Dark Ages Missions (or Early Middle Ages) 500-1000 Part 2

1. Dark Ages Missions(or Early Middle Ages)500-1000Part 2 The corrupting influence of power, prestige and unlimited finances changed the Church to a myopic view of ministry in its attempt to create a Christian Kingdom, instead of spreading out over the world.

2. Nestorians in the East • Spread throughout the caravan cities of central Asia to China and beyond. • Syrian Christians had a global vision, whereas Western Christians sought to build a Christian Empire • By 578 the first recorded Chinese Christian – a monument for their work from 8th cent discovered in 1625. • Well received by Chinese emperor, spread throughout 10 provinces and over 100 cities • By 1000 Nestorian Christianity had reached India, Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, China and Japan—Western missions had barely left the empire • Remnants of Nestorians found when Franciscans entered China in 1294 • Their strict monastic nature prevented them from identifying with the Chinese culture, thus limited their impact • Persian Church had 8 million followers by 760, before the Muslim conquest reached their area

3. Christianizing of Europe • Britain • Strong churches before 300 wiped out by Anglo-Saxon invasions • Irish Celtic missionaries re-evangelized Britain from Ireland from island of Iona • Pope sent Augustine to convert pagans and Celtics to Roman Christianity by 7th century • Mainland Europe • Celtic missionaries spread out in Europe (Columba and Columbanus) starting monasteries • Roman missionaries sent to N. Europe to Christianize warring pagan tribes primarily as emissaries of Christian kings (Willibrord and Boniface) • Valiant English missionaries attempted to win the Vikings who were raiding their homeland • Emperor sends missionaries to Denmark who convert the king Herald • Pope and Emperor sent Anskar (801-865), French monk trained by Columba, to be the official legate to the Swedes, Danes, Slavs of N. Europe. He created a training center to send out missionaries to Scandinavia.

4. Unholy Alliance of Church and State • Successful missions were the result of winning the kings to Roman Christianity • Sponsors of mission efforts were kings, emperors and popes granting imperial credentials and diplomatic authority to deal directly with the pagan kings. • Political leaders saw the financing of Catholic missionaries as practical, rather than conquering pagan states militarily. • As nations became “Christian” they could be incorporated into the Christian coalition of the Holy Roman Empire – the missionary became the arm of the state, an instrument of imperialism. Local churches were useless. • However, Charlemagne was more interested in his own people becoming Christian, than in a bold mission outreach to Scandinavia – a pivotal mistake that would undo his empire

5. Vikings in the North • As Charlemagne consolidate mainland Europe, by 800 the Vikings began to create chaos for the next 250 years • The Tribes that invade Rome (400-600) were mostly Arian Christians – but the Vikings were pure pagans • As “men of the sea” they attacked the islands and shorelines where mission training centers and monasteries existed and destroyed everything Christian (churches, monasteries, priests, monks) • The captured slaves and forced marriages would eventually evangelize the pagan leaders • Viking warriors based in Ireland followed trail of the Peregrini. The wealthier the monastery, the greater the attraction for looting • Wherever the Northmen Vikings conquered, they eventually became Christian Normans – this resulted in a new form of Christian culture spreading back to Scandinavia. • What Satan means for evil, God turns to His purpose!

6. Islam in the South • In 622 Mohammed moved from Mecca to Medina (Hegira) in first step of conquest, which would unite all the Arab tribes by the time of his death in 632. • 25 years after his death (657) Islam reached East to Afghanistan and west to Tunisia. • By 732 had reached to France. It would take 760 years before Christian Europe was free of Islam (1493) • Some reasons for the quick yielding to Islam in N. Africa: • Superficial, non-indigenous Christianity of N. Africa • Simple monotheistic theology gave hope of wealth and sensual salvation • Roman Empire was defenseless due to multiple-front wars (left a power vacuum) • Byzantines demanded high taxes for war-costs with Persia • Most Middle Eastern and Egyptian Churches were excommunicated anyway • People in this area had more in common with Arabs than with Europeans • Muslims did not destroy everything; only non-Muslims had to pay taxes • Use of statues and Icons appeared polytheistic, thus Islam’s strict monotheism seemed purer • Qur’an compiled in final form in 933 • By 949 50% of all former Christendom now captured by Islam Mosque in Cordoba, Sp

7. Rise of the Papal State • After the reconquest of Italy from Islam, Italy was devastated • Lombards entered Italy from the North, defeated the Byzantine authority leaving Italy vulnerable • Pope had Pepin of the Franks crowned “Patrician of the Romans” to secure military aid against Lombards in 754-6 • Pepin’s victory granted the Byzantine Exarchate (seat of Constantinople’s power) to the Papacy (called the “Donation of Pepin”)

8. Rise of the Holy Roman Empire AD 962 • Christmas AD 800 Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne“Emperor of the Romans” • Everyone born within his kingdom territory had to become Catholic or be executed • Charlemagne ordered the establishing of schools, regulated the clergy • Charlemagne’s son and grandsons could not hold the empire together, so it split into France (Charles), Germany (Louis) and the Lowlands (Lothair). • As the Carolingian line (from Charlemagne) disintegrated, so the power of the Pope declined – paid tribute to Muslims in South • To raise money the church sold high positions

9. Great Schism of the Church • Officially divided the Mediterranean Christendom into Eastern (Greek) Orthodox, and Western (Latin) Roman Catholic. • Reasons for Split: • Controversy over Icons • Filioque clause: the procession of the Spirit: “Who proceeds from the Father” in the Nicene Creed -- (Rome added, “and of the Son”) to assure Arians declared a trinity view • Personality conflicts between Pope and Patriarch • Boundary disputes in the Balkans, S. Italy, and Sicily • Prohibition of Icons in the East, rejected in the West • Liturgical difference: unleavened bread (West) • Celibacy among Western priests • Absolute submission to the Papal Primacy and infallibility • Resulted in a mutual excommunication in 1054 • 4th Crusade when Western army sacked Constantinople

10. Early Reform Movements • Bogomilism (968): a dualistic Gnostic Manichaean sect that gave birth to the Cathars and Albigencians in the next centuries • Paulicians (872) were a Gnostic Manichaean Christian group opposed the formalism of the Church of Rome • Other groups would become dissident groups as corruption and abuses increased but it would be another 300 years before movements began A Bogomil Temple in Bosnia

11. Key Missionaries Slavic worlds • Cyril and Methodius • Two Greek brothers from Thessaloniki became missionaries to the Slavs of Moravia and Pannonia • Studied in Constantinople, became professor of philosophy and theology • Devised the Glagolitic or Cyrillic alphabet • Little known but their translations and teaching transformed the Slavs • Ansgar, Christianized Denmark, Norway, Sweden, but they returned to paganism

12. MissionMethods Used • Art works and majestic cathedrals gave heavenly experience • Civilization was organized in parishes. • Bishops authorized priests to preach in rural areas • Latin, literature, Bible commentaries, theology had to be taught, thus emperor backed monasteries • Military conquest of force conversions • Political alliances, wealthy partnerships