The Catholic Church through the AgesAge 5: The Reformation and

Counter Reformation, 1450-1789

Larry Fraher

Church Nerd Trivia

Question of the Day

Where does the idea of having another person come to the parish to help us reflect upon our faith, engage the sacrament of Penance, and

build fidelity in preparation for Easter – i.e., the idea of a parish mission come from?

Inquisition!!! Franciscans and Dominicans

Learned and well versed in Church teaching and doctrine…

“Thinking with the mind of the Church”

To an area where heresy was thought to be present.

3 days to 2 weeks ‘Preaching the Inquisition” Root out the heretics Penance & Reconciliation

Inquisition!!!

Trial of Heretic followed If heretic failed to recant/repent

Punishment Most often penitential or imprisonment Sometimes death…

Spanish Inquisition is very Different The office of the Inquisition existed in most

dioceses until Vatican II.

The Papal Schism 1377 Pope Gregory XI Returns the

Papacy to Rome from Avignon, France, initiating the “Papal Schism” Increasing National Religious Loyalties =

Divisions French Cardinals want Papacy in France

Gregory XI dies Pope Urban VI Elected Keeps Papacy in Rome 1378 French Cardinals Elect a French Pope

(Clement VII) Two Popes…Governments begin to take sides

Rome: England and Germany Avignon: Scotland, Spain and Naples

The Papal Schism Urban’s Response

Roman Army defeats French Papal Army French Cardinals flee to Avignon Both “popes” excommunicate each other Urban’s Rule loses loyalties…

The Council of Pisa (1409-1410) Cardinals from Both Sides Meet in Pisa

Elect Alexander V (1409) John XXIII (1410-1415)

Total Number of “reigning” popes = 3 Emperor Sigismund

Calls the Council of Constance: Martin V Elected. Reconciles Pisa and Rome, Avignon (Benedict XIII)

Refuses Reconciliation and Flees to Spain, he dies in 1423 & Clement VIII is elected Abdicates in 1429

The Papal Schism Effects of Papal Schism

Early attempts at democracy = Conciliarism Dominican Order

Cries for Reform John Wycliffe – No Confidence in the Clergy Jan Hus – Simony and Eucharist

Religious Identity was the Culture“In the fifteenth century, indeed, the Church was

enjoying its last years as the relatively unchallenged custodian and interpreter of the cosmos.” -- Ahlstrom, p. 22

Wycliff and Hus: Seeds of the Reformation

John Wycliff (d. 1384) Evil of the Priesthood Everyone can be holy Scripture is Self Interpreting

Jan Hus Treatise on Simony Accessibility of all to both Species of

Eucharist Hus at the Council of Constance (1415)

Adding to the Seeds of Reform

1440 – Guttenberg invents the printing press… Wycliffe’s call to read the bible becomes

possible Principle of Self interpretation of scripture and

faith The lack of trust in the hierarchy combines…

and the stage is set…

Reformation: Key Themes

Political Influence Ecclesiastical Confusion Philosophical Shifts

Biblical Access

Theological Rifts

Political Influence

Following the Avignon Papacy Papacy’s Credibility is hurt Focus on the Rebuilding of Rome Nepotism “Ecclesial Economy”

Pietistic Practices Penitential Indulgences Saying of Masses

Ecclesial Confusion

Clearly Defined Lines of Power Confused Between Secular and Religious

Emphasis of Rome on Financial, rather than Spiritual

Emphasis in Governments on Lessening the Power of the Church

As Reformation Progresses, Nationalism Rises

Philosophical Shifts Individualism

Beginning with Wycliffe and William of Ockham Scripture can be self-interpreting to the Individual

Individual Experience Becomes the Judge of Faith

Emphasis on Nominalism Material world does nothing to enhance one’s

life, but for the interpretation (naming) an individual gives them. There are no “Objective Moral Realities”

NominalismWm. of Ockham

2. Whether intuitive cognition can be had of an object that does not exist?

It cannot: For it is a contradiction that there should be an act of seeing and nothing be seen; therefore it is a contradiction that there should be an act of seeing but the object seen not exist… Every effect which God can produce by means of a secondary cause He can produce directly on His account. God can produce intuitive sense cognition by means of an object; hence He can produce it directly on His own account…

Wm. Ockham

Two Principal Realities Scripture as Self Evident and Interpreting Nothing is Objective

Unless & until it is experienced Experience is interpreted

Nominalism

Denies the necessity of Sacrament. Anyone can comprehend God, without

needing objects.

Furthers the development of Scripture as self-interpretive. If we hold this to be God’s total self revelation,

what else do we need?

Becomes Empirical (Experience Based) Experience becomes the judge of reality…

Theological Rifts

Emphasis on Scripture Nominalism encourages individuals to obtain

meaning in life. For the Christian, Scripture provides the

meaning

Individual as Recipient of Salvific Grace Church = Choice of the Individual

Not as the “Conduit” of Grace.

Theological Rifts

Church (Bible seen as Product of Church)

Church (As Expression of Grace Received)

GODGOD

Theological Rifts Sola Scriptura

Only that which can be found in the Scriptures is valid practice of faith. Sacramental Impact & Reduction

Sola Fides Grace is Gift of God, brings one to faith Nothing Material can Mediate God’s Grace (nominalist)

Material May portray Grace Already Present (Luther)

No Action may Bring about God’s Grace Free gift of God, not conditioned…

Reformation Personalities

Martin Luther (1483-1546) Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) John Calvin (1509-1564) Henry VIII (1491-1547)

Thomas More Thomas Cranmer Mary Tudor

Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) John Knox (1514-1572)

Martin Luther (1483-1546) German Augustinian Monk Disgusted and Frustrated by the Reality of the

Catholic Church Buying and Selling of Indulgences Nepotism

Theological Disputes Grace: Earned or Given? Authority: Church or Scripture Sacraments: Only Two (Baptism and Eucharist)

Denomination Today: Lutheran (ELCA, LCMS, LCWS)

Luther

“Since, therefore, this faith can rule only the inner man, as Rom. 10:10 says, “For man believes with his heart and so is justified,” and since faith alone justifies, it is clear that the inner man cannot be justified, freed, or saved by any outer work or action at all, and that these works, whatever their character, have nothing to do with this inner man…”

Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) Swiss Priest who Resigns in 1522 Scripture is the Absolute Authority

No Church can Interpret

Christ, presented in Scripture, is Sufficient Anti-Clericalism

Alliances Begin with City and National Governments

Denomination(s) today: UCC, “Low Church Protestant,” Some Evangelicals

Zwingli

“As the body cannot be nourished by a spiritual substance, so the soul cannot be nourished by a corporeal substance. But if the natural body of Christ is eaten, I ask whether it feeds the body or the soul? Not the Body, hence the soul. If the soul, then the soul eats flesh, and it would not be true that spirit is only born of Spirit…”

John Calvin (1509-1564)

God is “all powerful” Every Natural Event is Willed by God

God’s Chosen People are Known The way they live What they have

Return to the “early Church” Beginnings of “Puritanism” Influences Knox Heavily

Denominations Today: Presbyterian, Some UCC, Southern Baptist

Calvin

“We assert that, with respect to the elect, this plan was feely founded upon his freely given mercy, without regard to human worth; but by his just and irreprehensible but incomprehensible judgment he has barred the door of life to those whom he has given over to damnation. Now among the elect we regard the call as testimony to election. Then we hold justification as another sign of its manifestation, until they come into the glory in which the fulfillment of that election lies.”

Henry VIII (1491-1547)

As a Young Man, anti-Reformation Desires Divorce – Church Says “NO”

Creates his own “National Church” Important Folk

Cardinal Wolsey (Chancellor) St. Thomas More Thomas Cranmer (& Edward VI)

Penal Laws Mary Tudor

Scene from “A Man for All Seasons

Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

The Missionaries of the Counter Reformation

Spanish Influence Priests now served at the discretion of the

Pope Mainly a “Parish Ministry”

Established his order in defense of the Church

Ignatius Loyola

“In order to have the proper attitude of mind in the Church Militant we should observe the following rules:

1. Putting aside all private judgment, we should keep our minds prepared and ready to obey promptly and in all things the true spouse of Christ our Lord, our Holy Mother, the hierarchical Church.”

John Knox (1514-1572) Captured by French and exiled to the

Continent early in his career He meets Calvin and becomes a Firm

Calvinist Much of his work is sorting the

Theological/Political conflicts in England

Upon his return began the “Catholic Cleansing” of Scotland Origination of anti-Catholicism in Scotland

Founder of Presbyterianism

The Problem of Religious Nationalism

Reformers from a Particular Country - Country takes on an identity of that “denomination”… Southern Germany: Lutheran England: Anglican Scotland: Presbyterian

Power is given to the Civil Government to enforce Religious Conformity Reformation Theocracy Response Movements

Anabaptists -- Germany Puritans -- England Presbyterianism -- Scotland

The Council of Trent (1545-1563)

“Catholic Reformation” or “Counter Reformation” Important Decrees

Edition and Use of Sacred Books Concerning Original Sin Avoidance of the Presumption of Pre-Destination Concerning the Sacraments

Reform is Inclusive of Eucharistic Abuses

Concerning the Reformation Erecting Seminaries Veneration of Saints, Relics, etc.

The Council of Trent (1545-1563)

Edition and Use of Sacred Books“…It decrees that no one, relying on his own skill, shall, in

matters of faith and morals pertaining to the edification of Christian doctrine, wresting the sacred Scripture to his own senses, dare to interpret the said sacred Scripture contrary to that sense which holy mother Church, whose it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy scriptures, hath held and doth hold; or even contrary to the unanimous consent of the Fathers; even though suchlike interpretations were never intended to be at any time published.”

The Council of Trent (1545-1563)

Concerning Original Sin

“If any one does not confess that the first man, Adam, when he had transgressed the commandment of God in Paradise, immediately lost the holiness and justice in which he had been constituted; and that he incurred, through the offence…, the wrath and indignation of God, and consequently death, …let him be anathema.”

The Council of Trent (1545-1563)

Concerning Free Will:“If anyone shall say, that, since Adam’s sin, the free will

of man is lost and extinguished, …let him be anathema.”

Concerning Predestination“No one, moreover, so long as he exists in this mortal

state, ought so far to presume concerning the secret mystery of divine predestination, so as to determine for certain that he is assuredly in the number of the predestined.”

The Council of Trent (1545-1563)

Concerning the Sacraments“If any one shall say, that the sacraments of the

New Law were not all instituted by Jesus Christ, our Lord, or that they are more or less than seven, …or even that any one of these (seven) is not truly or properly a sacrament; let him be anathema.”

Missionary Expansion and the New World

Because Spain Colonizes South America, and Spain was not really touched by the Reformation, South America “becomes” Catholic. “The Mission Trail” French Canada & Louisiana

The USA is founded to get away from Religious Nationalism Puritans Catholics (Maryland) Anabaptists

Franciscan Missionaries

Encounter a ‘Great People’ Religious

Accustomed to Sacrifice & Ritual Gospel ‘Purifies’ the Established Culture

Often seen as Oppression…

Franciscan Advocates and Innovators Bartolome de las Casas (Inculturation) Bernardino de Sahagun (Catechesis + Ritual) Pedro de Gante (Pictorial Catechisms)

Jesuit Expulsion from the Mission Territories 1760- 1815

Trade Conflicts between Spain, Portugal, France and the Colonies…

Jansenism taking hold… Original Sin – Fully Corrupts Human Nature Depravity – Unable to Choose God but for Grace Predestination – God’s Grace falls on those He

has chosen Nationalism and the Jesuits

Jesuit Commerce and Papal Agency South America: Advocacy against governments

Conclusion

“Through several accidents of history the American colonies, out of which grew the United States, were molded by the Reformation with a directness and intensity unequaled in any other country. For this reason the history of these colonies must begin with the emergence and development of Protestantism on the Continent and in Great Britain.” Ahlstrom, p. 29