Increasing Papal Power and the East-West Schism (ca. 800-1054)

2002-10-05

Popes in the beginning dominated by political rulers, kings often used popes to their own advantage. Rivalry and bloodshed within the papacy itself. Two or three men sometimes claiming to be rightful pope. Developed some means of strengthening their office.

I. Factors contributing to the Power of the Papacy

A. Documents supporting the papacy.

9th century, collection of documents used to support papal claims. Decretals, also known as the False Decretals. Many forgeries. Decrees of popes or church councils. One was the Donation of Constantine: A document, a forgery, that said Constantine had been healed of leprosy, and was converted by bishop of Rome. In gratitude, Constantine gave pope territories and political rights. Constantine then withdrew himself to the east not to interfere with papal rights. 15th Century, these were discovered to be false. 600 years of popes using these documents to support their claims of power.

B. Conversion of Scandinavia

Extreme north. Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland. Homeland of the dreaded Vikings. Swift ships that came in via river and plundered Europe, killed clergy, etc. Converted to Catholic faith. King of Denmark wanted missionary to come. 826? Anskar of Flanders went as a missionary. Work did not bear fruit until 1000. Conversions strengthened papacy in Europe.

C. Doctrine of the Mass

Lord’s Supper was a reenactment of Calvary. 831, Churchman and scholar, Paschasius Radbertus, French abbot. Miracle: the bread and the wine turned into body and blood of Christ. Church did not accept this doctrine until 1215. This strengthened power of the clergy, since they administered the sacrament, which brought salvation. This is called Transubstantiation.

D. Monastic Reform

Monasteries had become corrupt and wealthy. Became a life of ease. 910, in Cluny, France: the abbot Berno undertook these reforms. Condemned practice simony, the buying and selling of church offices. Named after Simon the sorcerer who wanted to buy the Holy Spirit. Office goes to the highest bidder. Nepotism condemned, showing favoritism toward family members, and putting them in office. Enforce celibacy. No wives, concubines. They had been doing so (the latter). Centralized control. Abbot of Cluny, took subjects of other monasteries and made them subject to himself.

Pope-Abbot-Prior. Abbot of Cluny under pope. Brought all monasteries under papal control.

E. Capable Leaders

Took advantage of the above. Two men. Nicholas I: Pope from 858-867. Strongest popes of the period. Asserted that pope had power over all kings. Made a king take back his wife that he had divorced. Asserted himself over all church men. Bishop could appeal to pope ahead of an archbishop. He tried to appose his will on Eastern Church, and depose a patriarch of Constantinople. He was unsuccessful.

Leo IX. Pope from 1049-1054. Between these two there was a long period of weak popes, 40 in all. Murders, immoral unions, political intrigues, were in the middle. Leo IX brought stability and strength to papacy. 1. College of Cardinals was a body of advisors; he made them representative of the entire western church. Expanded the representation. 2. Also began process of reform which changed the methods of electing popes. Before the people of Rome chose them. This gave opportunity for local rulers to persuade the masses to choose their choice. The new election of pope came from the college of cardinals.

II. Origin of Greek Orthodox Church

A. Differences Between East and West

Eastern church tied to Greco-Roman culture, while western experienced chaos of the rebuilding of Europe, Germanic influence. Settings different.

They both had differing views on temporal power. West: pope acted like emperor, because of political weakness. East: acted like a pope, always under control of emperor.

Two of them differed in their intellectual outlook. Eastern more philosophical, western, more practical.

Practice of marriage of clergy. Parish clergy could marry in the east, lowest level. West: celibacy for all clergy.

East: Priests had to wear beards, perhaps superstition that God had a beard. Not so in the west.

Services: East: Greek. West: Latin. Celebrated Easter on different dates. West: Sunday after, East: 14th of Nisan.

Theological differences: West: Added a word in their creed, filioque: means ‘and the Son’. Has to deal with Holy Spirit proceeding from Father and the Son. East thought it was heresy. Iconoclastic controversy caused bad feelings between east and west. West tried to intervene in this controversy

Pope Nicholas I tried to depose a patriarch and put someone else in his place.

B. Schism of 1054

Leavened vs. unleavened bread in the communion. The latter was western, the former, eastern. During Leo IX. No one who wanted to compromise. They excommunicated each other.

C. Consequences

They went their separate ways. In 1960’s they took away their ban of excommunication against each other. Ca. 1963, they met in Jerusalem. Eastern Church stayed stagnant and traditional. They prided themselves on this, and think they are the true church, and are linked to the apostolic traditions directly.

Cyril and Methodius were missionaries from the east. They were sent into Europe, and were sent into Russia, Russian Orthodox Church. Lots of tradition in this Russian church.