Chapter I: Preface

The educational value of any subject depends primarily upon its own intrinsic value. The teaching of Church history for ten years as a regular course in liberal arts, side by side with the "orthodox" courses in history, has demonstrated beyond question that this subject can be made at once very popular and very valuable. It has proved its right to exist as a cultural subject. Yet the lack of intelligent information, even among educated people, concerning the history of the Christian Church, both in early and modern days, is simply appalling.

The comparatively recent revival of interest in Church history has given birth to many general Church histories from English and American scholars. Numerous translations of discriminating and painstaking German authors are also available. A large number of intensive monographs has likewise appeared. But all these texts are written for classes in theological schools. Not a single Church history suitable either for regular college work, or for popular reading, is available; and yet all the standard courses in history are provided with up-to-date texts and illustrative material.

This work is intended to meet the need I have felt in my own classes, and have heard expressed from fellow teachers and laymen, for a simple account of the evolution of the old Church minus all theological and dogmatic discussions. The purpose has been to show the origin of the Christian Church, its development in organisation, the forces which produced the Papacy, and the marvellous, formative influence of the Roman Church upon the civilisation of Western Europe. To that end the principal lines of development are emphasised at every point, while the subordinate influences have been minimised. Causes and results, continuity and differentiation, and unity have been constantly kept in mind.

The subject-matter of this volume was worked out during a prolonged residence in Europe. Most of that time was spent in Germany under the inspiration of the foremost authorities in Church history, among whom may be mentioned Professor Nippold of Jena, Professor Loofs of Halle, Professor Hauck of Leipzig, and particularly Professor Harnack of Berlin. The work of the lecture-room and seminar was supplemented by investigation in the Royal Library of Berlin, the Vatican Library at Rome, the National Library at Paris, and the Library of the British Museum. The materials thus gathered were further organised and elaborated in a course of lectures on Church history given in Syracuse University.

The references in the text and the bibliographies at the end of chapters are given, so far as possible, to English sources. It is believed that the exclusion of a pedantic list of foreign works will make the work more useful. It is hoped that the student will be induced to go to the library, the laboratory of the historian, and there by extensive and intensive reading supplement the text.

Should this volume prove to be of service, it will be followed by two companion volumes--one on the Reformation and another on the modern Church. It is further planned to publish a source-book on Church history to supplement the texts.

My indebtedness to books and men is so great that it would be impossible to enumerate them here. While all sources have been laid under tribute, special obligation is felt to many monographs and intensive studies.

ALEXANDER C. FLICK.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I

THE STUDY OF CHURCH HISTORY 1

OUTLINE: I.--Present status of history in college work.
II.--Ecclesiastical history excluded since the Reformation by
political history. III.--New view of the Mediæval Church and
its influence. IV.--Renaissance of interest in Church history.
V.--Pedagogical value and treatment of Church history.
VI.--Sources.

CHAPTER II

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY ON CHURCH HISTORY 12

OUTLINE: I.--Primary materials. II.--Secondary materials.
III.--Sketch of the writing of Church history. IV.--Most
important collections of primary sources. V.--Most important
general Church histories. VI.--Dictionaries and encyclopedias.
VII.--Atlases and chronologies. VIII.--Text-books.
IX.--Sources.

CHAPTER III

PREPARATION OF THE CIVILISED WORLD FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 40

OUTLINE: I.--The ancient world. II.--Condition of the
civilised world at the time Jesus came. III.--How the
condition of the world prepared the way for Christianity.
IV.--Sources.

CHAPTER IV

ORIGIN, SPREAD, AND ORGANISATION OF THE CHURCH DURING THE
APOSTOLIC AGE 52

OUTLINE: I.--Origin of the Christian Church. II.--Spread of
the Apostolic Church. III.--Organisation of the Early Church.
IV.--Conclusions. V.--Sources.

CHAPTER V

THE ROMAN CHURCH AND PETER'S PRIMACY 71

OUTLINE: I.--Planting of the Church in Rome and its
organisation there. II.--The two opposing views of the Petrine
theory. III.--Proofs advanced for the Petrine theory.
IV.--Evidence given against the Petrine theory. V.--Historical
conclusions. VI.--Sources.

CHAPTER VI

THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT'S TREATMENT OF THE CHRISTIANS 91

OUTLINE: I.--Religious persecutions before the Christian era.
II.--Christians first persecuted by the Jews. III.--Causes and
motives of persecution by the Roman government. IV.--Number
and general character of the persecutions. V.--Results of
persecutions. VI.--Sources.

CHAPTER VII

TRANSITION OF THE CHURCH UNDER CONSTANTINE 112

OUTLINE: I.--Condition of the Empire in 300. II.--How
Constantine became Emperor. III.--Constantine's conversion to
Christianity. IV.--Constantine's favours to Christianity.
V.--Constantine's character. VI.--Constantine's historical
significance. VII.--Sources.

CHAPTER VIII

THE COUNCIL OF NICÆA AND ITS RESULTS 131

OUTLINE: I.--Diversion of Christian thought in the early
Church. II.--The Arian controversy. III.--The Council of Nicæa
and its actions. IV.--Later history of Arianism. V.--Sources.

CHAPTER IX

RISE OF THE PAPACY 148

OUTLINE: I.--Favourable conditions when the Christian era
began. II.--Forces at work up to 313. III.--Description of the
Roman Church in 313. IV.--Growth of the Papacy from 313 to
604. V.--Condition of the Papacy at the close of this period,
604. VI.--Sources.

CHAPTER X

RISE OF THE PAPACY (_Continued_) 164

CHAPTER XI

MONASTICISM 198

OUTLINE: I.--Importance of the institution of monasticism.
II.--Antecedents and analogies. III.--Causes of the origin of
Christian monasticism. IV.--Evolution of Christian
monasticism. V.--Spread of group monasticism from the East to
the West. VI.--Development of monasticism in Western Europe.
VII.--Opposition to monasticism. VIII.--Results and influences
of monasticism. IX.--Sources.

CHAPTER XII

SPREAD OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OVER EUROPE 229

OUTLINE: I.--Extent of Christianity under Gregory the Great.
II.--Character of missionary work from the sixth to the tenth
century. III.--Conversion of the British Isles.
IV.--Conversion of the Franks. V.--Conversion of the Germans.
VI.--Conversion of Scandinavia. VII.--Planting of the Church
among the Slavs. VIII.--Efforts to convert the Mohammedans.
IX.--Sources.

CHAPTER XIII

SEPARATION OF THE ROMAN AND GREEK CHURCHES 265

OUTLINE: I.--Relation of the Greek and Roman Churches before
325. II.--Effect of the Arian Controversy on the situation.
III.--The history of image worship. IV.--Character and results
of the Iconoclastic Controversy. V.--Final separation.
VI.--Resemblances and differences between the two churches.
VII.--Sources.

CHAPTER XIV

RELATION OF THE CHURCH AND STATE UP TO THE DISSOLUTION OF THE
CAROLINGIAN EMPIRE 289

OUTLINE: I.--Church and state before Constantine. II.--Church
and state from Constantine to 476. III.--Period of the
Ostrogothic rule (476-552). IV.--Reunion of Italy with the
Eastern Empire. V.--Alliance between the Papacy and the
Franks. VI.--Restoration of the Empire in the West in 800.
VII.--Effect of the rise of national states on the Church.
VIII.--Sources.

CHAPTER XV

THE PSEUDO-ISIDORIAN DECRETALS AND THE PAPAL CONSTITUTION 326

OUTLINE: I.--What were the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals?
II.--Condition of Europe when the Decretals appeared.
III.--Purpose of the forgery. IV.--Character and composition.
V.--Time, place, and personality of authorship.
VI.--Significance and results. VII.--Nicholas I. and papal
supremacy. VIII.--Decline of spirituality in the Church.
IX.--Sources.

CHAPTER XVI

ORGANISATION, LIFE, AND INSTITUTIONS OF THE CHURCH, SIXTH TO
NINTH CENTURY 347

OUTLINE: I.--Organisation of the papal hierarchy. II.--Moral
condition of the clergy and laity. III.--Great activity and
wide influence of the Church. IV.--The ordeals and the Church.
V.--Church discipline: excommunication and interdict, and
penance. VI.--Worship; the mass; preaching; hymns. VII.--The
sacraments. VIII.--Relics and saints. IX.--Sources.

CHAPTER XVII

THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE PAPACY 384

OUTLINE: I.--Decline of the Empire under the later Carolingians.
II.--Preparations to restore the Empire on a German basis.
III.--Otto the Great creates the Holy Roman Empire. IV.--Holy
Roman Empire attains its height under Henry III. V.--Results
of the creation of the Holy Roman Empire. VI.--Sources.

CHAPTER XVIII

PREPARATIONS FOR THE HILDEBRANDINE REFORMATION 418

OUTLINE: I.--Decline of the Papacy after Nicholas I.
(858-867). II.--Reform efforts before the time of Hildebrand.
III.--The youth and education of Hildebrand. IV.--The
Hildebrandine Popes. V.--Sources.

CHAPTER XIX

GREGORY VII. AND HIS WORK 445

OUTLINE: I.--Condition of the Church in 1073. II.--Election of
Hildebrand as Pope. III.--Gregory VII.'s matured papal theory
and reform ideas. IV.--His efforts to realise his ideals.
V.--The investiture strife. VI.--Conclusions. VII.--Sources.

CHAPTER XX

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CRUSADES 476

OUTLINE: I.--The rise and spread of Mohammedanism.
II.--Positive and negative causes of the Crusades.
III.--Character and description of the Crusades. IV.--Results
and influences of the Crusades. V.--Sources.

CHAPTER XXI

RISE OF THE MENDICANT ORDERS IN THE CHURCH 510

OUTLINE: I.--Monasticism before the Crusades. II.--Effect of
the Crusades on monasticism. III.--Origin of the begging
orders. IV.--Rise and influence of the Dominicans. V.--Origin
and power of the Franciscans. VI.--Wide-spread results of
mediæval monasticism. VII.--Sources.

CHAPTER XXII

INNOCENT III. AND THE CHURCH AT ITS HEIGHT 544

OUTLINE: I.--Antecedent preparation for this period.
II.--Career of Innocent III. up to 1198. III.--Innocent III.'s
plans and ideals as Pope. IV.--Condition of Europe at the
close of the twelfth century. V.--Innocent III. makes himself
the political head of Europe. VI.--Innocent III.'s efforts to
root out heresy and reform the Church. VII.--Innocent III.'s
character and the general results of his pontificate.
VIII.--Sources.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE MEDIÆVAL CHURCH AT ITS HEIGHT 569

OUTLINE: I.--Characteristics of the thirteenth century.
II.--Territorial extent and wealth of the Church.
III.--Organisation of the papal hierarchy completed. IV.--The
legal system of the Church. V.--The official language and
ritual of the Church. VI.--The sacramental system. VII.--The
employment of art. VIII.--The Church moulded the civilisation
of Europe. IX.--Sources.

INDEX 607

THE RISE OF THE MEDIÆVAL CHURCH