LESSON 3.12 What were the changing relations between Islam, Christianity and Judaism in the Middle Ages?
LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to: • explain the changing relations between Islam and Europe • explain the Catholic Church’s attitude towards medical science during the Middle Ages.
Tune in Religion still plays a very important part of daily life in Australia today. The Australian census in 2021 revealed that only 38.9 per cent of the population wasn’t religious. While people still pray for those who are sick, as seen in SOURCE 1 , medical science is more often relied upon for treatment. What do you think prompted this change? 1. Discuss whether you think religion should play a part in treatment for illness and disease. What benefits can it bring, and what challenges can it create? 2. Brainstorm the ways in which being part of a religious community can help in daily life — why do so many people believe in a higher power? 3. In the past, people mainly prayed when someone was sick. Today, while many still pray, most people go to doctors and use medicine first. What do you think caused this big change in how we treat illness? Give some examples from what you’ve learned about history.
SOURCE1 Prayer for the sick was considered to be more important than medical science.
3.12.1 The importance of religion Religious beliefs, especially those stemming from the Roman Catholic Church, were central to medieval European life. People believed good things were rewards for good deeds and illness was a punishment. Most people were illiterate and superstitious, relying on priests for education and guidance. Non- Christians were viewed with suspicion and hatred. When bad things happened, people looked to the Bible for explanations, often believing they were being punished for their sins. Islamic leaders turned to sacred texts for guidance during times of plague, drawing on three key principles: (1) Plague was viewed as a mercy from God and a form of martyrdom for faithful Muslims; (2) Muslims were advised not to enter or leave areas affected by plague; and (3) Illness was believed to
TOPIC3 Medieval Europe 85
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