Final answer:
Christians organized their church through a hierarchical structure led by the pope or the Patriarch of Constantinople. Canon law refers to the laws and regulations that govern the Christian Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the fall of Rome, the Christian Church-united in dogma but unofficially divided into western and eastern branches-had a strict organizational hierarchy. In the western Roman Catholic Church, the pope oversaw a bureaucracy led by cardinals, followed by archbishops, bishops, and priests. The eastern branch, known as the Byzantine Orthodox Church, had the Patriarch of Constantinople as its leader, and their organization was similar.
Canon law refers to the body of laws and regulations that govern the Christian Church. It includes rules and guidelines on various aspects of church life, such as sacraments, clergy behavior, and church administration. Canon law helps maintain order, unity, and consistency within the church.