The Decline of The Decline of Church AuthorityChurch Authority

Be scared popes!Be scared popes!

The The Decline of Decline of

Church Church AuthorityAuthority

Between 1100 and 1300 the office of the Pope Between 1100 and 1300 the office of the Pope was very powerful.was very powerful. Catholic Church was very involved in Politics (helped Catholic Church was very involved in Politics (helped

hold Europe together)hold Europe together) Kings and Popes struggled for power during the Kings and Popes struggled for power during the

1300’s. 1300’s. French King (Philip IV) did not want the Pope to French King (Philip IV) did not want the Pope to

have so much power. (Many Monarch’s agreed)have so much power. (Many Monarch’s agreed) He refused to bow to the Pope’s authority.He refused to bow to the Pope’s authority. This angered Pope Boniface IIIThis angered Pope Boniface III

Challenges from Challenges from MonarchsMonarchs

Cardinals are Cardinals are responsible for electing responsible for electing a new pope - when pope a new pope - when pope dies. dies.

In 1305 - attempt to In 1305 - attempt to restore harmony restore harmony between the church and between the church and the French Monarch, so the French Monarch, so ….they elected a French ….they elected a French PopePope Clement V Clement V

This helped relationsThis helped relations

BUTBUT

Clement did something that angered the Clement did something that angered the Monarch’s of other European counties. Monarch’s of other European counties. He Moved the Papacy (Popes Residence) to He Moved the Papacy (Popes Residence) to

Avignon, France. Avignon, France. Remained there for 70 years (and several Popes)Remained there for 70 years (and several Popes)

Grr, you French Grr, you French “POPE DOMINATERS”“POPE DOMINATERS”

England, Germany, & England, Germany, & Italian City-states felt Italian City-states felt that the popes were that the popes were dominated by France. dominated by France.

Resented France’s Resented France’s influence over the influence over the church.church.

Church lost power Church lost power over rulers b/c it was over rulers b/c it was less respected less respected

Hail Pope Hail Pope Gregory XIGregory XI

In 1736 Pope Gregory In 1736 Pope Gregory moved the papacy back moved the papacy back to Rome.to Rome.

But..it wasn’t that But..it wasn’t that simple!simple!

Pope Gregory died in Pope Gregory died in 1378.1378.

Urban VI - (An Italian) was Urban VI - (An Italian) was elected Pope. He was very elected Pope. He was very unpopular with the French!unpopular with the French!

In Protest, the French In Protest, the French Cardinals elected a Cardinals elected a Frenchmen (Clement VII) Frenchmen (Clement VII) as Popeas Pope He returned the Papcy to He returned the Papcy to

Avignon. Avignon.

OK..hold the OK..hold the phone?!phone?!

YES!!! It appears so..YES!!! It appears so..

Are there two Pope Clement VII’s

Numero UnoNumero Uno French Pope (Clement VII)French Pope (Clement VII)Antipope: 1378 - 1394Antipope: 1378 - 1394

Numero DosNumero DosItalian Pope Clement VII (aka Italian Pope Clement VII (aka Giulio Medici)Giulio Medici)Roman Catholic Pope, Roman Catholic Pope,

1523-341523-34

So, now we So, now we have a have a

problem!problem!

Hmmm…If the pope is the earthly Hmmm…If the pope is the earthly individual that is closest to God…what do individual that is closest to God…what do we do if there are two popes?we do if there are two popes?

Who do we follow?Who do we follow?

Pope Urban VI in ItalyPope Urban VI in Italy

Two Popes? That is unheard of!

We have the antipope

(Clement VII) in Avignon

The Great SchismThe Great Schism Schism - a separation or Schism - a separation or

division into factions division into factions (especially a formal (especially a formal separation within the separation within the church)church)

This Split (known This Split (known as the Great as the Great Schism) weakened Schism) weakened the Church’s the Church’s authority.authority.

Who do we Who do we follow?follow?

Many people, not knowing Many people, not knowing which pope to follow, lost which pope to follow, lost faith in the Church’s ability to faith in the Church’s ability to provide spiritual leadership.provide spiritual leadership.

Let’s restore Let’s restore dignity and dignity and

unity!!!unity!!! Bishops and other top Bishops and other top

ranking clergymen set ranking clergymen set up up councils councils (groups of church leaders, (groups of church leaders,

which met to rule on which met to rule on matters of law & faith)matters of law & faith)

Became much more Became much more powerful than the Popepowerful than the Pope

Council of Constance Council of Constance finally reunited the finally reunited the church under one Pope church under one Pope in 1417. (ending the in 1417. (ending the Schism)Schism)

Too Little, Too LateToo Little, Too Late

The councils DID reunify the churchThe councils DID reunify the church BUT…BUT…

They did not help it regain it’s former They did not help it regain it’s former power. power.

Eventually they became controlled by Eventually they became controlled by the Monarchs.the Monarchs.

Corruption Corruption Corrupt practices of Corrupt practices of

the clergy further the clergy further weakened church weakened church authority.authority. Collected taxes, Collected taxes,

property titles & court property titles & court fines to support itself.fines to support itself.

Went too far with the Went too far with the sale of Indulgences.sale of Indulgences.

A paper from the pope A paper from the pope that was said to reduce that was said to reduce or cancel punishment for or cancel punishment for sins. sins.

List of ComplaintsList of Complaints Sale of jobs in the churchSale of jobs in the church

Sold clerical positions to Sold clerical positions to the highest bidder the highest bidder (regardless of background)(regardless of background)

So, you have illiterate, So, you have illiterate, uneducated and even uneducated and even some immoral clergysome immoral clergy

Sale of IndulgencesSale of Indulgences Some corrupt clergySome corrupt clergy Collection of taxes and Collection of taxes and

other finesother fines Punishment of hereticsPunishment of heretics

The call for ReformThe call for Reform Reformers called for changes among the Reformers called for changes among the

clergy. clergy. Church was very corrupt at this point. Church was very corrupt at this point. What the Reformers wanted:What the Reformers wanted:

Return to the spiritual ideals set forth in the Return to the spiritual ideals set forth in the biblebible

Monarchs to rule over the churchMonarchs to rule over the church End to the sale of indulgencesEnd to the sale of indulgences Translation of the bible from Latin into local Translation of the bible from Latin into local

languageslanguages Challenge church authority.Challenge church authority.

Those who spoke out..Those who spoke out.. Those who spoke out against the church were branded as Those who spoke out against the church were branded as

heretics and punished with excommunication or heretics and punished with excommunication or executionexecution

Protestant martyrs, burned at the stake for heresy. 1555Nicholas Ridley & Hugh Latimer

Challengers of the ChurchChallengers of the Church

John Wycliffe.John Wycliffe. Late 1300’s Late 1300’s Oxford ScholarOxford Scholar

““monarch’s should rule over monarch’s should rule over the church in their own the church in their own kingdom”kingdom”

Translated the Bible from Translated the Bible from Latin to EnglishLatin to English Threatens power of the clergy Threatens power of the clergy

(now people can access the (now people can access the bible themselves)bible themselves)

Why translate?Why translate?

Very few people could Very few people could read Latin (mostly read Latin (mostly only clergymen) only clergymen)

People depended on People depended on clergy to interpret the clergy to interpret the BibleBible

If the Bible could be If the Bible could be taught and read in taught and read in English people could English people could interpret it’s meaning interpret it’s meaning themselves!themselves!

John HusJohn Hus Eastern European priestEastern European priest Preached fiery sermons against Preached fiery sermons against

the practice of selling the practice of selling indulgences.indulgences.

Called for reformCalled for reform He was burned at the stakeHe was burned at the stake

Spiritual MovementsSpiritual Movements

Movements in response to church abusesMovements in response to church abuses People who weren’t out to reform church, but People who weren’t out to reform church, but

wanted to express religious feelings. wanted to express religious feelings. The MysticsThe Mystics

Believed that a person could experience god Believed that a person could experience god through prayer, without the aid of a priest. through prayer, without the aid of a priest.

Believed that both men and women could Believed that both men and women could experience God directly through prayer. experience God directly through prayer.

Many women drawn to MysticismMany women drawn to Mysticism

Coming next to a Coming next to a classroom near you….classroom near you….

Martin Luther Martin Luther shakes up the shakes up the church!church!

He nails 95 ideas He nails 95 ideas for church reform for church reform to the church doors to the church doors and thumbs his and thumbs his nose at the Pope…nose at the Pope…

That really got him That really got him in trouble!!!!in trouble!!!!