How did the Church use the Afterlife?

How Did the Church Use the Afterlife to Control People?

All medieval Europeans were Catholic Christians and their aim was to enter Heaven in the afterlife and avoid being sent to Hell. The Church was the gatekeeper of Heaven, and so controlled the lives of those who wanted to reach it.

Doing as the Church said

The Church could persuade people to live good, Christian lives by promoting the splendour of Heaven and the joy of salvation in Jesus.
In the weekly church services, priests spoke about the importance of prayer, charity and obedience to the Church.
If people wanted to enter Heaven and live an eternal life with God, they needed to do exactly as the Church said.

The threat of Hell

The Church could also control people with the threat of Hell.
Hell was a place of everlasting pain and suffering, and separation from God, which nobody wanted to end up in.
Many medieval churches used Doom Paintings to show exactly how bad it would be; in an age where few people could write, images were the easiest way to get the message across.

Doom Paintings

For example, there is a Doom Painting is in a church in Chaldon in Surrey which is one of the few medieval examples to survive.
At the top, you see Heaven, with angels and saints welcoming souls. Below, you see the seven deadly sins being punished by large demons.
This would have been a terrifying sight every Sunday, and would have persuaded the congregation to do as the Church dictated!

Purgatory

In Catholicism, there is a place between Heaven and Hell called Purgatory.
This was believed to be like a waiting room, where your soul had to pay off its smaller sins before entering Heaven.
You would be helped along if your relatives prayed for your soul after you died, or if you had left money to the Church for monks to pray for you.

Reducing time in purgatory

It was possible to reduce your time in purgatory while you were still alive.
You could go to confession and admit your sins to a priest who would give you a punishment so that you could atone for your sin before you died.
For example, reciting extra prayers or donating money to the Church.

Indulgences

The Church also sold indulgences, which were special documents from the Pope forgiving you of your sins.
However, there were many accusations of their forged indulgences, and corruption, as it was seen the rich could buy their way into Heaven.

Church's influence and profit

The Church's ability to reduce your time in purgatory meant that they could again influence your life and behaviour, as well as profit for themselves.

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.1.1Vikings & Anglo-Saxons

1.1.2Reasons for Viking Invasions

1.1.3Alfred the Great

1.1.4England's Revival

1.1.5Anglo-Saxon Towns

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.2.1Edward the Confessor's Death

1.2.2The Contenders

1.2.3Battle of Stamford Bridge

1.2.4Battle of Hastings

1.2.5Battle of Hastings Timeline

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Edward's Death to Hastings

1.2.7The Feudal System

1.2.8Castles

1.2.9The Domesday Book

1.2.10End of Topic Test - Feudal System & Domesday Book

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.3.1Origins of the Crusades

1.3.2Early Disputes Over the Holy Land

1.3.3The First Crusade

1.3.4Course of the Crusades

1.3.5Reasons for the Crusades

1.3.6Military Impact of the Crusades

1.3.7Scientific Impact of the Crusades

1.3.8Domestic Impact of the Crusades

1.3.9Christian Interpretation of the Crusades

1.3.10Muslim Interpretation of the Crusades

1.3.11End of Topic Test - The Crusades

1.3.12End of Topic Test - The Crusades 2

1.4King John

1.4.1King John

1.4.2King John's Power

1.4.3King John & the Church

1.4.4The Battle of Bouvines

1.4.5The Barons' Rebellion

1.4.6End of Topic Test - King John

1.4.7End of Topic Test - The Battle of Bouvines

1.4.8End of Topic Test - The BArons' Rebellion

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.5.1The Magna Carta

1.5.2Lasting Impact of the Magna Carta

1.5.3The Magna Carta & the Monarchy

1.5.4The Magna Carta & Democracy

1.5.5Contemporary Interpretations of King John

1.5.6Later Interpretations of King John

1.5.7Modern Interpretations of King John

1.5.8End of Topic Test - The Magna Carta

1.5.9End of Topic Test - Lasting Impact of Magna Carta

1.5.10End of Topic Test - Interpretations of King John

1.6The Black Death

1.6.1The Black Death

1.6.2The Impact of the Black Death

2Worldviews

2.1Time & History

2.1.1Measuring Time

2.2The Christian World

2.2.1Constantinople & the World in 1000

2.2.2Who was St Foy?

2.2.3The Significance of St Foy

2.3The Muslim World

2.3.1Location & Building of Baghdad

2.3.2House of Wisdom

2.3.3Development of Knowledge

2.3.4Madrasas

2.3.5Translating Knowledge & Key Scholars

2.3.6Science & Medicine

2.3.7What does Medieval Baghdad Reveal?

3The Empire of Mali

3.1Geography

3.1.1Geography of the Mali Empire

3.1.2Medieval West Africa

3.1.3Foundation of the Malian Empire

3.1.4Sunjata Keita

3.1.5Cities of the Mali Empire

3.2Key Figures

3.2.1Mansa Musa

3.3The Hajj to Mecca

3.3.1The Hajj to Mecca

3.3.2The Impact of the Hajj

3.3.3The Impact in Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

5.1The British Empire

5.1.1The British Empire

5.2North America

5.2.1Early Settlement

5.2.2Jamestown, Virginia

5.2.3The Pilgrim Fathers

5.2.4Native Americans

5.2.5Independence

5.3The Caribbean

5.3.1The Slave Trade

5.3.2Impact of the Slave Trade

5.4India

5.4.1The East India Company

5.4.2Expansion of the East India Company

5.4.3Bengal

5.4.4Significance of India

5.5Australia

5.5.1A Penal Colony

5.5.2The Native Population

5.6Africa

5.6.1Cape Colony

5.6.2Egypt

5.6.3West Africa

5.7The Outcomes of the British Empire

5.7.1Impacts of the British Empire

5.7.2The Brutality of Empire

5.7.3The Fall of the British Empire

5.7.4End of Topic Test - The British Empire 1

5.7.5End of Topic Test - The British Empire 2

6The Peasants' Revolt

6.1Causes of the Peasants' Revolt

6.1.1Why Did the Peasants Revolt?

6.1.2Poll Tax

6.1.3Black Death

6.1.4John of Gaunt

6.1.5Other Reasons for the Peasants' Revolt

6.1.6The Trigger for the Peasants' Revolt

6.2Course of the Revolt

6.2.1Rebellion Starts in Essex & Kent

6.2.2March to London

6.2.3Events in London

6.2.4Crushing the Revolt

6.2.5End of the Revolt

6.3Consequences of the Peasants Revolt

6.3.1Immediate Consequences

6.3.2Short Term Consequences

6.3.3Long Term Consequences

6.4Peasants' Revolt's Threat to Monarchy

6.4.1What is Monarchic Power?

6.4.2Was the Revolt a Threat to the King's Power?

6.4.3Was the Revolt a Threat to the Lords?

6.4.4Was the Revolt a Threat to the Feudal System?

7Religion in the Middle Ages

7.1Religion in the Middle Ages