Goths, Visigoths, Vandals, Saxons, Huns, Franks, Lombard’s, Burundians, and others. The two major tribes were the Ostrogoth’sRead MoreThe Fall Of The Roman Empire1216 Words   |  5 Pagesthe void left by the fall of Western Roman Empire. Several factors led to the papacy in Rome becoming the center of power. First, the church gained unsolicited popularity through the early relationships with the apostles. The office of the pope came from the apostle Peter who Christ gave authority in the church, a prominent leader and appointed as the guide for His people. Pope Damasus I, got the foundation for papacy based on the conversation between Peter and Jesus. Damasus belief in the apostolicRead MoreComparative Essay on Uniformitarianism and Catasophism1386 Words   |  6 PagesThe Rise of Papacy The rise of the papacy came at a time when the Roman Empire collapsed and there was chaos as it related to the bishops who held office in Rome and what religion would be at the forefront of the representation of the west or east of Rome since its demise. The term â€Å"papacy† (papatus), meant to distinguish the Roman bishop’s office from all bishoprics (episcopatus), and The Head of the Roman Catholic Church the pope is considered the successor of Peter and the vicar of Christ