The Spread of Christianity within the Middle Ages
The spread of Christianity during the Middle Ages was a direct result of the efforts of missionaries who devoted their lives to the advancement of the faith. Though organized movements are often viewed as the most successful way to spread the Gospel, Christianity advanced through the efforts of religious orders, monasteries and individuals who shared the Christian message with their friends, family and communities.
In its peak between the 9th and 11th centuries, Christianity had an unprecedented amount of adherents in the Middle Ages. This was largely due to the growth of the Catholic Church and its embrace of monasticism and the subsequent growth of monasteries, which created hubs for Christian education, worship and the study of scripture. Christian monasteries were instrumental in teaching and introducing Christianity to those who were unfamiliar with it, and were influential in the conversion of Europeans through evangelisation and Bible study.
In order to attract converts, missionaries relied heavily on the conversion of influential members of the society. Kings and aristocrats often saw the advantages of converting to Christianity, as it had the support of the papacy and its ecclesiastical structure, and opened the door to diplomatic exchanges with European powers. Conversion could also bring financial benefits to these rulers, as they often derived immense wealth from taxation made possible by Christian institutions.
The propagation of the faith was also heavily influenced by the rise of pilgrimage centres in the Middle Ages, which provided an impetus for religious conversion. People would travel from all over Europe to visit holy sites such as Jerusalem and Rome to seek divine guidance, and in the process would come into contact with missionaries, learn about Christianity and convert to the faith. One of the most famous journeys undertaken during this period was the journey of Francis of Assisi, a Christian pilgrim who visited multiple pilgrimage sites and spread the faith throughout Europe.
Moreover, the use of vernacular language in religious texts, services and sermons would have enabled large numbers of the population to access the Christian teachings for the first time. This accelerated the spread of Christianity further, as people could understand these texts and begin to have a grasp of the religious beliefs. Furthermore, The Church also mandated the production of illuminated texts to draw attention to pivotal moments and stories within the faith.
The impact of the Crusades was also a major factor in the spread of Christianity in the Middle Ages. Although many of the conquests were accompanied by bloodshed, some crusaders set out with no intentions of warfare – instead seeking economic, political and religious objectives. These voyagers served to spread the faith around Europe by establishing contacts and networks with local inhabitants, who, in their search for spiritual guidance, often converted to Christianity.
Lastly, the power and influence of elites also played an important role in the process. As mentioned, mixing with the aristocrats, who were often the more educated and cosmopolitan individuals within a society, could open the doors for conversions, due to the cultural, economic and political advantages that came with it. From the 11th century onwards, the papacy, ambitious bishops and noble families patronised missionaries in the effort to spread Christianity and their rule to ensure the faith was adopted by their subjects.
The Expulsion from European Kingdoms and Monarchs
The spread of Christianity encountered formidable obstacles in the form of repressive rulers in various European kingdoms. Monarchies in particular, such as France, England, and Germany, sought to limit or eradicate the faith in order to maintain their power and control over their subjects. The ruling classes often sought to maintain their political dominance by stressing loyalty to the faith of the monarch and the realm. This meant that conversion, or even the slightest hint of a deviation from the officially recognised faith, would be seen as an act of treason and punished accordingly.
In particular, the expulsion of Moors in Spain was a major setback to the spread of Christianity. The Moors arrived in Spain during the 8th century and brought their own form of Islam which would eventually come into conflict with Christianity in the region. The expulsion of the Moors and Jews in 1492 by Ferdinand and Isabella disrupted the multi-faith culture of Spain and successfully hindered the spread of Christianity across wider Europe.
The conversion of indigenous populations was also heavily resisted by most ruling aristocrats. By maintaining polytheistic or animistic beliefs they were able to continue exercising power over their own populations and upkeeping their own cultural values. Missionaries who encountered this often suffered the wrath of these rulers, either in a physical or spiritual manner. This meant that whilst there were easy and willing conversions from some states, others were completely forbidden by their local rulers.
Furthermore, paganism was still active and influential in some regions, and some Christian rulers were so desperate to ensure their population maintained the faith that they went as far as punishing any conversion from Christianity to paganism. This was the case in Scandinavia, where pagans were sometimes persecuted and even murdered for failing to adhere to the Christian ways.
The spread of Christianity encountered major obstacles in certain European states, whereby the original faith of the empire was seen as a marker of loyalty. This meant that Christians had to be careful to remain in good favour with the rulers and often had to take extreme measures to remain influential and potent in their communities.
Assimilation of Paganism and Other Practices
In order to make Christianity appealing to wider populations, the Church had to adapt and accommodate some of the practices and beliefs of the cultural landscape at the time. This meant that in order to be able to promote their faith more successfully, the missionaries had to mix their religious teachings with more relatable customs and beliefs. This process of assimilation meant that Christian practices became more attractive to those who may not have been educated enough to understand the finer details of the doctrine.
One of the key aspects of Christianity that had to be adapted was the eclectic mix of pagan traditions and rituals which served to bring familiarity to the newly accepted faith. These also served to solidify the appeal of the new faith, and evangelists adopted practices from cultures all over Europe, from the burning of Yule logs during Christmas to the veneration of Mary during the spring, which was formerly a pagan fertility goddess.
Folklore and traditional practices, many of which had been utilised by the pagans, were also adopted. Animistic beliefs, such as the idea that physical objects have supernatural powers, became Christianised and many of these practices still remain alive today, when people hang religious artefacts in their homes as a form of blessing. Festivals were composed using elements of pagan traditions, such as eating 12 grapes and drinking 12 glasses of champagne on New Year’s Eve and ‘blessing’ candles on Candlemas day. These rituals are just a fraction of the culture which was adapted from the pagan custom and allowed Christianity to spread more effectively.
The assimilation of pagan practices and beliefs enabled Christianity to become more attractive to the masses and could be seen in almost every corner of Europe. The idea of religious syncretism played an important part in the spread of Christianity across Europe and is still evident today in some regions. The adoption of some pagan practices by the new faith was a major contributing factor to its growth during the Middle Ages.
Decline of the Role of Church in Society
Although Christianity experienced its most successful period during the Middle Ages, by the 16th century its advancement stopped and it entered a period of decline. One of the key reasons for its demise was the role of the Church and its diminishing authority in the society. The Church had long been a bulwark of religion and faith and had an immense amount of power and support, but faced major opposition from the rise of Renaissance Humanism.
Humansm had become increasingly popular during the period, questioning the legitimacy of the Catholic Church and proposing that humans had the capability of understanding the world through their own devices. This had immense implications for the Church and its power and led to rising despondency towards its teachings. Consequently, people began to question the institution’s hold over their lives and a wave of dissent and political movements began to sprout.
The Protestant Reformation set its foundations during the 16th century and was largely intended as an act of defiance against the Church’s authority. It was viewed by some as an affront to the Church’s legitimacy, as it highlighted its weaknesses and prompted many people to challenge its teachings. Not only this, the reformers provided a legitimate platform to those who had long held grievances against the church, leading to major political and religious upheaval throughout Europe.
The decline of the Church’s influence also meant that other spiritual practices began to take its place, such as alchemy and esoteric philosophies. These served as a direct challenge to the Church and provided a legitimate platform for pagans, Jews and heretics to express their own beliefs. This weakened the standing of the Church in society and hindered its ability to reach out to new converts, leading to a decline in its influence and the spread of Christianity.
Counter Reformation
In response to the Protestant Reformation and its criticisms of the Catholic Church, the papacy sought to reform its own practices to regain trust and legitimacy within society. They began to introduce reforms in an attempt to restore the authority of the Church and bring back lapsed Catholics and converts to Christianity.
The Council of Trent was a great example of the Counter Reformation, and it introduced reforms in both beliefs and practices through its doctrinal statements and canons. A major example of its teachings was the condemnation of usury, or the charging of interests, which had long been exploited by the elites of Europe at the expense of the Church. This was one of the first steps taken by the Church to regain its standing and shift the balance of power in its favour.
The Church also made a major effort to strengthen religious education, with some of its educational reforms creating the basis for modern education. The importance of education in the Church’s mission was highlighted in the works of St Ignatius of Loyola and St Francis Xavier, two promoters of religious education and evangelist teachers who spread Christianity through their teachings.
The Counter Reformation also had a major theological impact during the period, with works such as the Council catalog relying heavily on traditional Church teachings, defending the doctrine of the Pope, emphasising the importance of personal faith and striving to uprise the power of the Church. By doing so, it was able to uphold its teachings and outline the primary beliefs and moral codes of the faith.
Through its reformist policies, the Church was able to not only defend its faith, but to gain back converts who had been lost to Protestantism or various other spiritualities. The Church was able to achieve this through its active efforts to assert its dominance and engage with the masses, reaching out to those who had questioned its teachings, and consequently extending its influence further.
Conclusion
The spread of Christianity during the Middle Ages was significant in terms of both its growth and influence. Through its teachings and missionary efforts, it was able to find a prominent place within the European landscape and received significant support from rulers, who saw it as advantageous to join forces with this powerful religious institution. Furthermore, its growth was also heavily affected by the assimilation of traditions from other faiths, as well as through the adoption of a more relatable vernacular by the Church to reach out to wider
