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The Thirteenth Century:
The Rise of the Mendicants
Four historical points define this century
The Mendicant Orders
The Mendicants were religious who renounced both possessions and property. Their vow of poverty and desire to take the Gospel into the heart of society was revolutionary. Through their missionary zeal they ignited the flames of evangelization within the Church and contributed to the renewal of society. Two saints were principally responsible for the growth of the mendicant orders: Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) who founded the Order of Friar Minors (Franciscans) and Dominic Guzman (1170-1221) who founded the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).
Pope Innocent III
In 1198, Innocent III (1198-1216) was elected Pope. His pontificate focused on reforming the clergy, curia, re-shaping the administrative structures of the Church and evangelization. In 1215, Innocent opened the 4th Lateran Council. He brought together over 1,000 bishops and abbots to discuss matters pertaining to the faith. Some of the major canons produced by the Council dealt with the Eucharist, the Inquisition, the faithful and the education of priests.
The University
As more and more people were seeking an education, small schools within the same locale would merge into one large school. This gave birth to the university. The three most prominent universities during this century were Bologna, Oxford and Paris. These universities offered four major areas of study: medicine, law, theology and the liberal arts.
The Albigensians
The Albigensians were a heretical group that resided in southern France. They believed in two gods and viewed the "flesh" as evil and the "spirit" as good. What made this sect so dangerous was that it blended Christian beliefs and practices with pagan beliefs and practices. To combat this heresy God called upon St. Dominic and his followers. The Dominicans, through their preaching and life of poverty, led many Albigensians out of heresy and into the fullness of truth.