One of many central doctrines within the Catholic Church is that of the papacy—a perception that has formed Catholic Christianity for hundreds of years. Catholics assert that the pope is the direct successor of Saint Peter, forming a steady chain of apostolic succession. Though I believe it may be argued that the papacy shouldn’t even be thought-about Christian, minimally, we must always acknowledge that the papacy is plagued with the failings of human ambition and political maneuvering. For evangelicals who maintain Scripture as the ultimate authority within the lifetime of the church, the dramatic occasions of the Avignon Papacy provide a transparent illustration of the corruption of the papacy.
The Catholic Downside: The Papal Declare of Divine Authority
Catholics have lengthy maintained that every pope inherits “the totality and supremacy of the facility Christ left on earth for the build up of the dominion of God.” This declare of divine empowerment is used to justify a central, unchallenged authority throughout the Church. Nevertheless, historical past exhibits that the supposed apostolic succession and divine authority isn’t as plausible as some individuals would possibly purport. The Avignon Papacy is a first-rate instance of how the papacy isn’t a straight succession from the apostles. Reasonably, it’s a human-made establishment tainted by sin and corruption.
The Papacy in Avignon and the Nice Schism
In 1309, below Pope Clement V, the seat of the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon, France—a interval that may later be derisively known as the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. This transfer was nothing lower than political maneuvering. France and England had been engaged in bitter conflicts on the time, and the French crown’s stress performed a big position in drawing the papacy away from Rome. The Avignon Papacy, which lasted till 1377, was characterised by an ever-growing entanglement with secular powers. As an alternative of being an neutral, “divinely guided chief,” the pope grew to become a political pawn.
As a part of the political maneuverings and deal-making, Pope Gregory XI, who reigned from 1370 to 1379, returned the papal seat to Rome. By this time, the Catholic Church was already deeply divided by the affect and legacy of the Avignon interval. After Gregory XI’s demise, the election of Pope City VI in Rome additional deepened the rift. City VI was elected below the idea he would transfer the papacy again to Avignon, however he refused. In response, a gaggle of dissenting cardinals, lots of whom had ties to the French courtroom, declared City VI’s election invalid. They elected Clement VII in its place pope and re-established the papal courtroom in Avignon. This schism was not a mere administrative dispute—it was a full-blown disaster that splintered the Church into factions. For almost 4 many years, rival popes reigned concurrently, every supported by totally different nations and factions, every claiming to be the rightful successor of Saint Peter.
| Years | Roman Pope | Avignon Pope | Years |
| 1378–1389 | City VI | Clement VII | 1378–1394 |
| 1389–1404 | Boniface IX | Benedict XIII | 1394–1423 |
| 1404–1406 | Harmless VII | ||
| 1406–1415 | Gregory XII |
This case grew to become often called the Nice Schism (1378–1417). The Catholic Church cut up into competing traces of authority. To make issues worse, in 1409, an Ecumenical Council convened in Pisa tried to resolve the dispute by deposing the present popes and electing a brand new one, Alexander VI. But, even this intervention didn’t settle the disaster, because the deposed popes continued to assert legitimacy, every pope excommunicating the others and deepening the confusion throughout the Catholic Church. Admittedly, having three people who declare to be pope is sure to have some unfavourable results!
This Nice Schism was lastly rectified when the Council of Constance convened in Germany and elected Pope Martin V (1417-31), a new pope, and deposed the opposite three popes. This council succeeded, and the opposite popes had been rendered powerless. Apparently, this was the identical council that commanded John Huss, the well-known Reformer, to be burned on the stake in 1415.
The Lesson for Believers
The historical past of the Avignon papacy and the following schism stand as a stark testimony to the illegitimacy of the papacy and its authority. The declare that the papacy is an unbroken line to the apostles with divine authorization is significantly challenged by the historical past of the papacy. It’s exactly this lesson that bolsters the true believer’s conviction that Scripture—God’s unchanging and impressed Phrase—is the one true authority for religion and follow.
The precept of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) isn’t merely a theological place; it’s the cornerstone of church life and private religion. In contrast to the papacy, which has demonstrated over the centuries that its human management is fallible and topic to error, the Bible stays the one dependable information. Scripture, untainted by human ambition or political maneuvering, provides a timeless commonplace in opposition to which all teachings have to be measured.
The turbulent historical past of the Avignon Papacy underscores the hazards of elevating a human establishment to a standing of infallibility. The saga of divided loyalties, political opportunism, and bitter schisms makes it clear that the Catholic church’s declare of authority centered within the pope is mistaken. Authority ought to by no means relaxation within the arms of any particular person or centralized hierarchy exterior of Scripture. As an alternative, these within the church have to be guided by the clear, unwavering truths discovered within the Bible. The story of the Avignon papacy supplies a wanted reminder to depend on God’s Phrase alone for steering, instruction, and correction.
Picture by Ashwin Vaswani on Unsplash
