BEMA Episode Link: 198: AD 1300–1550
Episode Length: 20:37
Published Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2020 01:00:00 -0800
Session 5
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings journey from the Crusades and head toward the Protestant Reformation—but on the way, it is good to recognize some names that are often underappreciated. These figures truly paved the way for some of the formative changes coming to Christendom.

AD 1300–1550 Presentation

Discussion Video for BEMA 198

Transcript for BEMA 198

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 198: AD 1300-1550 - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 198 - AD 1300-1550 Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: The historical period from the aftermath of the Crusades through the lead-up to the Protestant Reformation, including pre-Reformation reformers and the rise of indulgences

This episode examines a critical transitional period in church history, tracing the decline of Christendom after the failed crusades through the emergence of reform movements that would eventually lead to the Protestant Reformation. The discussion addresses the corruption that developed within the medieval church, the rise of the indulgence system, and the courageous voices of reformers like John Wycliffe and Jan Hus who challenged ecclesiastical abuses. The episode also explores how shifting political landscapes and medieval nationalism contributed to fracturing the unified power of the papacy, setting the stage for the denominational divisions that would characterize Christianity moving forward.

Key Takeaways

  • The Crusades left Christendom spiritually bankrupt and financially devastated, despite being “successful” only in violence and death.
  • The church’s need for money to rebuild after the Crusades led to widespread abuse of the sacramental system, particularly through the sale of indulgences.
  • The seven sacraments were originally understood as conduits for receiving God’s grace, not magical rituals, but became tools of manipulation in an illiterate society.
  • John Wycliffe and Jan Hus served as crucial pre-Reformation reformers who challenged papal authority and advocated for vernacular Bible translations.
  • Medieval nationalism began shifting people’s primary identity from religious (Catholic) to national (French Catholic, German Catholic), weakening papal control.
  • The invention of the printing press revolutionized access to Scripture, enabling the widespread distribution of vernacular translations.
  • The Protestant Reformation emerged from multiple streams: theological reform, technological advancement (printing press), political fragmentation (nationalism), and the groundwork laid by earlier reformers.
  • The gap between educated clergy and illiterate laypeople created conditions ripe for manipulation through fear, guilt, and control.
  • Even in the darkest periods of church corruption, there was always a faithful remnant maintaining authentic Gospel witness.
  • The Reformation began splitting Christianity over increasingly smaller theological nuances, often fueled by nationalistic identifications rather than purely theological concerns.

Main Concepts & Theories

Post-Crusades Christendom

The Crusades (approximately 1095-1291) left the church in catastrophic condition. Despite centuries of warfare and massive expenditure of resources, the Crusades failed to achieve their stated objectives of spreading Christianity or securing holy sites. The aftermath left Christendom needing to rebuild both infrastructure and credibility, but lacking the financial resources to do so. This desperate need for funds created conditions that led to systematic corruption.

The Sacramental System and Its Corruption

The medieval church recognized seven sacraments: baptism, Eucharist (communion), confession (penance), confirmation, marriage, holy orders (ordination), and anointing of the sick. These practices were developed through the liturgy established by Pope Gregory I (discussed in earlier episodes). The sacraments were originally understood as “conduits” through which believers could experience God’s grace in daily life - not as mechanisms of salvation itself, but as means of ongoing spiritual nourishment.

The distinction is crucial: early theological thinkers did not view sacraments as magical rituals that automatically conferred grace, but rather as corporate practices through which the community encountered God’s mercy and forgiveness. However, in a largely illiterate society where priests held monopolistic access to Scripture (written in Latin), this system became vulnerable to abuse.

The Age of Indulgences

As the church desperately sought revenue to rebuild after the Crusades, it began manipulating the sacramental system for financial gain. The practice of indulgences - where monetary payments could secure forgiveness or reduce time in purgatory - represented one of the most egregious corruptions. Parishioners coming to engage the sacraments, particularly confession, were increasingly required to make financial contributions as part of receiving absolution.

This system leveraged people’s legitimate spiritual needs and fears about the afterlife to extract money. The sale of indulgences would become one of Martin Luther’s primary complaints when he posted his 95 Theses in 1517, making it a direct catalyst for the Protestant Reformation.

Pre-Reformation Reformers

John Wycliffe (c. 1320s-1384): An English scholastic philosopher and theologian who became known as the “Morning Star of the Reformation.” Wycliffe’s major contributions included:

  • Attacking the imperial privilege and excessive wealth of the church hierarchy
  • Advocating for dissolving the sharp distinction between clergy and laypeople
  • Arguing that Scripture should not be held captive in Latin but translated into vernacular languages
  • Challenging papal authority and the doctrine of transubstantiation
  • Inspiring the Wycliffe Bible, the first complete translation of Scripture into English

The Wycliffe Bible Translators organization today carries on his legacy of making Scripture accessible to all people in their heart languages.

Jan Hus (c. 1372-1415): A Czech priest and reformer often called a “true father of the Reformation.” Hus built upon Wycliffe’s work and is known for:

  • Leading an informal resistance movement against papal corruption
  • Leading what became known as the Bohemian Revolt
  • Advocating for reform of church practices and challenging indulgences
  • Being executed as a heretic at the Council of Constance in 1415
  • Inspiring the Hussite Wars - two successful regional crusades fought against the papacy

Hus used what might be called “zealot” methods - employing imperial/military means to fight the empire itself. While Marty expresses uncertainty about endorsing such methods, he acknowledges that Hus (like the zealots in first-century Judaism) represents one legitimate response to systemic oppression, even if not the only or necessarily the best response.

Medieval Nationalism

A crucial shift occurred in the 14th-15th centuries as political power structures evolved beyond the unified Christendom model. People began identifying primarily with their nation-state (French, German, English, etc.) rather than primarily with the universal Catholic Church. This “medieval nationalism” manifested as:

  • National identity superseding religious identity (becoming “French Catholic” rather than “Catholic”)
  • Rejection of foreign (Roman) papal authority in favor of local/national leadership
  • Tribal loyalty to one’s country creating resistance to transnational church control
  • Political fragmentation that weakened the pope’s temporal power

This nationalism contributed directly to the Reformation’s success, as rulers found theological justification for political independence from Rome.

The Western Schism (1378-1417)

Following the earlier East-West Schism (1054) that split Eastern Orthodoxy from Roman Catholicism, the Western Church itself experienced internal division. The Papacy of Avignon saw seven consecutive popes ruling from France rather than Rome (1309-1376), followed by a period where multiple men simultaneously claimed to be the legitimate pope. This crisis of authority further eroded confidence in papal leadership and demonstrated that even the Western Church was not immune to fragmentation.

Translation and the Printing Press

The invention of Johannes Gutenberg’s movable-type printing press around 1440 revolutionized the spread of information. Combined with the translation movement pioneered by Wycliffe, this technology enabled:

  • Widespread distribution of vernacular Scriptures (languages people actually spoke)
  • Reduction in the cost of producing books, making them accessible beyond wealthy elites
  • Rapid dissemination of Reformation ideas and theological writings
  • Closing the education gap between clergy and laity

Key translation milestones in this period:

  • Wycliffe’s English Bible (translated from Latin Vulgate)
  • Erasmus’s Greek New Testament (1516) - returning to original languages
  • Martin Luther’s German Bible
  • William Tyndale’s English translation from Greek/Hebrew (forming the basis of the King James Bible)

Brent notes that this period saw different denominations developing their own preferred translations, reflecting theological distinctives. The modern practice of ecumenical translation committees (like the NIV) represents a departure from this denominational approach.

The Priesthood of All Believers

Martin Luther’s doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers” challenged the medieval two-tier system of clergy and laity. This concept held that all Christians have direct access to God through Christ, without requiring priestly mediation. This theological principle had practical implications:

  • Reduced the gap between educated clergy and uneducated laypeople
  • Made orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right practice) the responsibility of the whole community
  • Democratized theological knowledge and spiritual authority
  • Challenged the church hierarchy’s monopoly on interpreting Scripture
The Remnant

Throughout the discussion, Brent repeatedly emphasizes: “There’s always a remnant.” Even in the darkest periods of corruption and abuse, faithful believers maintained authentic Gospel witness. This concept parallels the Essenes in Session 3 - communities that removed themselves from corrupted religious institutions while preserving true faith. The remnant principle provides important nuance, preventing the oversimplification that all medieval clergy were corrupt or that no genuine faith existed during this period.

Examples & Applications

Historical Parallels

The episode draws explicit parallels between medieval church corruption and contemporary Christian culture:

  • Just as medieval priests manipulated theology to control illiterate masses, modern leaders can use specialized knowledge or “insider” biblical understanding to manipulate congregations
  • The fear-based systems of indulgences mirror prosperity gospel teaching or spiritual abuse that leverages guilt and fear for financial gain
  • The gap between educated clergy and laypeople mirrors contemporary situations where professional theologians are seen as the only legitimate interpreters of Scripture
The Zealot Question

The discussion of Jan Hus raises important questions about appropriate responses to systemic injustice. Marty’s hesitation to fully endorse or condemn “zealot” methods reflects ongoing debates about:

  • When (if ever) violent resistance to oppression is justified
  • Whether reforming systems from within is more faithful than revolutionary opposition
  • How we evaluate historical figures who used methods we might find problematic but achieved important reforms
  • The diversity of approaches within God’s kingdom (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots in Jesus’s day)
Denominational Identity

The episode traces how the Reformation began creating denominational identities tied to theological nuances and national identities:

  • Germans became Lutheran, following Martin Luther
  • French Reformed followed John Calvin
  • Swiss followed Ulrich Zwingli
  • English developed Anglicanism under Henry VIII (not discussed but implied)

This fragmentation continues today, where denominational affiliation often reflects cultural, regional, or family identity as much as theological conviction.

Translation Philosophy

The discussion of Bible translations raises ongoing questions about translation philosophy that remain relevant:

  • Should translations prioritize formal equivalence (word-for-word) or dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought)?
  • How do theological presuppositions influence translation choices?
  • What is gained and lost when denominations create their own translations versus ecumenical efforts?
  • How do we balance accessibility for common readers with scholarly precision?
Accessibility and Authority

The printing press revolution illustrates how technological advancement can democratize access to truth and challenge entrenched power structures. Modern parallels include:

  • The internet enabling direct access to information previously controlled by gatekeepers
  • Social media allowing voices outside traditional institutional authority to reach audiences
  • Online education reducing barriers to knowledge
  • The tension between democratized access and the need for scholarly expertise/wisdom

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

The Seven Sacraments
  • How did the sacramental system develop in the early church?
  • What are the theological differences between Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant understandings of sacraments?
  • How does the concept of sacrament relate to Jewish ritual practice?
  • What is the relationship between sacrament and covenant?
Indulgences and Purgatory
  • What is the theological basis for the doctrine of purgatory?
  • How did the practice of indulgences develop from earlier church practices?
  • What were the specific abuses that reformers opposed versus the underlying theology?
  • How did economic factors drive theological innovation in the medieval period?
Pre-Reformation Reformers
  • Who were other significant reformers before Luther (Peter Waldo, Girolamo Savonarola, etc.)?
  • What happened to the followers of Wycliffe (Lollards) and Hus (Hussites)?
  • How did earlier reform movements influence the Protestant Reformation?
  • Why did some reform efforts succeed while others were suppressed?
Medieval Nationalism and Politics
  • How did the Holy Roman Empire relate to papal authority?
  • What role did the Hundred Years’ War play in developing national identities?
  • How did the rise of centralized monarchies challenge church power?
  • What economic factors contributed to the decline of feudalism and the rise of nation-states?
Translation History
  • What were the controversies surrounding early vernacular translations?
  • How accurate were translations from the Latin Vulgate versus original languages?
  • What role did Jewish scholarship play in Christian translation efforts?
  • How did translation choices reflect and reinforce theological positions?
The Printing Press and Information Revolution
  • How did the printing press change society beyond just religion?
  • What was the literacy rate before and after the printing press?
  • How did Catholic authorities attempt to control printing and distribution?
  • What parallels exist between the printing press and modern information technology?
Denominational Development
  • How did the major Protestant traditions (Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Anabaptist) develop distinct identities?
  • What were the key theological differences that divided reformers from each other?
  • How did the Radical Reformation differ from magisterial Reformation?
  • What role did politics versus theology play in denominational formation?
The Concept of Remnant
  • How does the biblical concept of remnant apply to church history?
  • What constitutes faithfulness during periods of widespread corruption?
  • How do we identify the “remnant” versus those complicit in systemic problems?
  • What can we learn from minority voices in church history?
Scholasticism and Education
  • What was scholasticism and how did it shape medieval theology?
  • How were universities related to the church in this period?
  • What was the curriculum for training priests and theologians?
  • How did educational privilege both help and hinder reform?
Western Schism
  • What caused the Papacy to move to Avignon?
  • How did the period of multiple competing popes affect church authority?
  • How was the Western Schism resolved at the Council of Constance?
  • What were the long-term effects of this crisis on papal power?

Comprehension Questions

  1. Analysis Question: How did the church’s financial desperation after the Crusades contribute to the corruption of the sacramental system, and what does this teach us about the relationship between institutional needs and theological integrity?

  2. Comparison Question: What were the similarities and differences between John Wycliffe and Jan Hus as pre-Reformation reformers, and why might Hus be called more “zealot-like” than Wycliffe in his approach?

  3. Synthesis Question: How did the convergence of three factors - medieval nationalism, the printing press, and vernacular Bible translations - create conditions that made the Protestant Reformation possible and likely inevitable?

  4. Application Question: The episode emphasizes that “there’s always a remnant” even in the most corrupt periods of church history. How can this principle help us evaluate both historical and contemporary Christian institutions, and what responsibility does it place on individual believers?

  5. Evaluation Question: The hosts acknowledge they are telling this history from a Western, American, Evangelical perspective. How might this same historical period be understood differently from Catholic, Orthodox, or non-Western perspectives, and why does acknowledging our perspective matter when studying history?

Summary

This episode traces a pivotal transition in Christian history, examining the period between the failed Crusades and the Protestant Reformation (AD 1300-1550). The discussion reveals how Christendom’s desperate financial situation after centuries of unsuccessful warfare created conditions for widespread corruption, particularly through the abuse of the sacramental system and the sale of indulgences. In a largely illiterate society where priests controlled access to Scripture in Latin, the gap between educated clergy and common people became a tool of manipulation through fear, guilt, and control.

However, the episode emphasizes that even in the darkest periods, a faithful remnant remained. Pre-Reformation reformers like John Wycliffe and Jan Hus challenged papal authority, advocated for vernacular Bible translations, and attacked the excessive privilege of church hierarchy. Their courage, combined with shifting political realities (medieval nationalism), technological innovation (the printing press), and translation efforts, created the conditions from which the Protestant Reformation would emerge.

The rise of national identity over purely religious identity weakened papal control, as people began identifying as “French Catholic” or “German Catholic” rather than simply “Catholic.” The Western Schism further demonstrated the fragility of unified church authority. When reformers like Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin led their respective reform movements, they found receptive audiences not only because of legitimate theological grievances but also because political and cultural conditions had prepared the ground.

The invention of the printing press revolutionized access to information, enabling the widespread distribution of Scripture in languages people actually spoke. This technological advancement, combined with the translation movement from Latin to vernacular languages and eventually back to original Greek and Hebrew sources, began closing the education gap between clergy and laity. Luther’s doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers” reflected this democratization of theological knowledge, making orthodoxy and orthopraxy the work of the whole body rather than an elite clerical class.

Yet the Reformation also initiated new problems. As unity under papal authority dissolved, Christianity began fragmenting over increasingly small theological nuances, often driven as much by nationalistic identification as by genuine theological conviction. Each nation developed its denominational affiliation and preferred Bible translation, creating the diverse and sometimes divided landscape of Christianity that continues today.

The episode provides important methodological notes: the hosts acknowledge painting with broad strokes, the danger of oversimplification, and the limitation of telling history from a particular cultural perspective. They recognize the complexity and nuance that a single episode cannot capture while providing a framework for understanding how the medieval church’s corruption, the courage of reformers, political fragmentation, and technological innovation converged to transform Christianity forever.

Most importantly, the discussion reminds us that God’s work continues even through institutional failure, that faithful voices can challenge corrupt systems, and that technological and social change can create unexpected opportunities for truth to flourish. The period from 1300-1550 demonstrates both the darkest possibilities of religious manipulation and the enduring power of Scripture, courage, and the faithful remnant who refuse to compromise truth for institutional preservation.

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