the church Flashcards
donations
Andrew Pettegree: “50% of parish churches were substantially remodelled, as citizens poured the new wealth generated by a successful wool trade into their religious lives” in the 15th century
uneducated priests
so unable to deliver the traditional services to their congregations
unable to understand the significance of mass
simony
to purchase a clerical office from a leading cleric
pluralism
to hold more than one clerical office at a time, usually for material benefit
non-residence
bishops who did not reside in their diocese but still collected tax
nepotism
donating a clerical post to a member of one’s family
sexual misconduct
ignoring clerical vows of celibacy
Wolsey
- Archbishop of York as well as holding several other bishoprics
- used his position to secure benefices for his illegitimate son Thomas Winter
A Supplication for the Beggars
Simon Fish
a vicious and satirical attack on the corruption of the clergy
1509
around 800 religious houses in England
Richard Hunne
while awaiting trial, he was found hung in his cell - claimed to have been murdered by the church
heightened anti-clerical feelings in London
S. J Gunn
senior churchmen across Europe indulged in Simony, nepotism and pluralism
John Guy
“it is hard to rate Wolsey’s ecclesiastical policy as anything much beyond the level of good intentions”
Wolsey and religious reforms
- most came to nothing
- criticised by scholars for little reform but the general populace wasn’t bothered
A.G Dickens
believed that the church was “poorly equipped tp weather the storms of the new age”
also suffered a variety of abuses and lacked spirituality
E. Duffy
the church had a “vigorous hold over the imagination and loyalty of the people”
Archbishop Warham
1511-12
visisted the parish of Kent and out of 260 priests found that only 4 were ignorant
wills
many people left money in their wills to the local parish church which suggests that they didn’t believe it to be corrupt
in Cornwall and Devon 57% of people in 1520-9 left money to the church
humanists
disliked the spending of money on the Church itself and on its clergy, at the expense of the congregation, who were often poorer
Lollards
who followed the teachings of John Wycliffe, also attacked the church for its wealth, greed and superstitious practices
Martin Luther
inventor of Protestantism
he also criticised the Catholic obsession with prayer, which was not in the bible
there was general anti-clerical feeling
amongst merchants and lawyers who opposed the corruption of priests and their abuses of power
