Christianity in the Middle Ages to the 11th century
The entire Middle Ages, dominated by the rise and the perception of the Catholic faith. Yet we see that the faith of the early Middle Ages is different at the end of the Middle Ages. Even the latest "version" of the faith at this time does not correspond with the form in which we now profess the faith.
Propagation of the Faith
In the early Middle Ages we see the Christian faith to gain ground in Europe. This does not happen without a fight, but in a very fast pace. The reason behind this success, rather than wars fought in order to impose the faith, but rather the flexibility of the Christian faith at that time. The old customs, festivals and rituals are indeed directly incorporated into the Christian faith, making new converts much faster could identify with this new Christian faith. In addition, Christianity has some interesting aspects that the inclusion of this religion? Accelerate the Christian God declared because the world around them much better and simpler than the old gods that could. Also explains the belief, certainly in the initial period, the emphasis on running. The lead in today's world we can not, it has a function, in addition, cause only temporary, while eternal life in paradise for eternity.
Function of the lead
The latter especially explanation. Ordinary people at that time was certainly not easy. They worked hard and saw the aristocracy who enjoyed the work that gave himself said. To this status quo as much as possible these differences explained Christianity as much as possible with different stories. There are stories about the limbs of the human body, which were depicted on stage. The arms and legs had to toil and hard work, while the stomach just ate and digested. The arms and legs were in revolt against this, so the stomach was upset and stopped. The body died as a result. With these stories told the church to humanity that everyone had his own role in the overall system. One had best perform this function, even if it sometimes seemed others did nothing, the system to work. If properly done it could go to heaven.
Purgatory
Another remarkable invention from the early days of the faith is the invention of purgatory. Several critical questions were asked because of the faith:
No one is without sin, how could anyone ever get to heaven?
Since the Fall is not a man without flaws, then who is ever in the sky?
To this difficult situation the way to go was designed purgatory: a place where one would go first, if the sin were not too bad, to wipe out the remaining sins. It should say burn away, because Purgatory was not a pleasant place. This would be a period should remain one year, one hundred years or ten thousand years, but they would always end up from purgatory to heaven. If it is ensured that in every case but ended up in purgatory, was already guaranteed place in heaven.
Entanglement old customs and new faith
What we see is that the various ancient legends that have been taken over by Christianity often cause confusion, provoke demons that kind to humanity. Something which our current perception of Christianity is not possible. Or devils sometimes startled by the wickedness of man. One example is a devil, a woman must be tempted, but shrink when he found her masturbating. Alerting the devil will not have time, but pulled back anxious, afraid of sinful man.
Although the belief is found to be very flexible in the initial period, explains this belief very many restrictions on the people. For example, colors were little used in public life, apart from being expensive this was another reason for avoiding color. Colors were even on seduction, something the devil was so again. The colorful suits that we know from the Middle Ages, are therefore mainly of paintings which someone is portrayed that bad. If God had wanted us all colors wore, he had all sorts of colors, namely sheep put on earth. There were only white and black, so God did not want the colors we wore. In addition to these restrictions there was a limit to the faith much worse: It was still far from the man to surrender, it was located around the 11th century. The Latin texts and sermons were not understandable enough. To meet the church was a major spin.
Involvement of the people retained
The so-called mendicants were established. These wandering monks, such as the Franciscans, said the word God in exchange for a piece of bread. In addition, as a Saints offensive even more strongly emphasized, as a much stronger emphasis on Jesus and Mary. The latter two were because almost human expression. This got people back more involved in religion, but the result of exponents of this was that for example Jesus at one point too human was portrayed: There are examples of apocryphal gospels in which Jesus in his adolescent years as a rascal is portrayed, for example as he loses a game of his friends dead. The best example of this is when Jesus and his friends want to play it for fear of him are all hiding in the ovens in the houses. Jesus asks one of the mothers where the children, who reply that said it does not know. This Jesus is furious and tells the children, but all in pigs had to change and should be eaten! Spontaneously changed all children in pigs and jumped on the ovens. Mary believes her son to return later to run. These stories portray the profound humanization of Jesus and Mary in the Middle Ages.
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