Introduction

According Price C. Gary (2001), the papacy denotes the office of the pope,
or bishop of Rome, and the system of central ecclesiastical government of
the Roman Catholic Church over which he presides. (p.66). Described as
the Petrian Theory, the Papacy was born from Jesus words in Mathew
16:18-19. Duffy E. (1997) posits that with these words, it is believed that,
Christ made Peter prince of the Apostles and the head of the Church on
earth: generation by generation, that role has been handed on to Peters
successors, the popes. (p.1).
Like Accra which had remained the seat of government for the Republic of
Ghana since independence, Rome in Italy had remained the seat of the
Papacy for several centuries. But in 1305 a French, Clement V was elected
Pope as a result of the influence of Phillip IV the King of France thereby
sparking factionalism within the church in Rome. To escape this hostile
environment, Clement V in 1309 moved the capital of the Papacy to
Southern France operating from the Palace of Avignon a property of Papal
vassals. The Avignon papacy was born and Martin Luther a father of the
Reformation, over hundred years after is noted to have described it as the
Babylonian Captivity of the popes.
The term "Avignon Papacy" refers to the Catholic papacy during the period
1309-1377, when the Popes lived in and operated out of Avignon, France

instead of their traditional home in Rome. This paper seeks to discuss the
Avignon Papacy and its effects on the development of the papacy.
From a predominately organized Greco-Roman Cardinals in Rome to almost
an all French Cardinals in Avignon saw the emergence of this new papacy. A
new environment purports a new culture, and new culture breeds new
ideas. It is no surprising that the Avignon papacy, led to the emergence of
several ideas with some effects remaining valuable and others becoming
detrimental to the development agenda of the Papacy. Some effects were
more of a blessing and others became a curse even till this day.
Firstly as recorded in Encyclopedia Britannica, these effectual blessings of
the Avignon Papacy saw the emergence of a vociferous College of Cardinals
who played an influential role in the governance of the church. In citing
Wikipedia, today the college advises the Pope on matters of the Catholic
Church and it also convenes on the resignation or the death of a Pope as a
Papal conclave to elect a successor.
Secondly, the age of the Avignon Papacy culminated in a large scale
reorganization of the church, development of centralized administrative
offices and agencies. Also, Avignon Papacy led to growth of the missionary
activities of the church pushing evangelism even to as far as China. Several
attempts were made to settle secular disputes whilst more reforms for the

clergy were also initiated and university education was highly promoted by
the church.
But nevertheless, the effectual curse of the Avignon Papacy led vociferous
critics in Italy to attack the Pope in Avignon accusing the Papacy as a stooge
of the King in France. Specifically critics like Petrarch the poet who had lived
most of his childhood life in Avignon and later worked within the clerical
service of the church wrote a letter to a friend describing Avignon as the
Babylon of the West. An albatross around the Church of which its critics
even to this day continue to use in their arguments against the Pope and
the Roman Catholic ecclesiastical system. The Papacy was also weakened,
losing its reputation in the West as a result of its control from the French
Kings. For example, Clement V under pressure from the Phillip IV agreed to
the persecution of the Templars. The great western schism a repercussion of
Avignon Papacy, emerge when Pope Gregory XI with strong opposition from
the Cardinals in France moved the Papal headquarters to Rome. When his
successor Urban V was elected, thirteen cardinals who faced persecutions
under him went back to Avignon and elected another Pope. This therefore
led to the rise of two Popes and Papal curia who reigned simultaneously
opposing each other for close to 40yrs.
Conclusion

Finally, the story of Avignon Papacy has revealed the essence of a cordial
relationship between the church and the secular authority. A well managed
relationship may bring vital resources needed to develop the church. But the
church needs to be cautious on the level of that relationship in other to
forestall the independence and spiritual authority of the church. As we heed
to the advice of Jesus to believers in Mathew 10:16 that we need to be wise
as serpents and innocent as doves.

References

Avignon papacy. (2015). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/45795/Avignon-papacy
College of Cardinals.(2015). In Wikipedia. Last read 18 May 2015
Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Cardinals
Definition of the Avignon Papacy.(2015). About Education. Retrieved from
http://historymedren.about.com/od/thepapacy/p/avignon_papacy.htm
Duffy E. (1997) Saints and Sinners; A History of the Popes, Yale University
Press: New Haven, p.1
Martin Luther. (2015). In Wikipedia. Last read 18 May 2015 Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther
Price C. Gary (2001), The Jesus Cult, New York; Remnant Publishing, p.66

Reeves M.R. (2014,May 22). Avignon Papacy (Video file) Last read 18 May
2015 Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7nhCErkFtI