UNIT 10: THE RENAISSANCE

Question 1

When was the Renaissance?

Answer 1

1300-1600

Question 2

The Renaissance: Meaning

Answer 2

Importance of the Period for Church History: despite good art, there were many bad popes. The Church was not honestly upholding doctrine. This is what laid the groundwork for the Reformation.

The Western Schism, when three men were running around at the same time claiming to be pope, the papacy suffered great decline.

Failure to reform the Church led to the Protestant Reformation.

Question 3

The Renaissance: Characterization of the Period

Answer 3

“bad popes, good art”

People of the Renaissance wanted to recapture the glory of Greece and Rome in their own time, through a “rebirth” of art, literature and culture.

Began in Italy c. 1300
England, France, and Germany would all experience their own Renaissance much later, in the latter half of the 1400s
Lasted through 1300s, 1400s and 1500s.

Would come to have its effects on religious, social, economic, and political life as well.

This period saw the Black Plague, the campaigns of Joan of Arc, the fall of Constantinople to Turkish Muslims, the invention of the printing press, and the voyages of Cristoforo Columbo.

Question 4

Renaissance Popes: Naughty, Neutral and Nice

Answer 4

There were thirty-eight popes in the years 1300 to 1600.

Seven French, two Spaniards, one Flemish, with the remainder being from the Italian peninsula (not yet a unified country).

The papacy typified problems of Church and State. It worked to maintain the independence of the Church, but popes did this as if they were dictators and imperial princes

Question 5

Some examples of the “naughty and nice” popes:

Answer 5

1. Boniface VIII
2. Alexander VI (worst of all times) - NAUGHTY
3. Julius II Della Rovere & Leo X Medici - NEUTRAL
4. Pope Gregory XIII

Question 6

Pope Boniface VIII

Answer 6

If we date the Renaissance from 1300, then we start off the period with a bang, Boniface VIII.

Boniface was known for intervening on the international scene, but often unsuccessfully because his ideas were impulsively conceived and because he clung to a view of the pope as universal arbiter.

In the new political order, with the evolution of nation states, this was no longer feasible. It led to disputes with France and England on question of freedom of Church vs. State.

When Kings of France and England decided to tax clergy to fund wars (forbidden by canon law), Boniface responded by issuing a bull that forbade taxation on clergy without papal approval.

Philip responded by preventing annual taxes collected from churches and expelling foreign merchants, and he put a squeeze on Boniface’s treasury.

Boniface gave in, and granted the exception (dispensation).

In 1300, he proclaimed the first-ever Holy Year (to promote Christian life and pilgrimages, especially to Rome). The Year helped to increase his stature, and emboldened him to deal with monarchs.

All led him to issuing his most famous bull, Unam Sanctam in 1302…

Question 7

Pope Boniface VIII and Unam Sanctam (1302)

Answer 7

Boniface claimed spiritual jurisdiction over all persons, including all temporal rulers (Gregory VII did this in his Dictatus Papae).

He wanted to fight for the independence/liberty of the Church by answering particular abuses of power by secular rulers.

He insisted that every creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff in order to be saved. The language was extreme, but not a novel statement of spiritual power over temporal.

Question 8

Why is the worst Pope of all times?

Answer 8

Pope Alexander VI Borgia is known as the worst pope in history, this is universally agreed-upon.

Question 9

Pope Alexander VI: Biography

Answer 9

• Born Rodrigo de Borja y Borja in Spain
• His uncle was Pope Callistus III
• He was graced with many benefices including bishoprics and abbeys, and was made a cardinal by the age of 25
• His intelligence, education and good favour with succeeding popes allowed Borgia to amass incredible wealth and power
• An openly licentious life led him to fathering ten illegitimate children with several mistresses
• The most famous of his children were a brother and sister, Cesare and Lucrezia (same mother)
• No Pope has ever fathered children
• Borgia was jockeying to be pope, with “barefaced bribery and promises of rich preferments” (Kelly), he was elected in 1492
• Within a short time he began lavishing his children and friends with shares in his wealth and power

Question 10

Alexander’s Son: Cesare

Answer 10

• While still only eighteen years of age, young Cesare was named bishop of several dioceses
• The next year, at age nineteen, he was made a cardinal along with the brother of the pope’s mistress at the time
• Cesare was described as “remarkably handsome, intelligent, and charming, if utterly unscrupulous” (Walsh)
• Cesare was described as “remarkably handsome, intelligent, and charming, if utterly unscrupulous” (Walsh)
• Cesare became Alexander’s evil genius, setting up marriages and intrigues throughout Europe in order to protect and promote family interests
• Upon request of his son, Alexander released Cesare from the cardinalate so that Cesare could follow their plans unhindered by such religious trappings
• Among his greatest projects was to work toward the appropriation of the entire central Italian peninsula into the papal states, all of which would be controlled by “the family”
• The enormous sums of money required for his plan were realized through “various assassinations, followed by seizures of property and the cynical creation of cardinals who had to pay dearly for their elevation” (Kelly)
• Along with this, his intrigue meant the systematic crushing of great Roman families that stood in his way

Believed by some to be the inspiration for Nicolò Machiavelli’s The Prince.

Question 11

Pope Alexander’s Daughter: Lucrezia

Answer 11

“Daddy” arranged several marriages for Lucrezia, one magnificent marriage after another, as long as they suited their purposes

• Marriage, divorces, annulments seemed to be no problem for Alexander VI
• Whenever Alexander was absent from Rome, he left Lucrezia in charge of all official papal business, as the virtual regent
• Stories abound of the ways in which she dispatched enemies of the family through various means of assassinations
• Some historians would argue that she, like Mary Magdalen, has received a bad reputation that was unwarranted – from some accounts she served her father well as an able diplomat, and she doted on her mother, caring for her in her declining years

Question 12

Among Alexander’s other so-called “accomplishments”:

Answer 12

He saved Florence for the Medici family by condemning Girolamo Savanarola, the Dominican friar who took control of the city and established a republic – there is a move to canonize Savanarola today, but at the very least he needs to be rehabilitated
Built up the papal fortress of Castel Sant’Angelo including having the passageway built so he could run for safety under cover from gunfire
Also persuaded Michelangelo to draw up initial plans for a new St. Peter’s Basilica
Alexander died in 1503
He was diagnosed with malaria, it is believed that he and Cesare were accidentally fed poison at a dinner party that they had intended for their host (the theory has been disputed)

Question 13

Pope Julius II Della Rovere

& Pope Leo X Medici

Answer 13

Both Neutral Popes

• More like Italian princes than religious leaders
• They actually were part of Italian royalty
• Both were patrons of the arts (St. Peter’s Basilica started by Julius, continued by Leo and then others)
• But the Church was in decline, partly due to their failures

Julius’s famous line, often quoted: “Now that God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it!” typifies their papacies

Question 14

Pope Gregory XIII

Answer 14

From the post-Tridentine period

An example of a very good pope of the time.

This man of great learning promoted scientific study and other forms of education. He gave us the magnificent and glorious Gregorian Pontifical University, along with the Gregorian calendar.

Said to have been influenced by Philip Neri and Charles Borromeo – great reformers in the Church, both of whom were later canonized saints

Question 15

Perspective on Renaissance Popes (5 Points)

Answer 15

( 1 ) Not all Bad Popes (e.g., Gregory XIII)

( 2 ) Promoted Education, Learning, Literature, Science, and Arts

( 3 ) Some left an enduring legacy, good or bad

( 4 ) God brings good out of bad (e.g., Alex II’s grandson, St. Francis Borgia)

( 5 ) Learning from the past, only good popes have been elected in 500 years

Question 16

Avignon Papacy (1305-1377)

Answer 16

The time referred to as the “Avignon Papacy” was 70 years of popes living in Avignon rather than in Rome…

This was one of the main events to affect the papacy and the Church during this period. It was a period of unrest for the Church due to the vacuum of leadership in Rome.

But many bishops were absent from their dioceses, failing to exert their leadership and authority as they should have. There was no one to call them to task, since the pope himself was absent from his diocese!

Question 17

1. Avignon Papacy: Clement V

Answer 17

Starts with one French Pope who never went to Rome: Clement V

Eleven months after the death of Blessed Pope Benedict XI Clement V was elected (because of pro-French and anti-French political strife and disputes among the cardinals)

He moved around France for two years, saying he intended to eventually move to Rome but settled in Avignon, at the invitation of the French king.
Not technically French territory, but belonged to a vassal of the king of Naples, he died there without ever going to Rome.

Question 18

2. Avignon Papacy: John XXII and Expansion of Avignon and Growth of Curia

Answer 18

Clement V’s successor, John XXII, bishop of Avignon and cardinal bishop of Porto, was elected after two years (this was indicative of continuing strife).

He settled permanently in Avignon, building a grand palace for himself and his curia.

The palace was further enhanced by succeeding popes.

Eventually the whole city was purchased from the queen of Naples by a later pope, Clement VI, in 1348.

During this time, the curia grew to have somewhere between 3000 and 4000 members.

The Romans were so desperate to have the pope return that they even made him a senator.

Question 19

3. Avignon Papacy: Why Avignon and not Rome?

Answer 19

In defence of the absent popes, it should be said that Rome was not a nice place to live…

Warring families were vying for control

The city of Rome itself had not been maintained; what we call “infrastructure”, roads, sewers, etc., was sorely lacking.

By contrast France was a more peaceful and secure place to live, and Avignon a more pleasing city.

Question 20

4. Avignon Papacy: Influence of French King - “Babylonian Captivity”??

Answer 20

The outcome was that the papal court was (or seemed to be) often overly influenced by the French monarchs, leading many to refer to this period as “the Babylonian captivity” (from the Old Testament history when Jews were deported to Babylon in 572 BCE).

The number of French cardinals ensured a Frenchman would be elected, which ensured more French cardinals.

7/38 French popes from 1300-1600, but almost all were French during this 70-year period.

Question 21

5. Avignon Papacy:

(1) Catherine of Siena
(2) Bridget of Sweden

Answer 21

The situation changed when two women spoke up

1. Catherine of Siena
2. Bridget of Sweden

Both considered mystics at the time (and saints today).

Catherine and Bridget were able to convince one pope to go to Rome: Gregory XI.

He went in January 1378 and died there the next year. The election of Gregory’s successor in 1378, an Italian who took the name Urban VI, which caused difficulty.

The cardinals felt forced to elect him because he was Italian. The cardinals soon felt they had made a major mistake and left for Avignon.

Question 22

What is the Western Schism?

Answer 22

Ultimately, the Western Schism was a Papal Schism during which two men - and eventually three men by 1410 - claimed to be the true Pope, and excommunicated each other.

The break in the Catholic Church began when the cardinals elected an antipope - Clement VII (1379-1395) - in place of Pope Urban VI (1378-1379) as a result of their displeasure with his papal leadership.

Two men claimed to be the true Pope, and excommunicated each other, dividing the Church and damaging the reputation of the papal office.

Question 23

Great Schism (1378-1417)

Answer 23

This is distinct from the East-West schism; it occurred within the Western Church between Roman Catholics and Roman Catholics. It lasted 40 years, and it was during this time when three men claimed the title pope:

1. Urban VI
2. Clement VII (antipope in Avignon)
3. Alexander V (third-party neutral pope)

Question 24

Great Schism: Pope #1

Election of Urban VI: “Inurbano”

Answer 24

Urban was known for being “of dreadful character, absolutely unbearable and lacking in all diplomacy,” and so, soon after his election, they came to call him “Inurbano VI”

The cardinals turned on him completely, fled to Avignon, and elected an anti-pope. Regardless of liking him, Urban was duly elected pope and they were stuck with him until death, natural or otherwise.

By electing an anti-pope, the cardinals created a break in the Church which came to be known as the Great Western Schism.

Urban had control of Rome. When he died, a valid successor was elected there to replace him, since the Roman line had the backing of the kingdoms of the Italian peninsula, along with Germany, England, Poland and Hungary.

Question 25

Great Schism: Pope #2

Answer 25

Election of Antipope → Schism → Flight to Avignon

The renegade cardinals in Avignon elected the anti-pope: Clement VII.

He lived in Avignon with the support of France (with the help of troops from France), Spain and Portugal.

Clement established his court there, and when he died his supporters elected a successor anti-pope in Avignon.

Question 26

Great Schism: Pope #2

Answer 26

Election of Antipope → Schism → Flight to Avignon

The renegade cardinals in Avignon elected the anti-pope: Clement VII.

He lived in Avignon with the support of France (with the help of troops from France), Spain and Portugal.

Clement established his court there, and when he died his supporters elected a successor anti-pope in Avignon.

Question 27

What happened after the antipope was elected?

Answer 27

The Church was divided, figuratively and literally, as were the various supporters throughout Europe. Wars were waged, crusades launched, and excommunications were flying back and forth between Rome and Avignon. Several solutions put forward: they tried a “compromise candidate”…

Question 28

University of Paris

Answer 28

There were many attempts to resolve the divide and several solutions put forward, especially by the University of Paris, which proposed three possible solutions for ending the schism.

1. Cession (both parties should entirely renounce and resign all rights which they may have or claim to have of papal office)

Although this was perhaps the most fair and effective method for ending the schism, it was unrealistic since neither side would voluntarily resign and cease their papal authority.

2. Arbitration (appointing a third party to decide on the true Pope, and having both sides agree to be bound by the party’s decision).

However, this suggestion was problematic since it fails to recognize that Pope Urban was officially elected Pope.

3. Call for a General Council (to have the authority to make a decision).

However, this is problematic since a council cannot depose a Pope, and a Pope must approve a Council’s acts to ensure their validity.

Question 29

Council of Pisa

Answer 29

The schism was not resolved, and the situation continued as it was until 1409, when the cardinals gathered at a Council in Pisa to find a solution.

They implored the two Popes to abdicate, but when neither would, they deposed both men and elected a Alexander V as a “compromise candidate” to serve as a third-party, neutral ‘Pope.’

Question 30

Great Schism: Pope #3 (Council of Pisa)

Answer 30

The situation continued like that until 1409
The cardinals gathered at a council in Pisa to find a solution
They implored the two men to abdicate
When neither would, they deposed them and elected Alexander V as a third-party neutral “pope”

Question 31

Council of Constance (1414-1418) and the Decision of 1417: Conciliarism

→ The Schism Ends

Answer 31

It was not until 1417 at the Council of Constance (1414-1418) that a true compromise was achieved and the Western Schism ended.The crisis was solved by conciliarism, which “asserted the supremacy of a council over a Pope.”

All three ‘papal’ parties agreed to resign, and all the cardinals gathered to validly elect a successor - Martin V - who was eventually named a few years later.

However, the Popes were able to regain their supremacy over councils, but failed to regain their spiritual reputation.

Question 32

Conciliarism

Answer 32

Conciliarism: asserted the supremacy of a council over a Pope

Conciliarist Movement: belief that councils had authority over popes (there was hope that a general council would end the schism but also there was a great desire for reforms in Church to deal with problems)

Question 33

Call for Reform: Areas in Need of Reform

Answer 33

Areas in Need of Reform
Simony
Immorality of some clergy
Abuses of power and other corruption
Heresy

Question 34

John Wycliffe (+1384)

Answer 34

Had a teaching career at Oxford; Known for erudition and logic; 1371: entered service of the king.

Argued that dominion or lordship had limits. A view welcomed by temporal rulers who wanted to apply it to the pope, because they had been overtaxed by pope and questioned his temporal authority.

Wycliffe got more radical, and argued that the true Church is NOT the pope and visible hierarchy but the invisible body of those predestined to salvation.

Claimed there was support in Scripture and writings of St. Augustine. Also rejected true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

He was labelled a heretic and retired to a country parish, but he never broke with the Church, he was only later condemned after death.

Question 35

Jan Hus (+1415)

Answer 35

From Bohemia, a famous preacher & scholar, and a rector (president) of the University of Prague.

Advocated for conciliar reform plus had a desire to restore the Christian life and especially clergy to highest ideals.

Wycliffe’s writings were being circulated in Prague.

Hus defended the right to scholarly debate (“doing theology”), but refuted Wycliffe’s ideas.

In the meantime, the Council of Pisa was in full swing, in attempt to end Western schism in 1409.

The archbishop of Prague clashed with Hus, obtained a papal decree to condemn Wycliffe and to end Hus’ preaching outside of cathedrals, parishes and monasteries.

Effectively an attempt to silence Hus, but he refused and was ummoned to Rome in 1410, but refused to go.

He was supported by King and people of Bohemia.

Excommunicated in 1411

Further led to Hus’ views becoming more radical: in light of Pisan popes, he said the pope is not to be obeyed if he is unworthy – NOT a question of legitimacy for him BUT of moral authority.

5 June 1415: condemned at the Council of Constance, arrested and burned at the stake on 6 July.

Question 36

Humanism: Secular and Christian

Answer 36

“Humanists” of this period, wished to draw from good sources to direct their lives and guide their actions – there were both Christian and secular humanists

1. Christian Humanist: Sir Thomas More
2. Secular Humanist: Nicolò Machiavelli

Question 37

Sir Thomas More: a Christian humanist

Answer 37

Good family man who educated his children and practised law. He was chancellor of England under Henry VIII (1491-1547) until forced to resign for reasons of conscience.

Wrote Utopia in 1516: means “no place” or “good place.”
Meant to be a critique of political and religious society at the time.

Used “Utopia” so as not to be criticising those he knew
Steadfast and loyal to the Church, even throughout “the King’s great matter” (“I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first”).

Question 38

Nicolò Machiavelli: a secular humanist

Answer 38

Philosopher and writer

Author of The Prince. It is said he used either Cesare Borgia or King Ferdinand of Aragón as the model for his work.

Typical secular humanist: he did not see the need for God and thought “man” (humanity) was the highest creature and was self-sufficient

Question 39

Emphases of Humanism:

Answer 39

Abilities of “humanity” were seen very differently.

Secular self-sufficiency vs. Christian divinely inspired and endowed.

Secular humanists viewed human nature as entirely self-sufficient.

Christian humanists viewed human nature as divinely inspired and endowed.

Beauty of creation (secular deification vs. God as creator) reflected in changes in art from Gothic to Romanesque and from God to earth.

Beauty of human body seen in the likes of Michelangelo.

Question 40

Problem with Secular Humanism:

Answer 40

secular humanists take out God, which means no religion, which means no morality, which means no justice, which means no peace

Question 41

Conclusion on the Renaissance Period: all factors come into play with Reformation (4 Points)

Answer 41

1. Naughty, Neutral and Nice Popes of the Renaissance
   Naughty: Alexander VI
   Neutral: Julius II, Leo X
   Nice: Gregory XIII
2. Promotion of Education, Art and Literature
   This has an effect because it leads to new ways of thinking. Also led to some bad philosophies …which leads to bad theology.
3. Desire for political change and limits to Pope’s temporal power. Pope had too much political power in other countries.
4. Growth of humanism, specifically secular humanism (no God).