Popes

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Popes

Popes

The Protestant Reformation marked a time of great religious, social and
political upheaval. For the first time in history the Christian church was
permanently shattered. The Reformation originated from a trend in returning to
the biblical days of Christianity and a renewal of morality. Unfortunately the
Catholic religious leaders didn't share in the renewal of morality. The
Renaissance popes were partially responsible for the decline of the
church;however, it was the Church's past history and changing social, political
and economic factors that lead to the Reformation's sucess.
    Commercialization of the Holy See was common for most popes, but ,
according to Barbra Tuchman, three of these men took particular advantage of
the practice. Innocent VII is the earliest acknowledged pope during the
Renaissance to have taken liberties with the church's finances. Although he
engaged in the practices of simony and the selling of indulgences, his most
noted mistake was raising donations for a Crusade that never took place. In
1486 Innocent announced a crusade, as well as at the same time declaring a tithe
on all churches, benefices and ecclesiastical persons of all ranks. Military
plans were drawn up but, in the end, no great army ever assembled or departed
from Europe's shores. Instead, in a twist of irony, the Vatican wound up hosting
an infidel in the form of Prince Djem, the sultan's brother. This arrangement
confused the general public and the papal status fell in the eyes of the public.
Papal status was further weakened by Innocent's successor Alexander VI.
Alexander thrived on simony. He acquired the office of pope by buying out his
chief rivals and openly boasted about this feat. Alexander went on to sell a
total of 43 cardinalships, including to his own family. After the murder of his
eldest son, Alexander was inspired in a proposed Bull to try to reform the
church by reducing the incomes of the cardinals as well as mend other wicked
ways; however, provisions caused Alexander to return to normal and he never
issued the Bull. Perhaps if the Church had reformed during Alexander's reign,
Leo X would never have taken office. Leo is most noted for writing to his
brother "God has given us the papacy-let us enjoy it". Leo took this credo to
heart and was considered the most extravagant pope and one of the great spenders
of his time. He is most known for commissioning the rebuilding of St. Peter's,
as well as several well known works of art,

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