The display lists all the popes from Peter through John Paul 2. Each pope is color coded. The rainbows indicate the best popes. Clouds indicate good popes. Boxed frames indicate popes who were narrow in their thinking. Scrolls indicate popes who were very legalistic. White pages indicate popes who were bland or even bad.
The display also includes significant persons and significant events in the church's history.
EARLIEST CHURCH
Struggled simply to exist.
Many leaders and ordinary Christians put to death.
A few defected rather than die.
Church remained firm and vibrant.
Then Church became official and was recognized as legitimate. Then theological disputes.
Then popes' major role: preserve the faith and make sure heresy was contained.
ABOUT 500 A.D.
Popes were suddenly political creatures.
They began to wine and dine with emperors and kings.
A constant struggle between pope and king, pope and emperor
for control.
A phenomenon - the antipope.
NEXT 950 YEARS
At least twenty-five antipopes appear in the Church.
Roughly fifteen percent. of the time there is an antipope.
NEAR END OF 1ST MILLENNIUM OF CHRISTIANITY
Papacy in a turmoil. There were popes and antipopes.
At times it wasn't clear who was the real pope.
Popes were killed.
Three consecutive layman were elected pope.
Popes are dying off rather quickly at this time.
ERA OF ANTIPOPES
Many antipopes may be due to manner of electing popes.
Prior to 1059 popes elected by the clergy and laity of Rome.
He was after all Bishop of Rome.
After 1059 elected by clergy alone needed approval of people.
By 1179 only cardinals (a small elite group) elect the pope.
SCHISMS
Since 1054 A.D. another new phenomenon surfaces - the schism. A schism is not a split over doctrinal issues. It is a breach in communion. The Church is no longer united. Individuals and groups can now declare themselves cut off from the Church. They can set up their own church and excommunicate everyone who doesn't agree with them.
NEAR END OF 11TH CENTURY
A dramatic change in the papacy.
Beginning with Gregory VII popes claim authority over entire church. Begin to fight with the temporal rulers.
You become what you fight.
So, popes take on characteristics of temporal rulers they fight. Popes ran away and they were imprisoned.
Difficult times to be a pope.
CONCORDAT OF WORMS
Signed during papacy of Callistus II (1119-1124)
Under agreement emperor renounced any power in election of bishops. Pope conceded that in Germany election of abbots and bishops would be held in his presence. Emperor would invest the newly elected with the scepter, the symbol of temporal authority. In a contested election the emperor would make the choice. The concordat was ratified by the Lateran Council of 1123.
CRUSADES
Popes became more militant, it was reflected in church activity. Era of the crusades.
Seeds of the infamous Inquisition laid at this time by Lucius III
Lucius (1181-1185) defined procedures by which heretics tried.
10 of the church's 21 councils were held in this time (1073-1521).
GREAT WESTERN SCHISM
Constant struggle between France and Italy for control of church. For 70 years pope (the Bishop of Rome) resides in France.
But then, no bishop was required to live in his own diocese.
The bishop was not first and foremost a pastor.
Many bishops sons of prominent bankers, politicians, wealthy families.
Often church offices: bishop, pastor, cardinal sold to highest bidder.
If outbid set up an antipope receive office from your pope.
For 40 years two popes in the west, the Great Western Schism.
“BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY” OF THE POPE
Schisms, placing papal elections in hands of a few elite rich
Selling of offices to highest bidder, and other problems
Church was rife for reform.
Church leaders failed to initiate reform
Reform started at a grass roots level.
An era when church branched out to China.
Pope lived in Avignon not Rome, "Babylonian Captivity" of popes.
IMPACT OF POPES
Whatever pope did had repercussions throughout entire church. Previously good or bad popes had an impact only on a small area. Now good or bad popes were felt throughout the Christian world. During this time church became the Roman Catholic Church
Pope its sole leader regarded as the contemporary Peter.
Today we view this as a phenomenon instituted by Jesus Christ. Actually it took the church over 1000 years to evolve this idea.
BLACK DEATH
This was also the era of the "Black Death".
1/3 of Europeans died as result of various diseases and plagues. A time that saw the beginning of exploration of the "new world".
PROTESTANT REFORMATION
Began during Leo X's pontificate. (1513-1521)
One of major causes selling of indulgences and church offices. Not a problem created by Leo but one Leo failed to correct.
Leo X was a member of the powerful de' Medici family.
Leo was thirteen years old when he was made a cardinal.
LEO X
At age thirteen Leo became one of the select few (at times no more than six or seven, at most twenty to thirty persons) who elect our popes. They were more often than not appointed at the persuasion of powerful and wealthy families. They were a neat but powerful group. At one time the French would dominate, then the Italians, then the Spanish. It's no wonder we had so many papal problems.
Leo was a strong promoter of the Renaissance. He also was obsessed with military battles. So when Martin Luther tacked up his ninety-five thesis Leo regarded him simply as a quarrelsome monk. When Luther failed to conform as Leo hoped that he would, Leo excommunicated Luther.
INACTION OF CLEMENT VII (1523-1534)
Many urged Clement V to call general council to deal with rise of
Protestantism in Germany.
Voices included Luther himself and the Emperor.
Clement afraid general council would make council superior to pope
Firm action might have checked spread of Protestantism. Henry VIII of England asked for ruling on his marriage in 1527. Clement delayed decision thinking problem would go away.
Six years before action was taken.
May, 1533 Archbishop of Canterbury, declared Henry's marriage
null and void and declared him free to marry Anne Boleyn.
Clement excommunicated Henry, Anne, and Archbishop.
PAUL IV May 23, 1555 - August 18, 1559
At heart a reformer, but reform on Paul's terms.
He hated Spanish. Italians hated him even though he was Italian. When he died residents of Rome toppled and disfigured his statue Paul did not reconvene Council of Trent.
Seemed to mistrust many bishops and fear any type of council. He was pope. We do it his way. Paul was obsessed with rooting out heresy.
Beefed up Roman Inquisition, established Index of Forbidden Books.
PIUS V 1559-65
Oversaw end of Council of Trent
Attempted to set up structures to carry out its mandates.
Demanded that bishops reside in their diocese.
His greatest reforms came in the area of formation of priests. Mandated establishment of seminaries in each diocese.
Set up strict guidelines for formation of priests.
Especially concerned that they be good confessors.
He also provided for publication of Catechism of Council of Trent Established Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
Trent more on reform of church than reaching out to Protestants.
Launched successful crusade against Turks in 1571.
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT
Trent lasted 18 years over period of five separate popes.
Three separate sessions of the council.
At times more political struggle than religious council.
Frequently interrupted by war.
Kings or emperors would not permit “their” bishops to attend.
Initially the council had three aims:
settlement of the religious quarrel
reform of the church
preparation of a military expedition against the Turks.
Settlement of religious quarrel,
Protestants came to the second session of the council.
Negotiations broke down
Could not agree on conditions of their admission
Negotiations broke down before beginning of third session.
Emperor and King of France push for a completely new council. Could not accept legitimacy of first 2 sessions. Start over!
Council mandated reform of church in regard to clergy
Set up structures for education of clergy and people.
First council to do so.
PAUL V 1605-21
Galileo a difficult issue for Paul V.
Claimed sun was center of universe other planets revolved around the sun.
Conflicted with biblical account of creation Presided as pope over the beginning of "The Thirty Years War". War started out as a Protestant/Catholic struggle.
In middle of Cardinal Richelieu (Catholic) combined forces with
Sweden (Protestant) because economically and politically
union was expedient.
INNOCENT X September 15, 1644 - January 7, 1655
Thirty Years War ended during Innocent's papacy.
He condemned terms of treaty and refused to accept them.
In his view they gave too many concessions to the Protestants. Treaty granted freedom of worship to Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists. Innocent objected because gave head of state right to determine religion of state.
Also gave head of state right to evict anyone who refused to follow that religion.
More distasteful allowed Protestants to keep much of property and buildings Protestants seized from the church.
ALEXANDER VII April 7, 1655 - May 22, 1667
France angry because Alexander sided with France at peace conference of Munster
France seized land at Avignon, was papal land for 300 years. Jansenism still a problem in France.
Internal struggles in Poland weakened ability to resist Turks.
In England, Cromwell persecuting Catholics taking church lands. Germany trying to recover from ravages of the Thirty Years War. Spain and Portugal were continuing to quarrel.
Alexander helpless to do anything about any of problems.
Christina, daughter successor of Protestant king of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus, converted to Catholicism moved to Rome.
Could have been good for Sweden returning to Catholic Church. She proved to be very eccentric.
In Rome she dressed in masculine clothes and lived with two cardinals as she maintained her royal court.
Alexander turned attention to problems could affect some way. He beautified Saint Peter's Basilica, other Vatican buildings.
He increased missionary activity in the foreign missions.