Prodestant reformation

Overall cause and effect of Philip IV of France’s dispute with the papacy (reason for movement to Avignon from Rome).

  • Philip taxed the french clergy

  • There was a power struggle between the authority of the church and state

  • 2 popes!! What the skibity

Reason why the relocation of the papacy to Avignon became problematic (i.e. what did many believe regarding the popes who resided at Avignon?).

  • Papal became less prestigious 

  • imposed taxes on the clergy

  • Many felt the papacy had become too powerfull

Origins of and reason for the Great Schism, and how it affected European politics.

  • Orthodox split because of political and religious disagreements

  • Fostered political instability in europe

Effect of the Great Schism on the prestige of the papacy, and the Church itself.

  • Papacys prestige went down

  • Led to crusades

  • Led to distinctions between different churches

Conciliar movement and how it sought to reform the Church; end of the Great Schism.

  • Modified and limited papal control over church with councils

  • Councils where a check of power

  • Church wasn't as dependent on the pope


 

Tradition of internal reform in the Catholic Church prior to the 15th and 16th centuries.

  •  In the middle of the twelfth century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux didn't like church

Public opinion on the condition of the Church in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, especially amongst humanist authors.

  • Urged reform of the church on the pattern of the early church, primarily though educational and social change 

Issues within the Catholic clergy – especially issues regarding clerical morality. (Why was education declining amongst the clergy?)

  •  Clergy were not following the rules and they were not being enforced

  • They were very greedy

Issues with pluralism and absenteeism (note the notorious example of Antoine du Prat) and why this enabled problems to arise within the lower clergy.

  • Prat had never entered his cathedral until his own funeral

  • Money and power took ahdold of him

  • 1)To what extent was the Edict of Worm saviable or feasible means of silencing the Lutheran movement as Emperor Charles V and the anti-Lutheran electors hoped? Could this be done in the era of the printing press, and did Charles and the electors have any other reasonable course of action? Explain below:  The Edict of worms tried to silence the Lutheran movement by staging how the pope and Church disapprove of his teachings. They call him a demon and say what he says goes against the church and Catholicism. They try to get people to side with church authority over this, said martin. Unfortunately, with the printing press, it's impossible to suppress his ideas. They say not only they want to ban and burn his works, they will condemn anyone who defiles the church a traitor, and will probably be burned and be called a heretic.  


  • 2)  According to the Edict of Worms, in what areas was the Lutheran movement already beginning to diverge from traditional Catholic theology? Cite specific examples.
    He confuses and destroys the order of the seven sacraments, destroyed the order of the church and says the pope is infallible, believes there is no free will and determination

REVIEW:

-  Behavior of the Renaissance-era papacy (specifically that of Pope Julius II) and the issues that resulted from it.

  • opulence, militarism, and a departure from the spiritual ideals of the Church. 

  •  His actions, including military campaigns and alliances, were seen as an abomination by many devout Catholics who valued the Church's spiritual mission over worldly power. 

  • growing discontent among the faithful

    • His lavish lifestyle and the Church's increasing involvement in secular affairs alienated many who believed that the Church should focus on spiritual guidance rather than political and military ambitions. 

    • integration of the Medici family into the Church hierarchy because Giovanni di Medici became a cardinal at just thirteen, highlighted the perception that advancement within the Church could be purchased rather than earned through piety or merit. 

-  Criticisms contained in Desiderius Erasmus's In Praise of Folly - specifically what ethical issues did he highlight?  Be sure to take note of Erasmus and Luther's common concern regarding clerical abuse of the lay population and initially common desire to save the Catholic Church via reform.

  • In "In Praise of Folly," Desiderius Erasmus argues that these individuals, who claim to be pious, often lack true religious devotion and instead exhibit self-serving behaviors

  • Erasmus points out that they can still learn and be christian 

  • Erasmus notes their obsession with ritualistic precision, suggesting that they are more concerned with external practices than with genuine spiritual connection or moral integrity

    • This emphasis on superficial adherence to rules underscores a troubling detachment from the essence of their faith

  • Erasmus sought reform within the Catholic Church, advocating for a return to genuine piety and ethical conduct among clergy, while Luther's approach culminated in a more radical break from the Church(eventualy).

  • Erasmus's ethical critiques focus on the superficiality, hypocrisy, and self-interest of certain religious figures, reflecting a broader desire for reform within the Church to address clerical abuses and restore true spiritual values.

 

-  Review notes posted on Schoology re: the major issues within the Renaissance-era Church: increasing worldliness and clerical immorality, absenteeism and pluralism, lay investiture, and the sale of indulgences (know why indulgences violated Catholic doctrine on remission of sin).

  • Pope and monks became more worldly wich meant they desired a luxurious life style and popes fathered kids which is pretty fucked

  • Lay investiture: kings appointed laypersons to offices of high clergy who would often use power to favor monarchs

  • Advancements in the church were auctioned to highest bidder instead of who was most qualified

  • Many clerical officials were absent like Prat had never entered his cathedral until his own funeral Money and power took ahold of him

  • Indulgences were sold by tetzel so they could build the basilica 

-  Behavior of Pope Leo X and how this, along with the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, led to him permitting Archbishop Albert of Magdeburg and Mainz to authorize the sale of indulgences by individuals such as Johann Tetzel (review the deceptive means by which Tetzel sold indulgences).

  • These archbishops would get money from the wealthy to find the building of St. Peter's basilica

  • Johann Tetzel would guilt trip people into buying indulgences from the church by shaming people for not repenting their sins through the sale of an indulgence

 

-  Arguments contained within Luther's Ninety-Five Theses and how each thesis essentially denied the concept of papal infallibility.

  • Critique of Indulgences: 

    • Luther argued that indulgences, which were sold by the Church to reduce punishment for sins, undermined the true nature of repentance and faith. He believed that salvation could not be bought and was instead a gift from God through faith. This directly challenged the pope's authority to grant forgiveness, suggesting that the pope was not infallible in his ability to absolve sins. 

  •  Authority of Scripture: 

    • Luther emphasized the idea that the Bible is the sole authority for Christian faith and practice. By asserting that the Scriptures should guide believers rather than papal decrees, Luther undermined the notion that the pope, as the head of the Church, was infallible in his teachings. 

  • Role of the Clergy: 

    • In his theses, Luther argued that the clergy, including the pope, should not have the power to dictate the terms of salvation or the efficacy of indulgences. He suggested that a good pastor is more valuable than the sale of indulgences, indicating that the Church's hierarchy, including the pope, was not above reproach or error. The Pope was fallible because the church wasn't teaching the scripture correctly and selling indulgences.

  •  Call for Reform: 

    • Luther's theses called for a return to the original teachings of Christ and the apostles, implying that the Church had strayed from true doctrine under papal leadership. By advocating for reform, he questioned the infallibility of the Church's teachings as dictated by the pope. He wanted just reform at first for the church than eventually he separated from traditional catholic teachings creating Lutheranism

-  Reason for initial lack of papal response to the Ninety-Five Theses (note how this gave Luther time to refine and expand his theological arguments at the Leipzig Debate – which increasingly diverged from Catholic tradition, and for the numerous German printing presses to begin spreading his ideology to the point that Pope Leo X had to respond); Leo X’s demand in the Exsurge Dominae that Luther retract most of his Theses to avoid excommunication.

  •  The initial lack of papal response to Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses can be attributed to Pope Leo X's delayed reaction, as he had not yet addressed Luther's treatise by the time of the Leipzig Debate in 1519. 

  • During the Leipzig Debate, Luther was able to expand on his critiques of Catholic doctrine, particularly regarding the infallibility of the pope and the sale of indulgences. 

    • Luther "dug in further" against Renaissance-era doctrines and practices that he believed undermined the core principles of Catholicism. 

  • Luther might have been compelled to recant his statements, potentially diffusing the crisis and limiting the spread of his ideas if Leo spoke up. 

    •  The lack of immediate papal intervention allowed Luther's protest to gain momentum, ultimately making it a significant challenge to papal authority and leading to a larger theological and political upheaval 

  • Luther had time to diverge from the Church. After the debate, reconciliation with the church for luther would be impossible

-  Reasons for Luther's tribunal at the Diet of Worms against the wishes of the papacy and the papal legate to the Holy Roman Empire, desire of German princes to exert sovereignty over matters in their territories (specifically the growing Lutheran movement), role of Frederick the Wise of Saxony in Luther receiving the tribunal with safe arrival and departure agreements.

  •  German princes, particularly Frederick of Saxony, sought to assert their sovereignty over religious matters within their territories. 

  • Frederick's insistence on a tribunal was partly motivated by the historical precedent of Jan Hus, who had been executed despite a promise of safe passage. Fearing a similar fate for Luther, Frederick secured a guarantee from Charles V for Luther's protection during the proceedings. 

    • This move was not only a safeguard for Luther but also a statement of the princes' desire to control the narrative surrounding the Reformation and to challenge the papacy's absolute authority. 

  • The convening of the tribunal suggested that the electors were willing to engage in a dialogue about the issues at hand, which undermined the papal position that had already condemned Luther through the Exsurge Dominae. 

    • Alexander viewed the tribunal as unnecessary and a direct challenge to the papacy, as it implied that the pope's judgment could be questioned. 

  • This tension highlighted the shifting power dynamics in the Holy Roman Empire, where local rulers began to assert their influence over religious matters, reflecting a growing desire for autonomy in the face of papal authority. 

-  Outcome of the Diet of Worms – i.e. the issuing of the Edict of Worms and its stipulations.  Review reasons why this decree was so difficult to enforce (reliance upon each subordinate German ruler to carry it out when some were nervous about popular opinion supportive of Luther, Frederick the Wise shielding Luther at Wartburg Castle, role of the printing press in making it virtually impossible to silence Lutheran literary works, etc.).

  • Luther refused to recant his positions on key issues such as papal infallibility, justification by faith alone, and the sale of indulgences. 

  • Luther's ideas continued to spread after the edict of worms, leading to the growth of the Reformation movement.

 

-  Review Luther's theological views on salvation, papal infallibility, authority in spiritual matters, conception of the priesthood, and who could interpret scripture and contrast this with Catholic doctrines.

  •  Salvation: 

    • Luther believed in justification by faith alone, asserting that salvation is a gift from God received through faith, not earned by good works. In contrast, the Catholic Church teaches that faith, combined with good works and the sacraments, is necessary for salvation.

  • Papal Infallibility: 

    • Luther rejected the notion of papal infallibility, which holds that the Pope is incapable of error in matters of faith and morals. He argued that scripture alone is the ultimate authority, not the Pope or church tradition.

  •  Authority in Spiritual Matters: 

    • Luther contended that spiritual authority should reside with the individual believer and the scripture, rather than the institutional church hierarchy. The Catholic Church, however, maintains that the clergy, particularly the Pope, have the authority to interpret scripture and guide the faithful.

  • Conception of the Priesthood:

    •  Luther introduced the concept of the "priesthood of all believers," suggesting that all Christians have direct access to God and can interpret scripture without the mediation of a priest. In contrast, Catholic doctrine emphasizes a distinct priestly class with unique sacramental roles. 

  • Interpretation of Scripture: 

    • Luther believed that individuals should read and interpret the Bible for themselves, which he facilitated by translating it into the vernacular. The Catholic Church traditionally held that scripture should be interpreted by the clergy, who are trained in theology and doctrine. In summary, Luther's views emphasized individual faith, scripture's authority, and the equality of all believers, starkly contrasting with the Catholic emphasis on the church's hierarchical structure, the necessity of good works for salvation, and the Pope's authoritative role. This divergence contributed to the fragmentation of Christianity during