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Patrick Listach
HIS 3335 Europe: Late Medieval 1815
Dr. Ohan
13 October 2015
Midterm Essay Exam
For sure man was formed out of earth, conceived in guilt, born to punishment. What he
does is depraved and illicit, is shameful and improper, vain and unprofitable. He will become
fuel for the eternal fires food for worms, a mass of rottenness," wrote Pope Innocent III about his
view of man.1 This was a view that would be shared by some of the most influential people
throughout the Renaissance and Reformation periods in European history. In general, the
medieval view was that there was one perfect God, and Man was imperfect and full of sin.
Women were thought of less than human during this time period. If they were not witches, they
were irrelevant; and almost all women were witches. Overtime people started to question the
authority of the Church, they started reading and interpreting the Bible themselves, and they
started spreading their insight. Consequently, there was a shift from the medieval world view to
humanism. There were major events that happened during this time that caused this shift of
views to carry on through the Reformation period in European history.
First, it is important to know what the medieval world view was. A sinful man is emphasized
throughout this particular world view. Pope Innocent III explained that men only wanted three
things in this world; riches, pleasures, and honors.2 Also emphasized was that there is only one
perfect God. Thomas Aquinas offers support for this claim to some extent, proving that God
exists. According to Aquinas, the existence of God can be proved in five ways. The first and

1 Lothario dei Segni (Pope Innocent III), On the Misery of the Human Condition
2 Lothario dei Segni (Pope Innocent III), On the Misery of the Human Condition

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more manifest way is the argument of motion.3 Apparently, according to Aquinas, due to the
idea that nothing can move with having a first mover, moved by no other, God is the reason
that human-beings can move. The second way to prove that God exists is from the nature of
efficient cause. The third is possibility and necessity. The fourth is from the graduation
found in things. The fifth, and final, is from the governance of the world.4 For all of these five
reasons there were explanations.
Furthermore, it is important to note how they trained people to follow these beliefs. Basically
from birth these people are trained by the Church to believe that there is only one perfect God.
The Church is the one that is implementing all of these beliefs. John of Salisbury writes What is
a Scholar, and explains how the Church makes people think during this time period. In dialogue
it is explained how they are trained; [Q] Where are you a scholar? [A] Here, everywhere and in
every seemly place [Q] How many seemly places are there? [A] Four: the church, the school,
at home with my parents and in the company of orderly men [Q] How many duties does a
scholar have? [A] Six [Q] What are they? [A] To get up early, dress immediately, comb my
hair, wash my hands, pray to God and go willingly to school [Q] What is a human being? [A]
A corporal, physical, rational and mortal substance created by God to attain immortal life [Q]
What is God? [A] The best and highest conceivable being who endows everything with its
existence and life.5 This is how people were trained to think in the medieval time period.
However, that changed at the beginning of the Renaissance.

3 Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (selections)

4 Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (selections)
5 John of Salisbury, What is a Scholar?

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When the Renaissance began, so evolved the spreading of humanism. Humanism is the idea that
the human-being is not naturally evil, but instead is full of goodness. A humanist spreads ideas
that focus on the goodness of people, emphasizes common human needs, and seeks to solve
human problems rationally. One of the first examples of humanism comes from Pico della
Mirandolas Oration of the Dignity of Man. In this document Pico speaks as if he knows what
God wants directly; this is a trait that is shared by a lot of humanists. He believes that God placed
Man in the middle of the world and explained to him that he was different than any other
creature.6 According to your desires and judgement, you will have and possess whatever place
to live, whatever form, and whatever functions you yourself choose.7 According to Pico, God
gave other creatures limitations, whereas Man does not possess any limitation. A great example
of his humanistic train of thought is how he describes man as a magnificent miracle and
wondrous creation.8 This is an example of humanism without questioning the Church,
specifically. This perspective of humanism addresses God and peoples relationship with God,
but does not go as far as saying that society is corrupt.
Furthermore, humanism continues to grow. In fact, educational programs formed for the primary
focus of humanism. Humanism forms into a facts equal truth ideology, therefore humanists
emphasized the study of history. It is a duty to understand the origins of our history and its
development; and the achievements of Peoples and of Kings.9 Humanism made people depend
more on logic than by just listening to the Church. This is when humanism starts causing
6 Pico della Mirandola, Oration of the Dignity of Man
7 Pico della Mirandola, Oration of the Dignity of Man
8 Pico della Mirandola, Oration of the Dignity of Man
9 Leonardo Bruni, Study of Greek Literature and a Humanist Educational Program

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problems. Desiderius Erasmus was the first to call out the Church. I cannot imagine how
anything could be more wretched than [monks].10 Not only does he bash the Church, but he also
denounces the way society trusts in the Church; such men are those who have adopted the very
foolish belief that if they look at a painting or statue of that hugeChristopher, they will not die
on that day11 More and more people start questioning society and the Church. Sir Thomas
More writes his opinion of a perfect society with Utopia.12 People are even encouraged to read
the Bible so that they can interpret it themselves; Petrarch was one to push for studying (class
notes). It is believed by most that he started humanism, the idea that a person should not worry
about the afterlife, but only the here and now (class notes). When others started questioning the
Church that is when the Reformation period started.
In the beginning, Martin Luther wanted a more practical way of thinking. However, he went
about spreading this way of thinking by attacking the church. Martin Luther wanted to reform the
Catholic Church by using the Bible. His idea was that if it is not written in the Bible then it is not
true. He hated how the Church claimed that only the pope may interpret the Scriptures.13 He
explains that Church has no proof that only the pope can interpret the Scriptures; it is not written
in the Bible. Martin Luther did not stop there. He visited Rome and publicly calls the pope the
antichrist. He also challenged several of the churches rules. It is surprising that Martin Luther did
not get executed for stirring up so much trouble. In fact, when he was called to be condemned he
gained more support. In a debate that could have resulted in Luthers execution, he exclaimed,
10 Desiderius Erasmus, In Praise of Folly
11 Desiderius Erasmus, In Praise of Folly
12 Sir Thomas More, Utopia
13 Martin Luther, On Papal Power

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If you cannot prove me wrong by Scripture, I am not wrong.14 This started the Reformation of
the Church.
Eventually the central power was taken away from the Church, but that took some time and
debating. In a document by St. Ignatius Loyola, there are a list of rules that he believes should be
applied to Christian life in order to have peace. For example, the ninth rule was that people
should not be against the Church, but they should find reasons in their defence.15 Also, he
advised people not think about predestination,16 an idea expressed by John Calvin,17 a man in
favor of Protestant Reformation. As one can see, this was an attempt to keep power in the
Church.
On the other hand, John Calvin expressed the idea that everything was predestined. However, if
one did not have faith, predestination did not apply to that person. Every man, therefore, being
created for one or the other of these ends, we say, he is predestinated either to life or to death.18
Thinking back to the medieval period of time, the idea of the human-being was negative. Man
was born only to die and be food for worms.19 Then in the Renaissance era, people began to think
more humanistic. They did not directly address the church, but they were encouraging others to
study and educate themselves. Notice that the idea of the human-being changed in society from
being all negative to being positive. People then questioned the Church. They did not attack the
14 Class Notes
15 St. Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises
16 St. Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises
17 Class Notes
18 John Calvin, The Institutes
19 Lothario dei Segni (Pope Innocent III), On the Misery of the Human Condition

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Church. They just questioned. The Church answered that only the pope could interpret the
Scriptures, and that some people were more holy than others.20 However, in the Reformation era,
people were attacking the Church. People were reading the Bible and interpreting it themselves,
which allowed them to have knowledge of the Scripture. There were efforts to stop Reformation,
however they were deemed unsuccessful.
In conclusion, the shift from the medieval world view to humanism from the late medieval
through the Reformation period is definitely highlighted with examples of social change. One,
people began to see themselves in a different light. Two, people began to see the Church in a
different light. Three, Christianity was reformed. The shifts effect on Christianity in Western
Europe ultimately led to a form of tolerance. For example, the form of government referred to as
monarchy was implemented. This took the central power away from the Church while still
keeping some order and power in the Church. The Church was and is still today a big part of
politics in Western Europe today.

20 Martin Luther, On Papal Power