Anticlericalism

Anticlericalism is a broad concept that refers to the general public’s resentment towards churchmen, either a singular priest or the Church hierarchy as a whole. During late Middle Ages leading up to the Reformation, anticlericalism was not an attack on religious theology, but rather a criticism of the corruption, indulgence, and negligence of the clergy. Anticlerical sentiments were felt at all levels of society, from the common man to the ruling elite. Anticlericalism originated for a number of reasons, including the failure of the clergy to live up to the Church’s moral standards, legal immunities and tax exemptions, release from military duties, increased involvement in secular economic and legal matters, beggary, and extravagant lifestyles. Because the Church was considered a central part of the community, people felt responsible for it and became frustrated when reform attempts continuously failed. This frustration is what fueled anticlericalism, which manifested itself in both moderate and radical terms.

Secular authorities, such as princes and monarchs, were concerned with the growing papal estate, and feared a divergence between worldly and spiritual powers. Most official acts of anticlericalism came from established states and principalities in an attempt to restrict the Church’s ability to acquire wealth, property, and privileges. The city of Nuremburg attempted to stifle the power of the Church when the city obtained the right to appoint two parish churches and regulate monasteries. The practice of advowson, the right of laymen to nominate a parish priest, also became popular in England during this time. In places like Strasbourg, there was a steady decline in the amount of donations and endowments to the church in the years leading up to 1520. Anticlerical literature also became popular during this time, which mocked and insulted clergymen for their luxurious lifestyles and lack of moral conscience. Jan Hus, John Wycliffe, William Langland, and Geoffrey Chaucer were known for their anticlerical writings. These works, however, sometimes developed into a more radical and violent form of anticlericalism.

Radical anticlericalism was usually a call to threaten or even kill clergy members in response to these abuses of power. An example of this was the great pilgrimage to Niklaushausen in 1475 to hear the preachings of Hans Behem, a young shepherd who claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared to him and told him to kill all of the priests and destroy their vanities. This exemplifies the laity’s declining trust in the clergy, because it showed that the common people did not need an intermediary to connect them to God. People began to question the purpose of the clergy, ultimately resulting in a call for the reform of the clergy and the Church during the Reformation. The Peasant’s War in 1525 was another radical, violent attempt by the common people to establish rights and protection against the growing power of the clergy. The peasants presented the Twelve Articles, which demanded the right for the people to elect their own pastors and religious self-determination, and refused to pay their dues to the Church. They also attacked and killed priests, abbots, and monks.

Anticlericalism during the late Middle Ages was not a unified force, but was rather a collection of movements that expressed themselves in a variety of ways that all sought to return to the fundamental values of Christianity.

Works Cited

http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195064933.001.0001/acref-9780195064933-e-0050?rskey=m3foCK&result=50

Cameron, Euan. “Challenges from Outside and their Limits”. In The European Reformation, 56-69. England: Oxford University Press, 1991.

Wunderli, Richard. Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklaushausen. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1992.