EUH1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Huldrych Zwingli, Augsburg Confession, Counter-Reformation
Document Summary
The christian church in the early 16 th century. Early 16th century europeans = very pious (religious) and because of this, they were highly critical of the catholic church and its clergy. Papal conflict w/ german emperor frederick the second, babylonian captivity & great schism badly damaged prestige of church leaders. Critics focused primarily on 3 problems: clerical immorality, clerical ignorance, and clerical pluralism. Pluralism the practice of holding more than one church benefice (or office) at the same time and enjoying the income from each. (absenteeism) Charges of clerical immorality drunkards, gamblers, those who neglected the rule of celibacy, and indulged in fancy dress. Charges of clerical ignorance barely literate priests who did not understand meaning of the latin words. Clerics held many offices and seldom visited the offices or performed the spiritual responsibilities that the offices required. Collected revenue and hired a poor priest and paid him just a fraction of the income.
