The Late Middle Ages

1. The Late Middle Ages Public Turmoil Personal Piety

2. Overview • England is at war with France • Many men claim papacy at one time • Renaissance begins • Black Death

3. Disaster for Europe and the Church • 1347 arrival of the Bubonic Plague • 1/3 of Europe’s population was wiped out • Priest • Fled • Or ministered • Quickly ordained more • People’s reaction • Devoutly turned to God • Desperate wickedness • Superstition • Scapegoats in Jews

4. As you enter the outskirts of town you see… • What problems would your group face? What fears do you have to live with? • Presuming that you manage to survive, how would this experience affect your view of life?

5. Hundred Years War • France and England are at war over territory • National identity grows

6. Be Ready for Death • The Imitation of Christ • Thomas à Kempis • Emphasizes unexpected death • Relationship with Jesus and love for Jesus are most important • We should be ready for death at any moment

7. Trouble for the Papacy • 1303: pope arrested • Nationalism • 1305: Frenchman elected • Clement V • 1309: moved papacy to Avignon, France • Appointed French cardinals • Suit French kings • 1309-1377: 7 French Popes

8. Why not Avignon? • Lavish corrupt lifestyles • Peter was bishop of Rome- • Aligned with the French cause • Plague as a sign of God’s displeasure with the papacy

9. Bringing the Papacy Home • Gregory XI • Spent much time thinking about returning to Rome • Catherine of Siena • 1376 visited the pope • While in prayer, perceived God wanted pope back in Rome • Wrote letters • Strong forceful personality • Helped mediate for nobles and generals • 1377 Pope returned to Rome

10. Important because… • People in Europe needed to be reassured by pope’s presence in Rome • Only in Rome could the pope bring peace between England and France and the warring Italian cities

11. Make a list of your fears or things that cause you stress • What are the top 6 fears or sources of stress for teenagers? • What difference does a personal relationship with Jesus make in responding to those fears and causes of stress?

12. Catherine’s personal relationship with Jesus gave her the courage to speak frankly with the Pope. • The language of fear is not the voice of God. God is love and perfect love casts out all fear. The language of God is always the language of love and courage.

13. Let us pray together • Lord our God, you gave Saint Catherine of Siena the courage to speak the truth. Give us your Holy Spirit. May your Holy Spirit help us in times of fear and stress to always do what is right, speak what is true, and do what is loving. We ask this through your Son, Jesus the Lord. Amen

14. Do Later: • Catherine wrote letters to Gregory to try to convince him to overcome his fears and listen to the will of God. • Write a letter to yourself. In your letter write about how you think that God wants you to respond to each of you fears. • Or…pretend you are Catherine write a letter to Gregory XI encouraging him to return to Rome

15. The Great Papal Schism • Urban VI selected as pope • Compromise candidate • Rome rioted for Italian pope • French Cardinals respond • He is not real pope because they only elected him out of fear • Elected another pope, Clement VII • Avignon, France • Urban excommunicates Clement • Clement returns the favor • Church and papacy in turmoil

16. Church council • Elect a new pope • No one else wants to give up papacy • Now three popes • Martin V, Roman • Elected in 1417 and the schism ended • Developed Conciliarism • General church councils have the authority over the Church and the Pope

17. National and monarchical power continued to grow • Ferdinand and Isabella • Spain • Spanish Inquisition begins • Targeted Jews and Muslims • Pope protested cruelty • Papal power was weak in the face of strong monarchs

18. Renaissance- “Rebirth” • Popes as patrons of the Arts • Paid artists to do projects • Michelangelo and Botticelli • Vatican Library • St. Peter’s Bascillica • The Printing Press • Johannes Gutenberg • 1456 first large book produced • Literacy increased

19. Pre-Renaissance Art

20. Renaissance Art

22. Humanism • The emphasis on the importance of this world and on making human life more fulfilling by way of the classical arts and literature and through scientific inventions • Distorted humanism • Popes with double lives • Led lives with excessive pleasure • Alexander VI-6 children • Leadership of the church was teetering on crisis

23. Worship of Everyday People • Countryside • Bells at noon and 6:00 pm • Mass every Sunday • Towns • Developing merchants and craftsman • Put on religious plays • Took part in liturgies

24. Eucharist • Transubstantiation: real presence of Christ in the Eucharist • Great sense of reverence, rarely received • Benediction, gazing at the host • Never allowed to drink from the cup • Church council mandated receiving the Eucharist and going to confession once a year

25. Laity separated from priest by a screen during mass • Priest said mass with his back to the people • Empty Masses • Said in Latin

29. Devotion to Mary, saints and relics • Indulgences • Revival of meditation and prayer

30. Call for Church Reform • John Wycliffe • 1370’s-priest in England • All church property should be confiscated • Bible is the sold source of belief • Denied doctrine of Transubstantiation

31. John Hus • Czech priest and reader of Wycliffe’s writings • People should receive under both forms • Czech people looked up to him • Defended beliefs at chruch council • Same council that ended the Great Papal Schism • He refused to recant his beliefs • 1415 burned at the stake

32. Discovering a New World • 1400’s Explorations • 1484 Franciscans began preaching in Africa • 1492 Christopher Columbus sails to a New World • Nationalism: • Smaller independent states