Creeds chs. 9,11-12 & History ch. 4

The repeated sacking of Rome by the barbarians led to the rise of Christiandom by the Pope in the West. The crowning of Charlemange helps established papal authority over secular authority and created the new Holy Roman Empire, which became the dominant political entity of the Middle Ages.

The election of Ambrose to the bishopric of Milan epitomized the people's voice while defending the faith against Arianism and setting the stage for the most crucial figure in Christian history, Augustine.

Augustine became the most critical thinker and theologian of Christianity and laid the groundwork for formulating Christians' thoughts in the years to come. His book, Confessions, made a case for man's need for a Savior by arguing against Pelagius' view of original sin and started an autobiographical genre.

Two prevailing theological perspectives attempt to resolve the problem of original sin for infants who die before maturity. Infant baptism and subsequent confirmation is one way to alleviate the anxiety due to the high infant mortality rate in the early centuries. Sacramental theology helps explain that baptism contains grace (and later, in the 1500s, conferred grace). Another explanation is through the concept of accountability of sin (i.e., does God hold you accountable for sin?) At the age of accountability, the child is held accountable for their sins and thus should be baptized.