The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

II. The Fourteenth Century Conciliar Movement

The Conciliar movement of the fourteenth century aimed at transforming the Papacy from an absolute monarchy into a limited monarchy, setting up a representative council in the church, vested with legislative powers. The Conciliar movement found its chief support in the universities of Europe, especially in that of Paris, formerly the stronghold of papal orthodoxy. ⁷ As the schism dragged on, the Conciliar idea found increasing advocates, two of the leaders being Peter d’Ailly and John Gerson. ⁸ Only a general council, it was argued, could heal the schism, stamp out heresy, and reform the church. England was spotted with “heretics,” and Bohemia almost ready to break away. PFF2 45.2

The cardinals summoned a general council, independent of both popes, to meet at Pisa in 1409. Representatives from England, France, Germany, Poland, and Sicily were present. They deposed both popes and elected a Greek, of Italian training, who took the name Alexander V. ⁹ But neither of the deposed pontiffs recognized the legality of Pisa and excommunicated the adherents of Alexander. ¹⁰ Since the advocates of the Conciliar idea failed in their full objectives at Pisa, the Council of Constance was called in 1414. There the election was unanimous, as Martin V became the new pope; the council then ad dressed itself to uprooting heresy and to crushing the two Bohemians, Huss and Jerome of Prague. Later councils launched four crusades against the heretics without success. ¹¹ But the Conciliar movement had failed, and the papal restoration had not been effected.” ¹² PFF2 45.3

From 1309 to 1377 the papal court was in residence at Avignon, France. A majority of the cardinals were always French, and the popes of the period were Frenchmen. There was strong feeling in England that the Papacy was under French control, and antipapal hostility developed. Parliament passed a statute forbidding the pope to fill English clerical posts, ¹³ and those who carried an appeal out of England to the papal court at Rome, without the king’s consent, were guilty of treason ¹⁴ The climax of anticlerical ism came, however, in the career and teachings of John of Wyclif, the Oxford scholar. ¹⁵ PFF2 46.1