The Ultimate Authority Of The Roman Catholic Church During The Renaissance

The Catholic Church triumphantly reigned throughout the middle ages, but some began to question the ultimate authority of the pope and the church. The Roman Catholic Church believed that the pope was the ultimate authority that was necessary for spiritual discernment and salvation. In contrast, the Renaissance was characterized by the growth of individualism and achieving excellence for oneself. The Renaissance led to a spiritual movement known as the Reformation which illuminated the truth that salvation comes by grace and not by the church. The Roman Catholic Church's belief in the pope as the ultimate authority over the church was challenged by the leading thinkers of the Renaissance and Reformation eras.

Following the fall of the Roman

This led to the beginning of the Renaissance era in the 14th century. The Renaissance began within the city-states of Italy and flourished within the nation-states that were protected from the pope’s authority (p3). From the Renaissance came humanism which “was the study of the Greek and Latin classics and the ancient Church fathers, both for personal edification and in hope of a rebirth of these ancient values” (p6). Upon studying classical texts, humanists rediscovered the ancient Greek concept of Arete or human excellence (p6). By focusing on arete, humanists emphasized humanity’s pursuit of excellence through one’s abilities rather than mankind's sinful nature. The pursuit of personal excellence led to the development of individualism which promoted the idea that one should pursue what they believe is pleasurable apart from the authority of the pope (p4). Therefore according to the humanists, the ultimate authority of the church was the individual person. While the humanists denied the authority of the pope, it is important to note that most humanists never questioned Christian belief or the truth and accuracy of Scripture. Studying ancient texts led humanists to develop a fondness for “the early church of the classical period” (p8). Drawing on their appreciation for the early church, humanists criticized the practices and

With the church’s corruption becoming more prevalent, the Reformation era began as an offspring of the Renaissance with the goal of reforming the church. Coming out of the Renaissance, many prominent Reformers such as Martin Luther, were humanists (p10). Martin Luther’s concern for the church came from a trip to Rome in 1510, where he realized the immoral lifestyle of officials within the church. In 1515 Luther was studying Romans 1:17 when he recognized a profound revelation. The passage reads, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The just shall live by faith." Reflecting on this passage, “Luther realized the righteousness of God is passive, not active. It is a gift to be received. It cannot be earned through rituals, penance or prayer” (Week 7 2013 p12). This revelation led Martin Luther to challenge a number of the church’s practices including the selling of indulgences and the belief that the pope is the ultimate authority of the church, not the Bible. According to Luther the ultimate source of authority over the church is the Bible (Gabriel 2017 p1). Luther’s claim has Scriptural support. According to II Timothy 3:16, all Scripture is