50 POINTS QUESTION Which of the following best explains how the death-crier represented political instability in the Middle Ages? A. It represented the global reach of the church in the Middle Ages as an institution that helped stop the spread of the Black Plague across local political borders. B. It symbolized the church’s fixation on humanity’s shorter life expectancy during the Black Plague—a fixation that spread fear, which eventually weakened the church’s authority. C. It represented the abuses carried out by the church during the Black Plague, which undermined the spiritual authority of the pope and weakened Europe. D. It symbolized the scandals of the papacy during the Black Plague, which ended any hopes of the church becoming a central governing force.