CatholicismCatholicismHigh Middle Ages

Basic Belief

Reform Movements

Avignon Papacy

Schism of the Church

A Brief HistoryA Brief History• Jesus executed ca 30 CE

• New testament Books written ca 50-150 CE

• Multiple ‘followers of Christ’–Mancheist–Gnostics–Pauline, etc

• Council of Nicea (325 CE)– Solve discrepancies over nature of Christ

– Set date for Passover (Easter)

– Nicean Creed created

– First attempt to create consensus

• Constantine exiled any who did not follow Nicean Creed

• 1st ‘Pope’ was Apostle Peter (ca 50 CE)

• 1st Bishop of Rome was ‘Pope’ Marcellinus in 296 CE

• In general, the ‘Katholikos’ or universal church was the official church, and all others are eliminated

• Primacy of Roman bishop as ‘Pope’ and leader surfaced some in 4th century

• 440 CE Leo the Great (Pope Leo I) exerted papal authority as doctrine extensively

• Petrine Doctrine outlines supremacy of the Papacy

• Patriarch (or Bishop, or Pope) of Rome argued with Patriarch (or Bishop) of Constantinople

• Eastern Orthodox (Greek Orthodox) and Roman Catholic split in 11th century

Basic BeliefThe Ages of Faith

• EVERYONE possessed ‘devotion’

• Varied in degree of devotion:–Salvation was real and true

–Salvation was personal safety

–Salvation was mere conformity

“People rarely thought of themselves as ‘having’ or

‘belonging to’ a religion” (Barzun, 2000, p 24)

• Everyone had a ‘soul’, but not ‘God’

• “‘God’ and all that pertained to Him was simply what is” (Barzun, 2000, p 24)

–Just as ‘physics’ just is today!

• Ancient polytheistic and eastern mysticism still a part of Medieval Man’s minds

• Catholicism, however, was the dominate faith

• Catholic rituals and doctrine was focus

• Some Muslim (in Spain and Balkan Peninsula)

• Some Jewish (Spain mainly)

Roman Catholic BeliefRoman Catholic Belief• Pope is head of Church

(Christendom)–Papacy, Papal

–Vicar of Christ, Christ’s Vicar

–Roman Pontiff, Pontifus Maximus

• Papal infallibility doctrine• Power over emperors (Pope Gregory VII)

• Dictates all doctrine & Cannon Law

Seven Sacraments1. Eucharist

2. Baptism

3. Penance/Reconciliation

4. Confirmation

5. Matrimony

6. Holy Orders

7. Anointing of the sick

Early Church ReformEarly Church Reform• Papal involvement in political

matters–Sometimes to the expense of clerical

duties

• Frictions between Church and State–Taxation (lay rulers taxing clergy)–Lay Investiture

• Decline of discipline among regular clergy

• Cluniac Reform–Monks in the Abbey of Cluny renewed

dedication and discipline

–Spread throughout Europe

• Reforming popes try to free Church from secular interference

• Pope Gregory VII clearly outline Papal authority

Avignon PapacyAvignon Papacy• Struggle between Pope and French

King over taxation

• King Philip IV ‘arrested’ Pope Boniface VIII

• Italian nobles quickly freed him

• Pope died

• Philip IV exert pressure on cardinals and a French Pope is chosen (Clement V)

• Pope used excuse of ‘turbulence in the city of Rome’ to move to Avignon France

• A palace was built

• Popes reigned in Avignon for 72 years (1305-1377)–134 new cardinals chosen in 72 years;

113 were French

• Pope Gregory XI moved back to Rome 1377 (Papacy loosing prestige)

Great SchismGreat Schism• Pope Gregory XI died…

• Roman citizens feared a return to Avignon–Threatened cardinals

–Must choose Italian/Roman as Pope; NOT French!

• Pope Urban VI elected under ‘duress’ (Italian)

• French dissenting cardinals, 5 months later, declared Urban’s election null and void

• Clement VII declared ‘real’ pope (Frenchman)

• They returned to Avignon• Euro nations divided loyalties• Each pope excommunicated the

other• Catholics call the false pope the

‘antipope’

• About 40 years later…

• Division strain finances and hurt prestige of Church further

• Each pope worked to increase ‘taxes’

• Belief that ‘councils’ should balance papal authority arose

• Called ‘conciliarism’

• Cardinals from both camps met on their own in 1409

• They deposed both popes and elected a 3rd: Alexander V

• Both popes refused to step down!

• Now we have 3 popes!!!

• HRE convened another council which met for 4 years (1414-1418): Council of Constance

• The 3 remaining popes either resigned or were disposed–More pressure on them than the

1409 council!

• Pope Martin V chosen as new pope (we are back to just one pope)

• Schism is over!!!

Other odds and endsOther odds and ends• Church corruptions:

–Simony

–Pluralism

–Nepotism

• Many debates in universities and monasteries about the current state of Christendom

• Adjustment to ‘popular religion’ resulting from the loss of Catholic prestige

• Many started to consider a ‘separation’ of church and state (restrict church to spiritual matters)

• Many people’s faith was shaken