A Final Word

Ministry as Hierarchy
a. Church Institutions were marvelous in their complexity.
b. Growth was organizational and adminstrative.
c. There is proliferation of ecclesial bureaucracy.
Results: Popes were able to call crusades, launch Inquisition, and extend influence
over the Church.

Creative thrust of the Church

a. New religious communities
b. Popular religious movements Did not bear the fruit they should
c. Theology have
d. Rise in mysticism

Causes:
a. Pluralism
b. Secularism
c. Anything involving women

 Abelard’s new approach to philosophy was attacked by Bernard of Clairvaux.

 Aristotelianism in teaching theology by Aquinas was condemend by the University
of Paris.
 Trial of Joan of Arc.
 At this time, celibacy was the great symbol of clerical freedom from taint, either by
the secular or the women.

Summary:
1. Priesthood was defined almost exclusively in relation to sacramental ministry.
2. These centuries are celebrated for having been a time of renaissance.
3. At the external level, the period was one of great organization and centralization.
4. The increased organization and centralization of the church that took place in this
period meant the increased influence of Rome in the affairs of the rest of the
church.
5. In the thirteenth century, great scholastic theologians dominated the theological
landscape.
6. In the twelfth century the form of the sacrament of penance was shifted around to put
major emphasis on the absolution of the priest.
7. The theologians of the period may have thought of Jesus as priest, but very little
theologizing was done on the topic.
8. One less happy contribution of Aquinas to theology is his description of the ordained
priesthood as active, and the common priesthood as passive.
9. In this period, the practical equation of priest and bishop was cemented theologically.
10. This was not a period, however, that welcomed new ideas.