The British Church in the 14 Century

A detailed Summary of The British Church in the 14 Century

In the summer of 1381 a large group of peasants led by Wat Tyler stormed London. These peasants, unwilling to pay another poll tax to pay for an unpopular war against France and discontent with unfair labor wages, freed prisoners from London prisons, killed merchants, and razed the home of John of Gaunt, considered the creator of the poll tax. Perhaps more important, however, was the rebels attack on the Temple, a symbol of the British Church's wealth and power. The rebels burned the charters, legal records of the Church's vast land-holdings, stored within the Temple. This act - a religious building being targeted of in rebellion against a mismanaged, abusive government - shows an acknowledgement by the peasantry of the British Church's political power. The Church's involvement in politics, though making it more central in a person's life, also left it more vulnerable to corruption and subsequent criticism.

The Church in Britain was a medieval "cradle to grave" institution. People were born Christian, received Baptism shortly after, married under a Christian auspices, and were given their Christian last rites shortly before they died. This type of existence is talked of in literature of the time, such as in Langla

"'I am the Holy Church,' She replied, 'You should recognize me, for I received you when you were a child and first taught you the Faith. You came to me with godparents, who pledged you to love and obey me for all your life.'" (Langland, p. 34)

The Church was a central part of a British person's life, serving as not only a spiritual center but, in many cases, also a political center. While this political side of the Church increased the amount of influence it had on a person's life, it also left it more open to corruption and criticism. Money and power can lead to corruption, and when religion is tied into money and power the corruption that occurs can be amplified, since it often creates hypocrisy. The British people recognized such problems and reacted on both local and national levels. On the local level they would steal chalices until priests better served their parish. On the national level they burnt charters and beheaded an archbishop in response to unpopular government policies. The Church emphasized a focus on the afterlife, that worldly wealth and sinful actions could play against a person during their judgment. When members of the Church itself did not practice what they preached - and given the Church's vast wealth and power, it was a definite possibility - the people would react even more unfavorably than if such an action was performed by someone outside of the Church. Again, Langland provides relevance, when he pleads to "rich men" at the end of a chapter entitled "Piers the Ploughman's Pardon":

"'Many chaplains are chaste, but lack charity. There are no men more greedy, once they get preferment... they swallow up everything they are given, and cry out for more... And there are parish priests galore who keep their bodies pure, yet are so burdened with avarice that they cannot wrench it off.' (Langland, p. 37)

Because of this importance, the role of a local pastor was especially important. Many Church officials were also wealthy landowners, especially bishops, who sat in Parliament and were among the King's counselors (The Oxford History of Britain, p. 241). In practice, it made no difference if a local priest was good or bad, they s

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Approximate Word count = 1475
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History