Church and people at the close of the Middle Ages - Beyond the parish

3 important questions on Church and people at the close of the Middle Ages - Beyond the parish

Where did religious life present itself?

  • Religious life was not entirely circumscribed by the boundaries of the parish.
  • Contact with the wider world was supplied by (sporadic) bishops' visitations to check on local conditions and by the activities of Church courts set up to deal with any shortcomings, including sexual offences like adultery and fornication.

How did some people try to buy off their sins?

  • One of the principal objects of pilgrimage was to obtain an indulgence, a document specifying some remission of the 'satisfaction' due for sins, which would otherwise have to be worked off in purgatory.
  • These were theologically sound when combined with proper administration of the sacrament of penance, but became highly questionable when they seemed to be simply sold for money.

How is pre-Reformation religion often characterized?

Pre-Reformation religion is often characterized by historians as a set of practical, problem-solving rituals catering for a largely illiterate population.

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