Corruption
- Many bishops and clergy held multiple church offices while neglecting their duties.
- Simony, the selling of church offices, was widespread and undermined the moral credibility of the Church.
- The sale of indulgences was increasingly criticized as a blatant abuse of spiritual authority for financial gain.
- Popes of the Renaissance period, such as Alexander VI, Julius II, and Leo X, were often more focused on worldly power, politics, and patronage of the arts than on spiritual leadership.
- Church wealth was immense, creating resentment among both ordinary believers and secular rulers.
Criticism
- Critics argued that the Church had strayed far from its original mission of spiritual guidance and salvation.
- Humanist scholars emphasized a return to scripture and early Church teachings rather than elaborate rituals.
- Popular resentment against indulgences and the moral failings of the clergy created fertile ground for calls for reform.
- Secular rulers saw an opportunity to challenge the Church’s dominance and gain more control over their own lands.
- There was widespread demand for reform long before Luther, but no unified movement had yet emerged.
The Impact of Erasmus
- Erasmus of Rotterdam, the leading Christian humanist, sought reform through scholarship rather than revolution.
- His book In Praise of Folly (1509) satirized the corruption and hypocrisy within the Church, using wit rather than direct attack.
- Erasmus emphasized ad fontes (“to the sources”), urging Christians to return to scripture and the writings of the early Church fathers.
- His Greek edition of the New Testament (1516) encouraged more accurate translations and highlighted the gap between scripture and Church practices.
- Erasmus did not reject Catholicism but wanted a moral and spiritual renewal within it, making him different from later reformers.
Common Mistake
- Don't just write “the Church was corrupt” without giving specific examples like indulgences, simony, or pluralism.
- Do not assume Erasmus broke from the Catholic Church. He remained within it and sought reform through education, not schism.
- Remember that despite criticism, the Church still held enormous influence and loyalty at the start of the 16th century.
- Don't launch into Luther immediately without first explaining the pre-existing state of the Church.
Exam technique
- Highlight the role of Erasmus as a critic and reformer within the Church, not as a Protestant.
- Everyone knows that corruption was widespread, but bear in mind that Catholicism still had immense authority and deep cultural roots.
- Link corruption and criticism directly to why Protestantism found fertile ground in the 1510s and 1520s.
Self review
- Assess the extent of corruption within the Catholic Church on the eve of the Reformation.
- Examine the role of humanist criticism, with particular reference to Erasmus, in challenging the Catholic Church before 1517.
