8 sentences with “ecclesiastical”

The Great Western Schism finally ended after a series of ecclesiastical councils, the Conciliar Movement, succeeded in establishing the authority of a single pope in 1417.

These weaknesses were reflected in one simple fact: there were several times over the centuries when there were rival popes, usually appointed by obedient ecclesiastical officials answerable to kings.

The leaders of the revolutionary movement of May 1810 were prestigious residents of the city, all well known for their good performance in public or ecclesiastical positions, or for their permanent dedication to commercial activities.

The Council of Florence featured public lectures on Greek philosophy, art exhibitions and a huge ecclesiastical council that brought together representatives of the Latin and Eastern Orthodox Churches in a (doomed) attempt to heal the schism dividing Christianity.

The movement elected a new pope, Martin V, and asserted that ecclesiastical councils could and should have ultimate authority over papal appointments - this concept was known as the via consilii, the existence of a great council with binding powers over church leadership.

All students and professors were male, as the sole purpose of the studies was supposed to be to create better ecclesiastical officials; although some women became important medieval thinkers, they were either exceptional individuals who had been tutored by men or were nuns who had access to the (often excellent) education of the convents.

With the Bourbons this all changed: they were kings of Spain, the metropolis of existing colonies in the Americas. Gradually, Creoles were replaced in the exercise of political, ecclesiastical or military government. From then on, most of the posts would be filled by officials sent from Europe, where they would return as soon as their term of office was over.

Church organisation: The government also made changes to the organisation of the Catholic Church, which were strongly resisted by the clergy and the population. As a result of these changes, many ecclesiastical properties passed into the hands of the government, and the convents of the Franciscan, Dominican, Mercedarian and Bethlehemite monks were suppressed.