Question

Explain how a secular view of the Catholic Church differed from a traditional view of the Catholic Church during the Renaissance. Give an example of each.

Answer 1

A secular view of the Catholic Church during the 15th century proposed that the Pope held supreme authority over the institution. However, this thought was questioned on numerous occasions during the Renaissance. This series of events caused the formation of Conciliarism. A reform movement that held that the supreme authority of the Church resided in the Ecumenical Council or a group of theological experts and ecclesiastical dignitaries. Even though Conciliarism proposed changes regarding the organization of the Catholic Church, it maintained a traditional view regarding the relationship between man and God, in other words, the adherence of people to God's mandates.