Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
Reformations
Late Medieval
Religious Thought
“The Late Middle Ages was not merely a period of disintegration but also
of remarkable development which sets the scene for the Reformation itself.”
A. McGrath
This presentation is essentially based on McGrath, A. The shape of Late Medieval Religious Thought. In The Intellectual
Origins of the European Reformation. 2004, 11-33.
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
1. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
1.1
Devotio Moderna
Origins in the Congregation of Windesheim; arose at the same time as Christian Humanism; related
to German mysticism; Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ represents its piety; major influence
on Erasmus
Ambition and Purpose
•
reform of monasteries
•
mediate between the
cloister and the world
•
rekindling of genuine
pious practices
•
inner devotions and
meditation
•
individual attitude
towards belief and
religion
•
Education of laity
•
conversion or re-conversion of lukewarm clergy
Windesheim Monastery
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
2.1
Devotio Moderna
2.2
Increase of faith related activities
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2.3
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2.4
Pilgrimages,
Church attendance
Devotional literature
Rise of level of education among lay people
Leads to a demand for intelligent and fresh sermons
Increases criticism of societal privileges for incompetent clergy
Anticlericalism
The increase of anticlericalism is not a reaction against the Christian religion as such, but a
growing dissatisfaction with the role and status of the clergy!
• Parish priests with no training; often have vagabond status, yet enjoy fiscal privileges
• Secular clergy live an indistinguishable life style. John Colet (English humanist 1466–
1519):
They give themselves to feasting and banqueting; spend themselves in vain babbling,
take part in sports and plays, devote themselves to hunting and hawking; are drowned
in the delights of this world; patronize those who cater for their pleasure … mixed up
and confused with the laity, they lead, under a priestly exterior, the mere life of a
layman.
•
Bishops – nobility, often known for absenteeism, nepotism and simony
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
1. What/which Reformation?
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
Devotio Moderna
Increase of faith related activities
Rise of level of education among lay people
Anticlericalism
2.5
Promotion of devotional material
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Advent of Printing – popular texts become increasingly accessible
Two influential works: Erasmus’ Enchiridion Militis Christiani [=Manual of a Christian
Knight] and the Hortulus Animae [=Little Garden of the Soul] at Strasbourg
These writings criticize the Form of scholastic theology rather than the Content of its
religious ideas.
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
3.1
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Institutional Crisis
Avignon Papacy (1309 to 1376): when Clement V, a Frenchman, was elected pope in
1309, he declined to go to Rome and moved his court to the papal enclave at Avignon.
There the papacy remained for the next 67 years (sometimes referred to as the
“Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy”).
Seven Popes resided in Avignon.
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
Papal residence in Avignon
1309 to 1376 and in rivalry
with Rome 1376 to 1418
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
3.1
Institutional Crisis
•
Avignon Papacy (1309 to 1376)
•
Western (Great) Schism (1378-1417): in 1377 Gregory XI moved his court to Rome, but
then in 1378 a rival pope was appointed in Avignon. He and the following Avignon
popes were declared illegitimate by Rome. The schism lasted for forty years and was
ended by the Council of Constance (1414–1418)
Third pope in Pisa (1409-1415): at the church council at Pisa in 1409 the cardinals tried
to solve the dispute. Instead the council added to the problem by electing a third pope,
who reigned in Pisa.
•
“It is difficult to overestimate the impact of ‘the Babylonian Captivity’ of the papacy at
Avignon and the ensuing schism upon the Medieval church.” McGrath
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Avignon Papacy
1309 – 1376
The Western
(Great) Schism
•
rival popes
1377 – 1417
•
three popes
1409 – 1415
Dieter Mitternacht
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
3.1
Institutional crisis
•
•
•
Avignon Papacy (1309 to 1376)
Western Schism, two popes (1378-1417)
Third pope in Pisa (1409-1415)
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Popes versus Councils
The decree Haec Sancta (enacted at the Council at Constance (1414–1418) affirmed that
council authority was derived directly from Christ, and must be respected even by popes.
This was the only way to end the double papacy, but it also put council authority above papal
authority.
3.2
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Development of doctrinal diversity
Absence of magisterial authority
To whom should believers look authoritative statements concerning the faith of the church.
The institutional church was marked by
Lack of moral integrity
Lack of institutional stability (popes – councils – scholars)
Lack of political power (rise of nationalism in northern Europe)
Emergence of distinct theological schools
End 12th cent: Paris theological center of Europe
13th cent:
Dominican, Franciscan and Augustinian orders seize university chairs
14th cent:
Development of diversified positionS within the teachings of
the same orders concerning main teachers and method of interpretation
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
3.1
Institutional crisis
3.2
Development of doctrinal diversity
•
•
Absence of magisterial authority
Emergence of distinct theological schools
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Disagreement on methods of interpretation
Example:
the controversy between via antiqua and via moderna, on the latter’s claim
of a dialectic between the two powers of God:
a) ordained power – that which might have been
b) absolute power – that which actually is
Conclusion: the present created order is but one actualized subset of an initial set of
potentialities; it is God’s contingent expression of his wisdom and benevolence,
rather than God acting of necessity.
Effect:
significant doctrines appeared less rigorous and no longer necessarily
anchored in the nature of God.
a number of co-existent teachings developed and created confusion as to
what is the teaching of the church
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
3.1
Institutional crisis
3.2
Development of doctrinal diversity
•
•
•
Absence of magisterial authority
Emergence of distinct theological schools
Disagreement on methods of interpretation
• Illustration: Doctrine of Justification
– via antiqua: the nature of things necessitates that “created habits of grace” are infused
within the sinner; only then will God justify the sinner
– via moderna, even though God chose to work through “created habits of grace,” these
habits are God’s indirect work. The ultimate cause of God’s justification of humanity is
grounded in his “divine acceptation”. Thus God can choose to justify humanity directly
without contradicting himself.
– In the absence of official teaching, the possibility of “divine acceptation” besides and apart
from “created habits of grace” opened the door (again) for ideas of grace partially based
on human merit (Pelagianism).
– McGrath: Luther’s positions on justification were not innovations but “contemporary
theological opinions, regarded as legitimate by the doctrinal standards of the time.”
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
3.1
3.2
Institutional crisis
Development of doctrinal diversity
4. Forerunners of the Reformation
4.1
Polemic accounts
According to the University of Paris, whose intention was polemic, all the forerunners of the
reformation were heretics. Luther was
4.2
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a Hussite in his theology of contrition
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a Wycliffite in his doctrine of confession
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a Manichean in his theology of grace and free will
Apologetic accounts
For Lutheran apologists, Luther established a continuity with the authentic Christian
tradition from the early church fathers, which had survived the medieval period, despite the
corruptions of scholasticism.
Late Medieval Religious Thought
CH2002 – Reformation Church History
Dieter Mitternacht
2. Signs of the Rise of Lay Religion in the Late Middle Ages
3. The Crisis of Authority within the Church
4. Forerunners of the Reformation
4.1
4.2
Polemic accounts
Apologetic accounts
4.3
Conclusions
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Both polemic and apologetic accounts have overlooked, for biased purposes, the intellectual
origins of the Reformation in the medieval period
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In the Middle Ages heresy should be defined judicially not theologically. A heretic is one who
challenges the authority of the church, from the perspective of those who are challenged.
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In the Middle Ages, heresy is not necessarily heterodoxy, not identifiable with specific
individuals, but with trends within the Medieval church as a whole.