Fall of Western Roman Empire & Rise of Roman Catholicism: Historical Overview, Study notes of Christianity

Download Fall of Western Roman Empire & Rise of Roman Catholicism: Historical Overview and more Study notes Christianity in PDF only on Docsity! The Death of the Roman Empire The Birth of Roman Catholicism? Christianity in the West Here Come the Germans • Vandals – sweep across Spain & into Africa where they join with Donatist Churches and persecute the Roman Christians (this led to the term “vandalism”) More Germans • Ostrogoths under the rule of Odoacer deposed the last Roman Emperor in 476 (the end of the Roman Empire in the West). • King Theodoric oversaw a cultural revival – Boethius, Dionysius Exiguus and Cassiodorus all are examples of the new scholarship which translates and preserves Greek classics and theological writings rather than introducing new ideas. Future Italians • Lombards settle in Italy where they agree to a partition of Italy negotiated by Pope Gregory, when the Roman imperial leadership crumbles. Catholic Christianity • Missionary expansion continues slowly to outlying parts of Europe – Ninian (360-432) is the “apostle to Scotland” – Patrick (389-461) is the “apostle to Ireland” – Columbanus (543-615) brings Celtic Christianity to the Alemanni in Central Europe • Monasticism brings social stability and becomes the repository of Christian and Classical learning – Celtic Practice of Private Confession and Penance (with books recommending the penitential acts appropriate for specific sins) becomes the new norm