A Catechism of Defending the Crusades and other aspects of the Medieval World Part V

Objection 21: Did Medieval Christians believe in Roman Catholic teaching?
Response: Medieval Western Christians commonly refereed to themselves as Latin Christians. The term ''Roman Catholic,'' became more common later during the Protestant Reformation by Anglicans that insisted those loyal to the Bishop of Rome were not the only true Catholics. Much more could be said of what Catholic or catholic actually means according to various theologians but that is outside the present discussion.
While there are many similarities between the Medieval Latin Church and present mainstream Catholicism, there are many huge differences as well.  For example, Medieval Latin Christians saw Muslims as infidels though many of the present popes have spoken well of Islam. Vatican II taught in it's document on non-Christians that Muslims worship the one God, a view alien to Latin Christianity as it existed in The Middle Ages. *
 Also, the medieval church did not have near as many dogmas as the current Roman Catholic Church. For example, it would not be until the Council of Trent that the Doctrine of Faith Alone would be anathamized, despite the fact that Saint Bernard and William of Ockham had taught long before the Protestant Reformation the doctrine of Justification by Faith. Ultimately, many of the theological issues that divide Catholics and Protestants today were largely not defined until the Protestant Reformation.
 On a final note, it is quite significant that many medieval Christians were concialirist, a position once held by the Latin Church at the Council of Constance. This view held the belief that the church is collectively higher than the papacy alone. However, as the centuries went on, the Roman Church would gradually teach more and more authority of the pope. Vatican I would do away with the earlier views in 1870 and bring in the controversial dogma of Infallibility of the Pope.
 It's interesting to note that the Concilarists were mostly from northern Europe as would be the later Protestants. Although this be another subject, I have often argued that the major split between Rome and the Protestants of the Sixteenth century was actually more about the authority of the church and of the pope in particular, than the debate over Justification by Faith Alone or Faith and the Sacraments. The descendants of  the Concialirist then, were the Protestants.
 It's interesting to observe that many medieval theologians did not believe in The Immaculate Conception of Mary. Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo, Saint Bernard, and Albert the Great all believed the virgin Mary was free from personal sin though she was born with original sin. *

Objection 22: Were Medieval People Ignorant?
Response: Not not at all, for more information read The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature by C. S. Lewis and Positively Medieval: The Surprising, Dynamic Church of the Middle Ages by Jamie Blosser. Besides, how ignorant could Medieval people have been to make some of the greatest architecture found in cathedrals, castles, and mills the world has ever known? People often just make claims whether they are true or false just because they heard it without ever thinking and investigating otherwise. Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Thomas Aquinas lived in Medieval Times and were some of the most influential theologians in history. Geoffrey Chaucer is has been called ''The Father of English Literature'', John Wycliffe translated The Latin Vulgate into English, Michelangelo was possibly the greatest artist the world has ever known. I could go on an on about great intellectuals and artist from the Middle Ages that laid foundations to he western world we now live in.

 Objection 23: Hasn't The Catholic Church apologized for the Crusades?
 Response: I have heard of conflicting accounts about whether or not Pope John Paul II did this. Regardless, it would be dangerous to hold to the theology of so heretical a pope, that kissed the Koran, and prayed for Saint John the Baptist to protect ''the good form of Islam.''

Objection 24: Haven't the Crusades caused the Muslims to hate Christians?
Response: No, not at all. Muslims have hated Christians since the rise of this false religion based on the heretic Muhammad.

Objection 25: Were women mistreated in Medieval Times?
Response: This one is so very broad that it's hard to pinpoint. Further, women have always been mistreated. However, Christian women were treated much better in Medieval Times than Muslim Women were, despite claims by leftist saying otherwise. Some Medieval women even wrote books etc. Medieval Women also took part in Crusades, some only in the Pilgrimages of Crusading, though others actually fought.
 Chivalry has contributed significantly to women's happiness, and this theme is found throughout Chaucer's stories. The Medieval World promoted many of the values of chivalry that was found in the actions of many knights towards women. Perhaps more universities should take more notice of these latter facts.
 Further Sources: Damsels Not in Distress: The True Story of Women in Medieval Times by Andrea Hopkins, The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature by Elizabeth Kantor.

Objection 26: Did the Medieval Latin Church withhold the Bible from the common man?
 Response: Until the Late Middle Ages there was no printing press, and access to the Bible was much more difficult than today. Even church clergy only had access to chapters of the Bible, which were produced by the hard work of Monks in their monasteries. We owe the Monks of the past much credit for preserving the Bible that we can now easily buy and sell. Contrary to myths, there were both Catholics and Protestants that wanted a Bible in the Vernacular.
 Long before the printing press, peasants were catechized in the Scriptures and creeds by Catholic priests.
 Further Sources: The Catechism of Trent.

 Objection 27: Should the Medieval Latin Church have owned so much land and money?
 Response: The debate over Apostolic Poverty led to the Proestant Reformation. William of Ockham, an English Franciscan, was arguably the first Protestant. Ockham's theology, while never having went as radical as did the later Luther and Calvin, was the one that got the Protestant Reformation going.
 John Wycliffe, a Franciscan scholar at Oxford, was influenced by William of Ockham. Both Ockham and Wycliffe attacked the Roman Church from going away from the doctrine of Apostolic Poverty, which they saw as essential to Christianity.
 Whichever side one takes in the debate of Apostolic Poverty, grand churches were built to honor God. The abuse of clergy's ownership maybe attacked with good reasons, though not the prestige of the church's artwork found in her cathedrals, parishes, and chapels, in reminding her children of the beauty of the Christian Faith.

 Objection 28: But were not the Middle Ages the ''Dark Ages''?
 Response: This maybe the case to liberals, but more commentaries of the Bible were written in Medieval Times than any other era. Medieval Christians also knew much more about Science than is commonly admitted. Last, medieval man, also knew the Scriptures more than is commonly admitted.
 Further Sources: The Abacus and The Cross: The story of the pope who brought the light of science to the dark ages, God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World laid the foundations of modern science by James Hannam.

 Objection 28: Don't White Supremacist use Medieval Symbols?
 Response: Again, this one is true though unfortunate. However, the fact that people misuse the cross does not take away it's significance.

Objection 29: Were the hierarchy of of the Medieval Church corrupt?
Response: This is one of those things that people over generalize. It's like saying all Baptist are like Westboro Baptist. This is an unfair statement as there has always been good and bad church leaders in every era of church history. Over generalizations in anything are usually from ignorance or bias.

Objection 30: The Protestant Reformation was the Catholic Church's fault.
Response: I mostly agree, but that does not mean that some Protestants have the right to go to the extremes that some of them did and still do.


*Though some try to claim Pope Gregory VII taught Muslims and Christians worship the same God that too is beside the present discussion. Further, some modern Catholic apologists have twisted the words of Pope Gregory VII to imply Muslims worship the one True God. Finally, many Catholic apologist ignore the fact that Gregory supported what Pope Urban II would later call for in The Crusades. For more information on Gregory VII's relationship to the Muslims see Pope Gregory VII 1073-1085 by H.E. J. Cowdrey.
*Saint Thomas Aquinas also denied the Immaculate Conception, though some Catholic apologist claim that he later recanted this view.