The Conciliar Movement and Schism
Exemplified by the "Babylonian Captivity," the problems, which aroused in the eleventh century papacy, were nothing that could be overlooked. Eventually causing the schism and conciliar movement, the corruption of those leaders of the Catholic Church was caused by a question of who had more power, the king or the pope? The quest for more power in the papacy resulted in the beginning of the reform movement, another reason for the European states to politically separate, and caused the church to reevaluate its system of power. A question of power and control was plaguing the pope and the king. Attacks ricocheted back and forth between Pope Boniface the VIII and King Philip IV, each thought they held more power than the other did. In earlier days, it would have been no question as to whom could manipulate the other into giving up power, the pope would only have to threaten excommunication and the king would give in to the papal demands. Philip was not one to fear excommunication as those ahead of him had; the Church was not greater than he was. Eventually Philip tired of the games between himself and the papacy and had Boniface killed to settle the problem. This only lead to a greater argument.
After many arguments and pleas from the people, the papacy is moved back to Rome, only to enter the period of The Great Schism. Pope Urban VI comes into power and loses favor of some other leaders. Everyone in the papacy is so used to self-indulgence, they decide they have the right to elect another pope if they so choose. Pope Clement VII is elected. Thus begins the schism; Clement VII is taken to Avignon to continue "immoral-moral" practices while Urban VI remains in Rome, causing two popes from which to choose allegiance and two centers of the Church. Religion was a large part of Europeans' lives during this period, other countries could not sit back and watch the church be controlled by only two countries. Diplomatic allegiance choices were made according to long standing rivalries. England supports Italy and Urban VI because of their shaky relations with France, while the Scots back France because of their relations with England. The schism gives rivaling countries yet another reason to separate themselves from one another; it feeds the already existing fire. Ultimately, the Catholic Church was not changed; it was only shaken up. The papacy still stuck to their belief in the Unum Sanctum of 1300, which declared papal infallibility,
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Approximate Word count = 846
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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