We see, also, during this time two significant movements. One is sort of a “resurrection” of one that we have seen before. You remember the teacher Montanus? He arose back in the 2^nd Century, and he put forth a doctrine of aesthetic living, of divesting oneself of one’s possessions—basically living a monastic life.

Well, in the 13^th Century, there was an important new form of this monasticism which emerged. It is called the “mendicant orders.” The mendicants are so called because they begged for their subsistence. On the other hand, they believed that their mission was to preach and serve in the world. And so, while they lived the aesthetic life, while they divested themselves of their property, while they earned a living, or got sustenance, by begging for it, they did not retreat into the hills or in to monasteries as their predecessors had done. They, rather, saw their mission in life to be with people, to influence people, to preach and to serve in the world. Because of their obvious concern for their fellow men, the mendicant monks became known as Friars, derived from the Latin word for “brother.”

The two most important mendicant orders that came out of this period were the Franciscans and the Dominicans. While the Franciscans and the Dominicans were similar in many ways, they also differed in important respects. The Franciscans sought to win men by the example of good deeds. The Dominicans, on the other hand, stressed learning and a logical approach. You might say that the Franciscans appealed to men’s hearts while the Dominicans appealed to men’s heads [minds]. Both orders were quite missionary in their view, and they had been responsible for much of the missionary growth of the Roman Catholic Church, even to this day.

The other movement which came along during this period that is of significant note (and there were others besides these two, of course) is one that is called “Scholasticism.” In addition to there being a great spiritual revival, the latter Middle Ages witnessed a great revival of learning, coming out of what was knows as the Dark Ages. This movement, often referred to as Scholasticism, was an effort to support the faith by the use of reason. The Scholastics tended to approach theology from the viewpoint of philosophy rather than from the viewpoint of the Bible. The Scholastics relied heavily upon the writings of such Greek philosophers as Plato and Aristotle, especially the works of the latter. The greatest of all of the Scholastics from this period was one named Thomas Aquinas. I’m sure that you are familiar with that name. He is well-known, even to this day, and some of his writings are still well-known and available to be read.

The church, as it is described in the Bible, the church as it was established in the New Testament and as it existed throughout the 1^st Century and into the 2^nd and even the 3^rd Centuries, would hardly be recognized. Now, we have discussed a number of times that the church continued to exist, even at this time, but we have the historical record of the Roman Catholic Church—of what did become the Roman Catholic Church. We don’t have the historical record about faithful brethren who continued to meet at this time, but when we compare the 1^st Century church, the church that Jesus built, to what has now become the Roman Catholic Church, it is hardly recognizable. That is certainly the case during this period of time.

The simple faith and worship that was prevalent, that characterized the church in the 1^st Century and in the New Testament has now been replaced with superstition-laden worship of the Middle Ages. Important to the religious life of the “laity” in this period of time, and continuing, but this is where the importance of the sacraments really came to be stressed and to be noticed.

There are only two ordinances listed in the New Testament. One is baptism, and the other is the Lord’s Supper. But gradually, within the development of the Roman Catholic Church, there have been a number of what are referred to as “sacraments” which have been initiated. In the 15^th Century, this number of “sacraments” had grown to seven, and they include baptism, confirmation, penance, the Eucharist, extreme unction, marriage and ordination.

Infant baptism by this time had also become the universal practice of the Roman Catholic Church. And this was justified because it was believed that an infant dying un-baptized could not, because of the taint of “original sin,” enjoy the presence of God. There was also the private confession of sins to a priest that became a standard practice during this period.

The heart of the public worship had by this time become the Eucharist, or the Mass. By the latter Middle Ages, the cup had been withdrawn from the “laity,” so to speak. The “laity” only received the bread.

The persons living in the world of the Middle Ages were very superstitious, and they were very intent upon Satan and his demons being active, doing things in an overt way. And so, in order to ward off these evil spirits, they began the prolific use of various icons, of crosses—wearing crosses—and that kind of thing.

As we’ve already talked about, pilgrimages were quite popular. Travel of any kind was often quite hazardous in the Middle Ages; yet, in spite of this, a constant stream of pilgrims made their way to Rome, and hardier souls even ventured to the Holy Land.

A word must be said about the “church” architecture of this period. Scattered across Western Europe are the great Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals which were built in the 10^th, 11^th and 12^th Centuries and following, and they are still standing in Italy, France, Germany and other places.

Well, this is the latter part of the Middle Ages. As we move on, we will begin to see the development of denominational groups as we get in to the Reformation. We’ll actually be looking at some of the pre-Reformation period, and then into the period of the Reformation.