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Chapter 2 THE SITUATION IN THE CHURCH AROUND 1500 DECLINE AND REFORM The situation of the church around 1500 was in many respects quite different than, say, around 1450 or 1400. Since for everyone who became a dieologian in the early sixteenth century, die ecclesiastical and spiritual climate was no doubt of greater weight than in the High or late Middle Ages, and since many theologians in one way or anodier dealt widi questions of die day, die historical background must be briefly sketched here. In doing so we can first of all ignore die question as to whedier Ludier himself was informed about all die tendencies and configurations to be men­ tioned here. In some instances it can be shown that he did have some knowledge.' In odiers he may at least have heard something, so as to be somewhat informed. When we compare die period around 1500 with mat around 1400 respecting die general ecclesiastical situation, we are struck by serious changes mat sixteendi-century dieology could not ignore. The papal schism after die end of die Avignon exile (1378) was finally overcome (1415) at the Council of Constance (1414-1418). This healed die worst injury to Western Christianity. Of course, after as well as before, diere was an abundance of grievances, identifiable in varying degrees of intensity widiin me individual lands and mat were felt gready to impair die Christianity of diat time. The complaints relating to diese grievances were first set fordi at Constance in 1 See principally the index volume of WA: WA 62 (index of places); WA 63 (index of persons and quotations). On the whole, the indexes indicate to what an astonishing degree Luther was in the pic­ ture regarding earlier and contemporary currents. II 12 INTRODUCTION 1417, then again at the Basel Council (1431-1449).2 In the years following they were further lodged by individual theologians and church leaders but also by humanists. On the other hand, they had been dealt with again and again at German diets since die mid-fifteenth century. Corresponding to die structure of die German Empire, the complaints of the German nation concerned ecclesiastical as well as secular questions. The chief accent, however, lay on complaints regarding grievances in die church. The most comprehensive collection of such charges was assembled at die Diet ofWorms in 1S 21 and taken up at its dismissal.The Turner affair," appended to die diet in the inter­ val, would not have directly influenced diis collection of attacks and demands for reform. In die years following die Diet ofWorms die charges as previously formulated lost significance since die diets were occupied widi die newly arisen reform move­ ment. In diese activities die earlier charges still had weight only insofar as diey were taken up by die Reformation movement. The attack on grievances in die church and die temporal sphere was widespread in die early sixteendi century, and in part was also made at die universities. No less important were die various impulses or tendencies toward reform diat cried for help. Conciliarism was still alive, its beginnings reaching far back to die High Middle Ages.3 For a long time die dieological center of conciliarism was at die University of Paris. This decisively contributed to healing die papal schism but in turn also evoked papal reserve toward reform councils as instruments of change. In die early sixteendi century no impulses toward church reform wordi naming could be expected from conciliarism, diough it still had potential for criticism and a desire for reform.4 Odierwise, impulses toward reform existed chiefly in humanism, which not only shared in criticism but also engaged on behalf of a Christianity renewed and made inward. Still, humanistic circles were limited in dieir capacity to influence. At best, secular rulers could carry out specific political and churchly reforms, as often occurred since die mid-fifteendi century. Widi all dieir zeal for reform, however, secular rulers were as a rule merely intent on extending dieir influence over die church. In fact, diey were most concerned widi occupying impor­ tant posts and receiving income from bishoprics, foundations, and cloisters. In sum we must say diat die indisputable decay of essential parts of die church was generally known and diat impulses toward reform were not lacking. It was never clear, however, which of diese impulses would be capable of succeeding. 2 Bruno Gebhardt, Die Gravamina da deutscben Nation gegen den romischen Hof, 2d ed. (Breslau: Koebner, 189S); Heinz Scheible, Die Gravamina,Luther...

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