Was the Avignon Papacy heretical?

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Caesar

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To be honest, I know next to nothing about the period in the middle ages when the Papacy moved to Avignon besides the fact that many consider it to be heretical. Can anyone explain this to me?

Were the Avignon Popes heretical? Did the Pope cease to be Bishop of Rome during this time?

Thank you,
  • Jon
 
I don’t know, but I suppose you had to change the saying to “Avignon has spoken, the issue is closed.” 😉 😃
 
Hi,

I have been reading a book called The Story of Christianity 2000 years of Faith. It talks about this papacy as being problematic because it was expensive and they kept taxing the churches of Europe more then ever before. They created new taxes. They packed the curia with frenchmen which caused resentment. Apparently a very bad time in history for the papacy but they were never referred to as heretics. Apparently the plague brought it to an end and the Bishops insisted they elect a Pope from Italy. There is more but I hope this answered your question. If you want I will type what the book says. Let me know.👍
 
rr1213 said:
I don’t know, but I suppose you had to change the saying to “Avignon has spoken, the issue is closed.” 😉 😃
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(Edited by Moderator)

No the Avignon Papacy was not heretical. The Great Schism was caused in 1378 when the Cardinals elected Urban VI due to pressure from the rioting Romans. His ego got a little out of hand so a bunch of Cardinals retreated to Avignon (which was the seat of the papacy for the previous 80 years due to the dangers of Rome) and elected a new Pope called Clement VII. The whole thing really messed up the Church and helped to bring about the reformation. In an attempt to reslove the issue a group of bishops got together and elected Alexander V as Pope. So now there was three Popes trying to control the Church. The schism was resolved in 1417 at the Ecumenical Council of Constance and it was later declared that Urban VI and his successors were the true Popes during this turbulant time. It is interesting to note that there were saints on all three sides so I highly doubt anyone lost eternal life because of the faction they joined. Anyways none of the three factions rejected any Church dogma or changed anything - it was all political.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Schism
 
Canderous said:
Your charity hardly impresses me. If you were a Catholic saying that to a Orthodox or Protestant your post would be removed.
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Ha, I don’t think so. I’ve seen much worse said by Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, and others on these forums.

It was a joke (note the smileys). My advice is that you need to lighten up a bit. Get the old chip off of your shoulder.

Moreover, how did the faithful express the concept that the Pope had spoken so the matter was closed? It must have seemed quite odd to refer to the fact that “Rome has spoken” when the Pontiff was no longer located in Rome.
 
Does Pope Benedict XVI cease being pope and bishop of Rome when he travels to other countries, vacations in the mountains of Italy, goes home to Germany, or is otherwise outside the Vatican? No he does not. The pope in Avignon was the duly elected pope, wherever he resided for his personal safety, this history of the times amply document who was the legitimate successor of Peter and who were the pretenders. The line of apostolic succession remained unbroken, and through the counsel of wise, inspired churchmen and laypersons, including Catherine of Sienna, the exile was ended and the pope returned physcially to his see which spiritually he had never left.
 
Interesting to read about the plague and the temperal connection with all that was taking place in The Church ; that in O.T too, the plague breaks out when The Ark was in the wrong hands /place ; and as much as such devastation and all were terrible, it also could be an indication of how serious that office is , in the eyes of God , as in the times of Moses; also gives the glimpse of how 'all things work well for those who love God and are called according to His will ’ ; the office of The Pope , instead of being weakened ,was strengthened ; and Pope Paul VI able to stand by the truth of Humane Vitae ; for Catholics , of simple faiths , the events of Lourdes and Fatima offering added light , if the dark doubts and questions seem to get larger , in an era of information overload !
 
P.S - there is also that scene in the gospel of Mark 2 , where our Lord allow the paralytic to be brought in, by allowing the roof (most likely of the house of St.Peter!) to be removed !

One of these days , if for the sake of those who insist in coming in through the roof, it gets removed a little , well, that too from our compassionate Lord and the bearer of His Keys !
 
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