What was the role of the church in 11th and 12th century England?

Question: What was the role of the church in 11th and 12th century England!?
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I'm going to assume that you are asking either about the Church's role in politics, or the Church's role in society!. Obviously, the Church's role in religion was to provide the spiritual services that were its main reason for being: mass, confession, prayer, study, etc!.

Societally, the Church played an important part in every day life!. A church or chapel was the center of nearly every village and town in England!. It was the backdrop for events for weddings, a refuge for those with no place to go, and the priest often served as a mediator in secular disputes - this was especially true in the late 11th and early 12th century as England underwent an uneasy transition from Saxon law to Norman law!.

Politically, the role of the Church in the 11th and 12th centuries in England was complicated due to the fact that there was a fair degree of tension between the English clerics and Rome!. This became especially apparent in 1065-1066 when the English clerics supported Harold Godwinson's claim to the English crown - and coronated him king - but the Pope in Rome supported Duke William of Normandy's claim and even encouraged him to invade!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

At that time, religion was the centre of their lives!.

So the "Role" of the church held great importance to the average person in ENgland!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

getting rich from the peasants,being landowners but the best one they were all paedophiles,molesting young women and boys and sheep shagging!.!.!.mind you they still doing it so nothing has changed since the 12th centuryWww@QuestionHome@Com

To gather ten % of the harvest from the people and chant Latin at them for their privilege of handing over this ill gotten gain!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Church as an institution was an integral part of the fabric of society on many levels!.

From the point of view of the immensely religious population, it was the centre of community life and the focus of Christian worship!. Sundays, the feast days of numerous Saints, Holy days such as Easter, births, marriages and deaths were marked by important religious services (somewhat different than those of today); the church or chapel symbolised a meeting-place between Earth and Heaven which is difficult for today's Godless societies to understand!.

This interaction was made clear by extensive and very colourful paintings on the walls and ceilings of every church - those at the lower levels represented Earth, while those above represented God, the Angels and Heaven!.

The parish priest often provided the only source of elementary education to a community; he heard confessions and absolved sins; he visited the elderly and the sick as well as conducting services!.

From the point of view of the aristocracy and the wealthy, the Church offered a sense of security for a person's soul after death; by donating property, land or money to the Church, a wealthy benefactor could ensure that prayers would be said for his or her well-being in the next life!.

In the early years after the Norman conquest, controlling the country's religious centres was just a part of the mechanism for controlling the population (this scheme also involved controlling the production of coins, the milling of flour for bread, strictly regulating the ownership of weapons and the movement of goods)!. It must be remembered that the Norman population was enormously outnumbered by the native English, so such a system was vital to maintaining the established order!.

By the early 12th century, the distinction between Norman and Saxon was already becoming blurred and the idea of being "English" applied to both groups; the Church was by this time a fundamental part of everyday life!.

Finally, mention should be made of Church or Canon Law!. This ran in parallel with secular law and governed such things as morality and behaviour, not only that of the priests and other Church officials but that of every man and woman; it also regulated the price of goods and materials!. It was dispensed by Bishops at frequent Church Court hearings!.Www@QuestionHome@Com