Corruption of Church 14th and 15th Century

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Corruption of Church14th and 15th Century

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Basis of Middle-Ages Religion

• Catholicism was the only recognized religion
• belief in Jesus Christ
• derived from the Old French word "catholique,"
  the Middle English word "catholik," and the Old
  French word "catholicus"
• means universal or whole
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•  Dominated life
• imposed taxes
• controlled rulers of countries
• disloyalty could result in 
•            excommunication

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Relics

• The church took advantage of the ignorance of
  people, maximized profit from selling "relics"
•  Sold ordinary objects
• Established connection to god/Jesus
• Purchaser thought they were honoring/pleasing god
•  Examples
• piece of Noah's ark
• soot from furnace of 3 children
• Virgin Mary's milk
•  Baby Jesus Tooth

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Indulgences

• Certificates that pardoned a person's sins and
  gave them access to heaven
• Pre-signed by Pope and sold by pardoners
• Abused by corrupt clergy
• Rich before poor

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Inquisition (12-17th century)

• As Christian beliefs developed, Satan's role
  became more defined
• Those who disagreed with church labeled as agents
  of evil
• Initially to keep faithful in line
• Later more radical and corrupt
• Trials, torture, killing, burning
• Non-Christians died

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Corruption of Priests in the time of Chaucer
1. Priestly marriage and concubinage existed
throughout the middle ages. (Concubinage Man and
women in relationship, never to be married)    2.
Some priests even had children with their
concubines   3. The Cluny Movement was a movement
that condemmed priestly marriage   4. Higher
Church authorities (Bishops, Popes)  often made
no move to punish these priests and often had
concubines themselves.   5. Simony was rampant
(selling of church positions, often to
unqualified recipients)
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The Pope Struggles

• Pope Gregory XI dies in 1378 and cardinals elect
  Pope Urban VI.
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• He got progressively radical throughout his
  service, trying to end all church corruption.
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• Began meddling into church politics, which
  interfered with French interests.
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• French cardinals declare Urbans election void and
  elect Clement VII, known as the "Butcher of
  Cessna" (Nice...)

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Impact of Corruption

• Catholic church gains money and power
• 1517 Martin Luther demands reformation
• New splits of Christianity
• End of indulgences
• Work on other corruption

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Bibliography

• http//michael-streich.suite101.com/medieval-churc
  h-corruption-a173579
• http//www.historylearningsite.co.uk/RomanCatholic
  -Church-in-1500.htm
• http//www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-religion
  .htmhttp//www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/westtech/x14thc.ht
  m
• http//www.thatreligiousstudieswebsite.com/Religio
  us_Studies/Angels_and_Demons/satan_brief_history3.
  php