The Late Middle

Ages and the

Reformation

Introduction

During 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 Christianity

Nationalism

Monetary Economy

Economic 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

Nationalism
Antipope Clement VII

The rising middle class wanted a

strong, centralized government
to regulate trade and enforce
laws

This 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

Nationalism

The 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 1347

Worldwide trade had increased,

increasing European exposure to
disease

Plague begin in the

Mediterranean, but quickly
spread throughout all of Europe

Transmitted by fleas and rats

Up to one third the population of

Europe died.

Plague: Bubonic Plague of 1347

Economically, the Plague

disrupted all of Europe

Entire markets disappeared

High Unemployment

Economic destabilization led to

Political unrest

Riots

And worsening economic outlook

It would take centuries to recover

Plague: Bubonic Plague of 1347

Religious consequences of the Plague

Since 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 Church

Among common people, this led to

superstition

Fear of death increased practice of

religious rites, like pilgrimage and the
veneration of relics

Also led to violence against Jews, who

had fewer causalities, because they were
believed to have started the plague.

The Great Schism

The papacy was moved back to Rome and

elected Pope Urban VI

Urban 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

Revival of Classical Learning
Later
Scholasticism
Reformation

Emphasis on the connection between faith

and reason
Were willing to disagree with accepted
tradition if it did not accord with reason or
what was given in revelation
Key figures:

Thomas Aquinas

Duns Scouts

William of Ockham

His voluntarism led to an emphasis on divine

revelation as the only legitimate source of
knowledge

Scholasticism also had the effect of

causing people to search for a simpler
gospel, one that was not convoluted with
speculative thinking

Also called the Renaissance

This was a time when works of antiquity were

rediscovered

Intellectuals developed a deep respect for

thinkers of the past

Led to a rise in literacy

The Rise of the Printing Press

Books became more accessible

Scholars became aware of textual differences in

manuscripts

Led 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 party

Posted his friends and family in

high positions

The Trial of the Templars

The Templars were a military

order formed during the Crusades

Arrested under false charges and

tortured

Appealed to Clement for help

But Clement instead arrested

their families in order to gain
political power

Corruption

Throughout 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

Renaissance

The 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 children

Sixtus 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 children

The 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 tax

Taught the true Church was not

visible, but invisible

Advocated for the translation of the

Bible into the vernacular

Eventually, his followers after his

death published the Bible in English.

Associated with Lollard movement