The Great Schism and the Western Schism: The History and Legacy of the Most Important Splits in the Catholic Church by Charles River Editors

Author:Charles River Editors
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Charles River Editors
Published: 2022-12-11T00:00:00+00:00

Setting the Stage for a Schism

“But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.” – Matthew 9:16

In the 12th century, Europe slipped into what is now known as the “Early Renaissance.” This was an era that would last into the next century, a promising chapter bursting with political, economical, and societal transformation. Many have attributed the innovations of the period to the growth of educational enlightenment. During the time leading up to the period, Greek texts that had been preserved from the Byzantine Empire, regarding the subjects of medicine, alchemical, astrological, and other scientific fields, were translated into Arabic languages.

Elements from the philosophical and mathematical works of Plato, Aristotle, and other great European scholars were then lifted, translated, and infused into the works of local Arab philosophers. Before long, the movement of cross-cultural and academic integration soon found its way to Europe. Here, volumes upon volumes of Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew texts were converted to Latin for the first time, and Latin was the primary language of the Roman Catholic Church.

From the year 1100 and onward, a surge of alluring abbeys and comely cathedrals were constructed throughout the continent, featuring vibrant mosaic windows, exquisitely carved sculptures, and other Gothic architectural marvels. The Hanseatic League, a powerful guild composed of mainly German merchant and market towns such as Hamburg, Rostock and Bremen, was established to regulate and better protect their businesses and interests as a unit. The period reached another milestone in the 13th century when Venetian explorer Marco Polo became one of the first Europeans to make the trek across the winding Silk Road to China. Palaces “covered in gold and silver” and the beauty of the “great and noble city of Suju,” as well as the sumptuous feasts and other exotic experiences he came upon, were recorded by Polo in his diary, which was later published and circulated around the continent, furthering the progress of trade and commerce.

Others dubbed the era the “Medieval Industrial Revolution.” Jean Gimpel, author of The Medieval Machine: The Industrial Revolution of the Middle Ages, claimed that between the 11th and 13th centuries, more stone had been “quarried” in France than in all of Ancient Egypt, which was home to the world's most prestigious pyramids. Machinery also made their debut, and it soon multiplied across the continent. With that, Europe became the leading hub for agricultural mills. Some mills were designed to grind corn and olives. Others were made for the textile industry, turning out cloth and leather products in large batches at a time.

Apart from the revolutionary machinery, the period introduced scores of inventions, including Swiss-made blast furnaces, the first pair of “dangled eyeglasses” for optical purposes, spinning wheels, buttons, and mechanical clocks.

Unfortunately, Europe's advancement into the 14th century was anything but smooth. At times, it appeared as if progress, regardless of field, had come to a standstill. Like the 7 plagues that had ravaged Egypt, the continent was devastated by disasters of just about every sort.

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