Late Medieval Ecclesiology and Conciliarism

Question 1

When is the Great Schism of the Papacy?

Answer 1

1409

Question 2

How long does the Great Schism of the Papacy last?

Answer 2

40 Years

Question 3

What are the implications of the Great Schism of the Papacy on the Church?

Answer 3

Causes division, confusion and irreversible damage.

Question 4

What are the 3 views of Church Authority?

Answer 4

1. Papalists
2. Conciliarists
3. Proto-Reformers

Question 5

What are Papalists?

Answer 5

Those who believe the Pope embodied the authority of the Church

Question 6

What is conciliarism?

Answer 6

The conviction that regular councils are essential for the health of the Church and best representation of Church unity.

Question 7

What did Papal Conciliarists believe?

Answer 7

They argued that the Pope should regular call and advise councils and should have primacy over them.

Question 8

What did Strict Conciliarists believe?

Answer 8

These believe that the Pope is subservient to the
Councils and must obey them. Furthermore, the
Papacy is a good thing but that his authority is limited
by the councils.

Question 9

What are three ways a conciliarist might say catholicity is best represented?

Answer 9

1. Through the Elect
2. Through Church Conformity
3. By Jesus

Question 10

What three reasons drove Conciliarism?

Answer 10

1. Pope’s often led immoral lives
2. Growing nationalism
3. Scholarly voices calling for councils

Question 11

When was the The Council of Constance and what happened?

Answer 11

1414-1418, Condemned Hus, tried to settle papal issues and failed.

Question 12

When was The Council of Basel and what happened?

Answer 12

1431-1449.
1. Deposes 3 rival Popes and establishes Pope Eugenius IV as Pope.
2. Pope Eugenius IV wants to shut the council down, but they refuse, he refuses to acknowledge their decrees and they try to depose him. This destroys their council’s credibility.
3. Pope Eugenius issues a Papal Bull stating that Papal Bulls are the final authority in the Church.

Question 13

What happened between Pope Eugenius IV and the East?

Answer 13

The East requests aid against the Muslims, he demands they espouse Western doctrine, the ambassadors agree and but Eastern leaders refuse.

Eugenius IV claims to have been the Pope to do what none other has and bolsters his influence.

Question 14

Who was Nicholas V?

Answer 14

First Pope after the Papal Schism and advances the Renaissance commissioning artwork in the Sistine Chapel.

Question 15

What were the position of the Reformers on Conciliarism?

Answer 15

The Reformers were soft conciliarists that believed councils had authority over Popes but that councils were not infallible.