Church used as political tool for Centuries?

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With things like the Babylonian Captivity, the Great Schism, the Unam Sanctum (that was supposedly issued by Boniface because of desperation, the kings were becoming to powerful), the Rota Roman law court, does this prove that the Church is more politcally minded than spirtitually? Is it wrong that the Church had become political and still is?

-- Jacob R. (jacobrainey@hotmail.com), February 10, 2004

Answers

Jacob,

You have to be careful because like your subject says that Church was used as a political tool.

At the beginning of the middle ages, right after the fall of the Roman Empire, there was a political void that took hold. The Church was the only stable force to fill that void. After the Church filled the void people started to use that high ranking places in the Church for their own political gains.

However, this does not mean that there wasn't any spirituality going on either. There were some great movement and some great saints that lived and wrote during this time. Just because Rome had corruption in it doesn't mean that the Church as a whole did not care about spirituality. Also, during the middle ages there were some very spiritual Popes as well.

So out of the middle ages the Church is both political and spiritual. Is this a problem now? No I don't think so. The Church isn't interested in taking over the world. All it wasn't is for there to be social justice, for people to live in peace, and to save souls. So when the Church takes about politics and makes political statements you have to remember those three reasons why.

-- Scott (papasquat10@hotmail.com), February 10, 2004.


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