The Catholic Church Of Gothic And Scholastic Ideals

As the rigidity of the Roman Catholic Church’s power, influence, and corruption reached a climax during the Romanesque period, humanity’s desire for a more pleasurable life began to increase. The Middle Ages brought about a transition that began to replace spiritual emphasis in life and highlighted intellectualism and religious skepticism. Though the church’s power was not necessarily undermined, it was certainly revolutionized and dampened. Examples of this humanistic transformation were represented through the union of Gothic and Scholastic ideals. Rather than simply scare the population into being religious and pious, the Gothic era welcomed the population- beginning with France, followed by the rest of Europe through the airy, dream-like, colorful, and uplifting beauty of the Gothic Cathedrals. This radical change would not have come about were it not for Aristotle’s nominalist philosophy during Antiquity, which pioneered the future revival of this som ewhat liberal thinking. Aristotelian thought had been carried through the twelfth and fifteenth centuries and is regarded as the â€Å"most remarkable movements of European intellectual history† (Craig 11). The great originality and realism that Aristotle engineered provoked articulation and provided momentum for expanded thought and thinkers alike. Aristotle created a highly adaptable and able lifestyle that demanded more of humanity itself, â€Å"[These] needs were not just religious but also medical, and, perhaps most important,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Geometry in Gothic Architecture3554 Words   |  15 PagesIntroduction The 12th Century saw the move away from the Romanesque architecture which had typified the preceding centuries to the era of the great Gothic cathedrals which were to become the architectural symbol of the middle ages. The transformation was not simply one of size or scope but a manifestation of the cultural shifts which were occurring as the medieval age commenced. By this time, numbers and geometry had acquired a metaphysical significance and were believed to have occult symbolismRead MoreEssay about Renaissance Figures2969 Words   |  12 Pagesthe subservient Thomas Cranmer became archbishop of Canterbury. He immediately pronounced Henrys marriage to Katharine invalid. Papal powers were transferred to the king, who became the supreme head of the English church. The break with Rome was now complete, and the Church of England was established. The king dealt harshly with rebellions against the abolition of papal supremacy and the dissolution of the monasteries. The end of Henrys reign saw a gradual move toward Protestantism