Why did the medieval church use Galen's work as the basis for all medical knowledge?

• A. It originated in Greek monasteries
• B. It used experimental data
• C. It fitted with the church's beliefs. Galen referred to 'the creator'
• D. It was the most accurate medical text

Answer: (C)

Medieval medicine relied on established authorities and a view of knowledge that fit with Christian beliefs. Galen’s writings offered a comprehensive, systematized account of the body and disease, and he often framed his ideas in terms that echoed the idea of a created, orderly world. When a scholar or a monk read his work and saw references to the Creator, it felt compatible with church teaching, making Galen’s theories easy to accept and teach within monasteries and universities. Because the emphasis was on authority and tradition rather than experimentation, Galen’s framework became the accepted basis for medical knowledge, even if it wasn’t always the most accurate. The option about Greek monasteries or about experimental data doesn’t explain why his work became the standard, and claiming it was the most accurate isn’t true.