Michael G asked:


During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church was the most powerful religion. The majority of Europe during this time was Catholic. Most Catholics refer to this time as the “Age of Faith”. I preferably call it the “Age of Ignorance”. Why was the Roman Catholic Church so powerful during these times? What caused it to become this way all throughout Europe?

13 Responses to “Why was the Roman Catholic Church the most powerful religion during the Middle Ages?”

1. haveears on September 16th, 2008 5:15 pm

   Corruption.

2. Q on September 16th, 2008 8:30 pm

   1. Missionaries
   2. Crusaders
   3. The Pope
   4. The influence the Roman Empire left on most of its former territories
   5. In the late middle ages the Spanish Empire was the most powerful entity in Europe and they were devout Catholics.
   6. The wanting by the Europeans to resist Islam.

3. justifier66 on September 19th, 2008 8:00 pm

   Most of the rulers of that time in European history were Catholic. As such the Church had considerable influence with them.

4. Empress Kat on September 21st, 2008 10:49 pm

   Terror and submission. The Inquisitions, the Crusades. Believe or die mentality. The church could not have succeeded in this if not for the willing participation and sanction of the ruling parties at the time. Converting the Kings and Queens allowed for an all powerful organization to control the population.

   It started slowly and built up to a fervor. Once the Inquisitions and royally mandated mass conversions took place it was easy.

5. New World Man on September 23rd, 2008 4:57 pm

   Because the Roman Empire had ended, and with it, the security and “normalcy” that the known world (Europe and surroundings) had clung to.

   500 years after the fall of Rome, Charlemagne rose to power using the Christian faith as his sword to unite the disparate nations that had splintered off from the Roman Empire.

   Pagans across Europe had seen their halcyon days co-opted by the new faith community (Christmas was Yule, a solstice celebration, Easter was Eostar, a fertility celebration–ever wonder where the eggs and bunnies came from? Pagans liked to pay attention to matters of life and death b/c they were all farmers and ranchers!!–their lives depended on a good harvest).

   From there you have the reasons others have cited: wars, famine, plague, the restriction of knowledge (Did you ever see the Name of the Rose?), Inquisitions, Crusades, etc, etc, ad infinitum…

   And to this day we still have leaders who keep the image of an eagle over their heads. Bush = Zeus…there’s a mind bender for ya’

6. Paula The Librarian on September 26th, 2008 7:45 am

   With the fall of the Roman Empire there was no unifying element in Europe. The people turned to the Church as a stabilizing force. The Church took over the clerical roles left vacant by the secular authorities. They became the defacto power structure. Who was going to be in charge of repairing roads? It was left to the Church. Was was responsible for settling court cases? It was left to the Church.

7. mrs_catholicportugalian on September 28th, 2008 5:03 am

   There were many saints walking the earth in those days. Many conversions came from the works of these saints. Eventually the European countries adopted this faith, not by force, but by true conversion. St. Vincent Ferrer converted hundreds of thousands of souls to the Catholic faith in his lifetime. Many saints like him were miracle workers. God was very much aiding the expansion of the Roman Catholic faith during those days. The devil wasn’t as visible then as he is today.

8. Harvest Angel of Wisdom on October 1st, 2008 2:59 am

   If you would like more answers, consider asking around this site as well…

9. pierrelk59 on October 1st, 2008 1:50 pm

   I believe today is “The Age of Ignorance” adding to it “The Age of Heretics” and “The Age of Satan”,
   Followed by:
   The Age of Catholic Persecution
   Followed by and in conjunction with:
   Severe Wars – Famines – Earthquakes – Natural Disaters – Pestilences,
   followed by:
   The Age of Judgment.

   Who said that the Roman Catholic Church is not powerful today?
   When the scandals spread in the Church, Our Lady of Medjugorje has come to earth, in this final harvest, converting a very great number of souls, including heretics, before the last storm.

10. Danny H on October 4th, 2008 10:46 pm

    With what little I know of that period, I summize that when the Roman Empire fell, civilization was thrown into the Dark Ages. The only institution in existence that preserved order and history would have been the Catholic Church, particularly with Her literate, meticulous monks. So to call it an “Age of Ignorance” is in fact ignorant.

11. Bufo on October 6th, 2008 3:55 pm

    The Middle Ages are commonly dated from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (or by some scholars, before that) in the 5th century to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16th century. In central Europe is was the only major Christian Church in existence that still exists today. This period was before the reformation so the only other major Christian Church was the Orthodox Church. Both of these Churches go back to the beginning. The Protestant reformation and the new theologies had not been invented yet.

12. elegantelephants2 on October 9th, 2008 5:48 am

    The catholic church was powerful because it used the council of trent and the inquistion to strike fear and obedience into peoples’ hearts.

13. Sledge Hammer on October 10th, 2008 8:30 pm

    Because they killed nearly all the true Christians.
    Satan also wanted a Church, a counterfeit Church.