The Late Middle Ages and the Reformation

The Late Middle Ages and the ReformationIntroductionDuring 13th century, the Roman Church had reached the apex of its power under the leadership of Pope Innocent III. However, in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Church would undergo major changes that eventually led the Protestant Reformation. What happened that helped bring about this Reformation?

Adapted from Justo L. Gonzalez The Story of ChristianityNationalismMonetary EconomyEconomic transactions become standardized Allowed for easier trade among common people Led to increased power among the bourgeoisie. The interests of this rising class clashed with those of the Feudal Lords

NationalismThe rising middle class wanted a strong, centralized government to regulate trade and enforce lawsThis gave rise to several nations, including France and England.The rise of these nations in turn undermined papal authority.The decline of papal power and strong national interests led to the election of a rival pope in France

Antipope Clement VIINationalismThe loss of papal power in light of the new national powers and the embarrassment caused by the antipope controversy, caused a massive decline in prestige in the office of the Pope. Gonzalez says at this point, all hope for a reform led by the Pope were lost. War: The Hundred Years War (1337-1475)Fought between France and England However, it involved much of the rest of Europe that some historians suggest that it be called the First European War

War: The Hundred Years War (1337-1475)Because the Popes resided in France during the war, the English began to see the Catholic Church as their enemy Created tensions that would come to a head during the Great Schism It also increased nationalism in many countries, further decreasing the power of the papacy.

Plague: Bubonic Plague of 1347Worldwide trade had increased, increasing European exposure to diseasePlague begin in the Mediterranean, but quickly spread throughout all of EuropeTransmitted by fleas and ratsUp to one third the population of Europe died.

Plague: Bubonic Plague of 1347Economically, the Plague disrupted all of EuropeEntire markets disappeared High UnemploymentEconomic destabilization led toPolitical unrest Riots And worsening economic outlook It would take centuries to recover

Plague: Bubonic Plague of 1347Religious consequences of the PlagueSince mostly young, otherwise healthy people died, some came to doubt the universe was rationally ordered. Among intellectuals, this led to greater skepticism of the claims of the ChurchAmong common people, this led to superstitionFear of death increased practice of religious rites, like pilgrimage and the veneration of relicsAlso led to violence against Jews, who had fewer causalities, because they were believed to have started the plague.

The Great SchismThe papacy was moved back to Rome and elected Pope Urban VIUrban tried to reform some of the problems with clergy (like absenteeism) This led to a rebellion against Urban and the Church in Rome A group of cardinals met and elected Pope Clement VII as the legitimate Pope, thus dividing Christians between those who were pro-France and pro-Rome In the years following the Schism, there were multiple efforts to try remedy the problem and they were by and large unsuccessful. This created greater pessimism about the possibility of Rome reforming herself.

Cultural Causes for the ReformationLater Scholasticism Emphasis on the connection between faith and reasonWere willing to disagree with accepted tradition if it did not accord with reason or what was given in revelationKey figures:Thomas AquinasDuns ScoutsWilliam of OckhamHis voluntarism led to an emphasis on divine revelation as the only legitimate source of knowledgeScholasticism also had the effect of causing people to search for a simpler gospel, one that was not convoluted with speculative thinkingRevival of Classical LearningAlso called the Renaissance This was a time when works of antiquity were rediscoveredIntellectuals developed a deep respect for thinkers of the past Led to a rise in literacy The Rise of the Printing Press Books became more accessibleScholars became aware of textual differences in manuscriptsLed to the development of critical editions of the NT Combined with the revival of classical learning, it would eventually lead to widespread awareness that the contemporary church was very different than the ancient one.

Corruption: Pope Clement V (1305-1314)Elected through subterfuge of pro-France partyPosted his friends and family in high positionsThe Trial of the Templars The Templars were a military order formed during the CrusadesArrested under false charges and torturedAppealed to Clement for helpBut Clement instead arrested their families in order to gain political power

CorruptionThroughout the Church during the Late Middle Ages, there was widespread simony and absenteeism. There were multiple efforts to reform this practice, but none were very successful.

Corruption: The Popes of the RenaissanceThe corruption of the 14th century only worsened in the 15th. Callixtus III (1455-1458) guilty of nepotism and associated with the notorious Borgias. Pius II (1458-1464) allegedly fathered two illegitimate childrenSixtus IV (1471-1484) guilty of nepotism, stealing money for his own family, enmeshed the Church in wars for political gain, taxed wheat heavily to fill papal coffers

Innocent VII (1484-1492) made promises to not practice nepotism, but broke them immediately. Had several illegitimate children. Responsible for the shameless selling of indulgences. Alexander VI (1492-1503) took concubines from the wives of men in his court, had illegitimate childrenThe general trend of the popes during this time and up until the Reformation was that were corrupt and more concerned with building projects than serving as pastoral leader.

Proto-Reformer: John Wycliffe (1331-1384)English Scholastic philosopher, theologian, lay preacher, translator, reformer and university teacher at Oxford in England.Challenged the legitimacy of papal power to collect taxTaught the true Church was not visible, but invisibleAdvocated for the translation of the Bible into the vernacularEventually, his followers after his death published the Bible in English. Associated with Lollard movement