THE DECLINE OF THE CHURCH

THE DECLINE OF THE CHURCH

• There was an issue with the authority of the pope in terms of having authority of the church and the state

Boniface VIII and the Conflict with the State

• Boniface the V||| assumed that the pope go in power once the state and church started to decline
• French King Philip wanted to claim a larger income and tax the clergy. Boniface didn't like that idea because he believed that this couldn't take place without his divine approval, meanwhile King Philip believed that all French people, in addition to the clergy, were under his authority since he was king.

Boniface VIII and the Conflict with the State

• Boniface excommunicates King Philip in a letter known as the Unam Sanctum and this angered King Philip causing him to kidnap Boniface
• Boniface dies shortly after being captured and King Philip made sure that nothing would take him from the throne again and influenced the church to elect a French pope

THE PAPACY AT AVIGNON

• The papacy at Avignon was a period from 1309 to 1377
• During this time period seven popes began to reside in Avignon in France, instead of Rome
• It showed the church's attempt to adapt to Europe's changes
• The attempts were made to settle secular conflicts
• The attempts failed and the "bad reputation" damaged the prestige of the church
• It was said that the French were holding the Romans captive

THE GREAT SCHISM

• An event that divided Christianity into Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicsm
• Italy had elected an italian pope and France elected a french pope and the church became divided with certain countries choosing to follow one pope or the other
• The names were pope Urban V| and pope Clement V||
• It lasted for 40 years

THOUGHTS ON CHURCH AND STATE AND CONCILARISM

• Marsiglio weote a book called Defender of the Peace and in the book he denied that the temporary authority was subject to the spiritual authority as popes
• He got people to revolt against the popes
• He believed that the church was only one part of a whole secular community
• He also believed that spiritual situations should go to a group of church members rather than the pope
• This fed off of the Great Schism

POPULAR RELIGION IN AN AGE OF ADVERSITY

• The church was already in a decline because of the Great Schism, the Avignonese Papacy, and even some issues with Boniface |||
• The Black Death made it important to be saved because death was always occuring
• Christians would make an emphasis on doing good works to ensure their salvation in this "Age of Adversity"
• Purgatories and family chapels became common as well
• Pilgrimages were popular

POPULAR RELIGION IN AN AGE OF ADVERSITY

• Christianity didn't necessarily decline, more so people became preoccupied in assuring their own salvation
• Mysticism is the immediate experience of oneness with God
• This had a big impact throughout the Middle Ages

CHANGES IN THEOLOGY

• Thomas Aquinas had a grand synthesis of faith
• William of Occam had a question for the scholastic achievements of the Middle Ages
• He stated that the truths of religion couldn't be shown by reason or even acts, but rather be proven be the act of faith
• This caused an uncertainty in the church to the late medieval theology