Corruption in the Catholic Church

1
Corruption in the Catholic Church

• Beginnings of the Reformation

2
Humanism

• Roman Catholic Church was the only means of
  salvation
• Humanism focuses on human potential not a fated
  destiny
• People began to question the Churchs validity

3
Struggle with Monarchs

• Feudalism declines and monarchs rise
• Church had to protect against monarchs
• Endless wars Pope Julius II
• Excommunication

4
Babylonian Captivity

• Philip IV, France, attempted to tax the church
• Boniface VIII, pope, threatened to excommunicate
  Philip
• Philip sends troops to kidnap the pope
• Boniface is released but trauma causes him to die
  shortly after
• Philip influences a Frenchman, Clement V, into
  office
• Papal office set up in Avignon, in present day
  Southern France
• Seven popes ruled from France
• Catholics lose respect for the papal position
• Seen as a puppet of the French government

5
End of Babylonian Captivity

• 1376, Pope Gregory XI moved the papacy back to
  Rome
• In 1378, Gregory dies and Urban VI replaces him
• Urbans behavior becomes unorthodox and begins to
  upset Cardinals

6
Great Schism

• The Cardinals set up a separate election and
  elected a Frenchman, Clement VII to the papacy.
• They set up the rival papacy in Avignon
• Catholics begin to question the authority of the
  papal office when they now have two popes

7
Education and Chastity

• Clergy were suppose to be educated
• However many were illiterate
• Nuns were takings lovers
• Of 614 grants of legitimacy, 484 went to clergy
  members (1342-43)
• Several popes raised children

8
Luxury

• Many popes lived lives of luxury
• Lived in palaces, jeweled robes, sumptuous meals
• Giovanni Medici (Leo X, 1513), God has given us
  the papacy now let us enjoy it.
• Sinners could repent by taking a pilgrimage
• Clergy began to bring relics to people for a fee
• Fees used to build Saxonys cathedral, castle,
  and university
• Simony-selling church offices to the highest
  bidder

9
Indulgences

• Sold indulgences to raise money
• Sinners could confess their sin and then do a
  good deed or they could pay the church for the
  penance
• This worked off time in purgatory
• Originally they received a pardon from the pope,
  but eventually form letters were sold
• Bankers worked in the churches to collect money
• Many clergy taught that salvation was attainable
  by purchasing enough indulgences
• Most corrupt clergy sold indulgences to the
  families of deceased Catholic who could be
  hanging in purgatory

10
Questions

• Where do you think this corruption will lead?
• Do you think the Catholic Church will change
  their ways when facing adversity?
• How do the values of the Renaissance help to push
  forward a Reformation?