The beginning of the Early Middle Ages, after the Fall of Rome in 476 AD and the period known as the Dark Ages, the reorganization of the empire brought a desire for faith and religion, primarily Christianity. This trend of Christian importance was apparent until 1350, when the Black Death caused the end of a systematized era. The church is often viewed, during this period of time, as a center of corruption, greed, and evil, with materialistic popes and unholy acts. Even though there were immoral times, the presence of Christianity brought hope and stability to the empire politically and socially. In the Late Age of Antiquity, Christianity had started its rapid spread becoming the state religion in the fourth century, and emerging as a "cultural trend" (212). It became further defined, and was the bases of the Western World's proceedings. Christianity's popularity influenced the church by people's newfound ability to conc

entrate on faith and a better life. With this foundation, the Middle Ages expanded religious importance by employing it in day-to-day life. Christianity was consistently present in the social arena of the Middle Ages. There were many controversies over Christian beliefs. The engrossment in Christianity in the eighth century had a non-peaceful turn because of the Iconoclastic Controversy. It divided the Western and the Byzantine Empires additionally with the dispute over the use of icons in religious worship. This quarrel resulted in religious vigor through exploration of religious traditions and mysticism. The division between the empires was a constantly present with the arousal of disputes. The view of the Christian Church by the people varied from agreeable to immoral. In the Early Middle Ages, the church was disorganized and non-established. Although the progression of the middle Ages led to the furtherance of the Church, there were many set backs in the reputation of the papacy? The weakness of the papacy was a result of ineffective and corrupt churches. The tenth century was a period of religious decline with privately owned monasteries and churches, the selling of papal positions, and the incompetence of the popes? Pope John XII, 955, is an example of the inadequacy of the popes of this time period. He was young and incapable, and gave the papacy a bad name by acting sinfully. The people lost respect for the church, and could no longer view it as the ideal way of life. These views were altered in the High Middle Ages when the papacy became increasingly powerful in a prosperous time. The centralization of the church enabled Christianity to revitalize the spirit and faith of the Church

Some topics in this essay:
Middle Ages, Socially Christianity, Christianity Christianity, Renaissance Charlemagne, Black Death, Gregory VII, Urban II, Christianity Emperors, Capitulary Missi, John XII, middle ages, papal power, pope gregory vii, pope gregory, support papacy, daily lives, papal monarchy, common people, gregory vii, christian church, christian beliefs, christianity middle ages,