Please pass the vinegar.

Hours of silence, simplicity, and devotion; words associated with the life of a medieval monk.  Even today these words can be associated with the clerics of the Church.  Nobles, peasants, and life in the medieval towns -- history.  But, what remains of the Middle Ages?  Perhaps, one should consider the Cathedrals, the doctrine of the Church, and religious devotion?

Life in the Middle Ages was tough. When many children did not live past their first birthday, and 75 million people died as a result of the Black Death; people turned to the clergy for help.  However, the Black Death did not discriminate -- in other words -- neither did God.  

How then, did this institution survive?  Historians have argued that this cataclysmic event was part of the spark that led to the Reformation.  Even so, with the recent popularity of the present Pope, lapsed Catholics have begun returning to active participation.  Catholicism seems alive and well for millions of people around the world.  

Religion - thousands of years old, but taboo in public school.  Is there a safe way to examine the role of such powerful institutions without offending our diverse students?  Or do we continue to use sign language to keep our voices silent, just as the monks did during meals, to tell the story of the past?


So What Who Cares?

Cathedrals

First of all, a cathedral is a Christian church. They are most known for their architecture and the build of them. Each one is very different from another. But they all have a couple of things in common. All of them have arches that come to a point. That symbolizes the image of hands in a praying position. Cathedrals also have beautiful stained glass art. They allow god to come in at any time in need. One that is well known is in a shape of a flower or rose. Here’s a picture of one down below.

Check out the video on this site.

Clergy: Modern Day vs. Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, the clergy were just beneath the Knights in the Hierarchy of Power. They were extremely important to society because all classes of people were widely affected by the church. When bad things would happen during the Middle Ages, they believed it was the wrath of god, and so people looked to the clergy to forgive their sins so that it wouldn’t happen again. They heavily taxed the people to support the church, promising eternal life and happiness in return, however they didn’t have to pay taxes herself. The lower class clergy, the Monks, were scribes and sometimes educated noble’s sons. They were seen as the pathway between God and Men.

However, in recent times, priests and pastors hold a very different role. They hold no political power due to a separation of church and state. In the Catholic Church, they still hold confessions and are seen as possessing the power to forgive people’s sins. The Pope is still a very important figure in society, and leads the Catholic Church. However, he holds less power because unlike in The Middle Ages, society is made up of a mixture of religions spread across the globe. Regular pastors and priests are often associated with the middle class, and still have to pay the expenses that everyone else does. The church still collects offerings, however it is not a required tax.

In conclusion, the Church still is an important part of our society, but no longer holds such supreme power. It no longer hold power in politics, and is no longer forced upon people.