External Opposition to the Papacy

2002-10-05

I. The Renaissance

A. Its nature

Lit. Rebirth, of culture. Intellectual and artistic movement that rediscovered the ancient past, like Greek and Roman. Transition to the modern period.

B. Factors that contribute

Italians make wealth through trade. A lot of time for leisure. A lot of money, patrons of the arts, wealthy businessmen. Lorenzo Di Medici. Printing press was recently developed with moveable type, invented by Johann Gutenberg. It spread ideas cheaply. Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Turks in 1453. Brought their manuscripts to Italy.

C. Italian Renaissance

Certain emphases, secular. Stressed the old classical culture of Greece and Rome, which were pagan. Go back to pagan themes in the past. Individualism, relativism, humanism. Humanism stresses individual, and has religious connotations. Mostly secular.

Effects on popes. Renaissance popes: Nicholas V, repaired old Roman buildings and founded Vatican library. Alexander VI, 1492-1503, immoral, illegitimate children, and gave a lot of children to them. Julius II, because he admired Julius Caesar. Warlike, had armies. Dressed up in armor and went out with them. Leo X, excommunicated Martin Luther. Not religious. Patron of the arts.

D. The Renaissance in northern Europe.

Teutonic Renaissance. Emphases: Fascinated with the past, like Italians. More interested in the Christian past than the Pagan Classical past. Studied the Scriptures in the original languages. Followed religious and ethical humanism, individual human being emphasis, as a soul who has a relationship with God.

Biblical humanists.

Jacques Lefevre, French humanist, emphasized Biblical text, wrote on Pauline Epistles. Prepared the way for Hugonauts.

John Coled, England. Biblical scholar, literal meaning of Paul’s epistles.

Johann Reuchlin, Germany. Hebrew scholar. Elements of Hebrew language for study, Hebrew language and dictionary.

Erasmus, prince of humanists, Dutch. Universal scholar. Illegitimate son of a priest. Good education. Studied with Brethren of the common life. Negative: published a satire on medieval life and church. One was Praise of Folly. Criticized the church. Published the first Greek NT, 1516. Gathered the best manuscripts he could find. The last view verses of Revelation came from Latin Vulgate. Erasmus sympathized with Martin Luther at first, and then broke away. Remained with RCC. Was not a reformer, but a scholar.

E. Effects of Renaissance on the church

Secular aspect on life stressed. All aspects stressed individual. Power of institution of the church went down. More accurate understanding of the Bible, showed up the church in a bad light. Vernacular languages received translations of Bible.

II. The Rise of National states and the middle class

Politics and Religion are unified anymore. Church has been questioned.

A. England

United through invasion of Normans in 1066. Rulers were unifying the entire country. Kept their control over people with political alliance with middle class, the business people. Monarchy and middle class would challenge the church’s power.

B. France

Kings dependent on rising middle class for revenue and acceptance. This was challenging the RCC, though they did not become protestant.

C. Spain

Muslims had controlled for years. Ferdinand and Isabella unified the country. Represented 2 kingdoms. Rulers determined to control the church in the country, devout Catholics without Pope control. Church was subservient to the rulers.