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Tertulian begins writing, with his legal-trained mind, major writings that promote purity of life and doctrine
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Basil the Great founds a monastery, layings foundations for religious communities ever after
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Ambrose defies Emperor Theodosius, refusing him Communion after his brutal killing of thousands in Thessalonica; the act influences church-state relations for generations.
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Benedict Writes His Monastic Rule; The enduring legacy is a tradition of ordered and disciplined living, a deep appreciation for the ancient liturgy, the wisdom of a rich literary culture, a respect for the dignity of labor, and a compassionate understanding of the human condition. All monasteries based on his ideas.
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Battle of Tours: Frankish general Charles Martel halts the seemingly unstoppable Muslim invasion, keeping Europe under Christian control.
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The East-West Schism; the Latin and Greek portions of the church permanently separated into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
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Pope Urban II Launches the First Crusade; deeply damaged Western Christians’ relations with others, the breach between Eastern and Western Christians became wide and lasting, sparked pogroms against the Jews, and the crusaders’ brutality worked only to make the Muslims more militant. On an economic level, however, the Crusades increased trade and stepped up Europe’s economic growth. They also led to a greater interest in travel, map making, and exploration.
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, the Universities of Paris and Oxford are founded, fostering higher education and, eventually, a modern world view.
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Dante’s Divine Comedy gives masterful poetic expression to medieval concepts of heaven, hell, and purgatory, and shapes later thought.
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Gutenberg Produces the First Printed Bible; sparked a revolution in society and the church. Books could now be produced in quantities and at prices that made them available to many people, not merely to scholars and monks. The resulting explosion of knowledge continues to accelerate in our day. Paved the way for the Reformation.
