4 Abuses and criticisms of the Church Flashcards
In c1529, what was the biggest criticism of the Church practises from the laity
Many thought they were getting exploited by pardoners who would be granting indulgences
What was simony
The sale of an ecclesiastical title to whomever would pay the most for it, rather than who was most qualified
What was neoptism
The promotion of one’s family member, rather than who was most qualified
What shows how Cardinal Wolsey was incredibly nepotistic
Making his son, Thomas Wynter, Provost of Beverly Minister, carrying a large income from landed property
What was absenteeism
When a priest, to increase their incomes, would hold the rights to more than one parish and employ a partially educated cleric to take services in them
What common critisisms were there of Church finances
- Sold the right to collect tithes to members of the laity
- If parishoners were unable to pay tithes, they would be taken to Church courts
- Mortuary fees
What case shows how the Church abused finances
- Richard Hunne was part of the merchant class in London
- He refused to give his baby’s christening robe as a mortuary fee
- He was taken to the archbishop’s court
Why is it difficult to estimate how widespread Anti-clericalism was
Much of the documented accounts of anti-clericalsim came from the 1530’s, when Henry’s government were looking for means by which to attack the Church
What demographic was the most anti-clerical and why
The merchant class, as they were involved in the cloth trade in the Netherlands, which exposed them to the critical literature of the Church from mainland Europe
What poor behaviours were many of the clergy criticised for
- Greed
- Laziness
- Sexual impropierty
What key individual shows how religious officials were not living up to their vows of chastity
Cardinal Wolsey had at least one son - Thomas Wynter
What could a member of the clergy do if they were suspected of committing certain offenses, which was highly critisised
- They could claim ‘benefit of the clergy’
- They would be tried in a Church court rather than the King’s court
- They would receive more lenient sentences
What was anti-clericalism
Critisims of Church practises and the poor behaviour of the clergy, rather than critisism of the doctrine and liturgy
Summary of how much of a threat anti-clericalism was to the Church in c1529
There had been low-level grumbling about the Church for centuries, but no one ever tried to reform it, only change it from within
