Criticism of the Church; Pope Alexander VI; papal and clerical corruption;…

The idea

In the early sixteenth century, criticism of the Catholic Church intensified due to widespread papal and clerical corruption. Pope Alexander VI epitomised this decay through nepotism, simony, and fathering illegitimate children. At the parish level, anti-clericalism grew as priests were often absent, ignorant, or greedy. Concurrently, Christian humanists like John Colet, Thomas More, and Desiderius Erasmus sought internal reform. Erasmus’s In Praise of Folly satirised clerical abuses, while Colet preached against worldly clergy. Despite these intellectual critiques and lingering heresies like Lollardy or Hussitism, humanists advocated for educational reform rather than schism, distinguishing their intellectual anti-clericalism from popular heresy.

What earns the marks

• Identify specific examples of papal corruption under Pope Alexander VI, such as simony and nepotism, including the elevation of his son Cesare Borgia.
• Explain the nature of clerical corruption at the parish and diocesan levels, including pluralism, absenteeism, and clerical ignorance.
• Analyse the humanist approach to reform, specifically how Colet, More, and Erasmus used scholarship and satire to critique the Church without advocating schism.
• Distinguish between intellectual criticism through humanism, popular anti-clericalism driven by resentment of tithes, and formal heresies such as the Hussites.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing humanism with Protestantism.

  Put it right: Emphasise that humanists like Erasmus and More remained loyal Catholics who wanted internal reform, not a break from Rome.

• Assuming anti-clericalism meant a rejection of Christian belief.

  Put it right: Clarify that anti-clericalism was directed at the behaviour and privileges of the clergy, not the theology of the Church.

• Treating all criticism as heretical.

  Put it right: Distinguish between accepted internal criticism, such as Colet's sermons, and condemned heresies that challenged core doctrines.

Exam tips

• Use Pope Alexander VI as a concrete case study when evaluating the extent of moral decay at the highest levels of the Church.
• Contrast the methods of the humanists, who used scholarship and satire, with the more radical approaches of heretical movements.
• When assessing the condition of the Church, weigh the evidence of corruption against the fact that the institution remained deeply embedded in daily life.