The Time of the Three Concurrent Popes: the Avignon Papacy and the Great Schism

One of the central doctrines in the Catholic Church is that of the papacy—a belief that has shaped Catholic Christianity for centuries. Catholics assert that the pope is the direct successor of Saint Peter, forming a continuous chain of apostolic succession. Although I think it can be argued that the papacy should not even be considered Christian, minimally, we should recognize that the papacy is plagued with the failings of human ambition and political maneuvering. For evangelicals who hold Scripture as the final authority in the life of the church, the dramatic events of the Avignon Papacy offer a clear illustration of the corruption of the papacy.

The Catholic Problem: The Papal Claim of Divine Authority

Catholics have long maintained that each pope inherits “the totality and supremacy of the power Christ left on earth for the building up of the kingdom of God.” This claim of divine empowerment is used to justify a central, unchallenged authority within the Church. However, history shows that the supposed apostolic succession and divine authority is not as believable as some people might purport. The Avignon Papacy is a prime example of how the papacy is not a straight succession from the apostles. Rather, it is a human-made institution tainted by sin and corruption.

The Papacy in Avignon and the Great Schism

In 1309, under Pope Clement V, the seat of the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon, France—a period that would later be derisively called the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. This move was nothing less than political maneuvering. France and England were engaged in bitter conflicts at the time, and the French crown’s pressure played a significant role in drawing the papacy away from Rome. The Avignon Papacy, which lasted until 1377, was characterized by an ever-growing entanglement with secular powers. Instead of being an impartial, “divinely guided leader,” the pope became a political pawn.

As part of the political maneuverings and deal-making, Pope Gregory XI, who reigned from 1370 to 1379, returned the papal seat to Rome. By this time, the Catholic Church was already deeply divided by the influence and legacy of the Avignon period. After Gregory XI’s death, the election of Pope Urban VI in Rome further deepened the rift. Urban VI was elected under the assumption he would move the papacy back to Avignon, but he refused. In response, a group of dissenting cardinals, many of whom had ties to the French court, declared Urban VI’s election invalid. They elected Clement VII as an alternative pope and re-established the papal court in Avignon. This schism was not a mere administrative dispute—it was a full-blown crisis that splintered the Church into factions. For nearly four decades, rival popes reigned concurrently, each supported by different nations and factions, each claiming to be the rightful successor of Saint Peter.

Years	Roman Pope	Avignon Pope	Years
1378–1389	Urban VI	Clement VII	1378–1394
1389–1404	Boniface IX	Benedict XIII	1394–1423
1404–1406	Innocent VII
1406–1415	Gregory XII

This situation became known as the Great Schism (1378–1417). The Catholic Church split into competing lines of authority. To make matters worse, in 1409, an Ecumenical Council convened in Pisa attempted to resolve the dispute by deposing the existing popes and electing a new one, Alexander VI. Yet, even this intervention failed to settle the crisis, as the deposed popes continued to claim legitimacy, each pope excommunicating the others and deepening the confusion within the Catholic Church. Admittedly, having three individuals who claim to be pope is bound to have some negative effects!

This Great Schism was finally rectified when the Council of Constance convened in Germany and elected Pope Martin V (1417-31), a new pope, and deposed the other three popes. This council succeeded, and the other popes were rendered powerless. Interestingly, this was the same council that commanded John Huss, the famous Reformer, to be burned at the stake in 1415.

The Lesson for Believers

The history of the Avignon papacy and the ensuing schism stand as a stark testimony to the illegitimacy of the papacy and its authority. The claim that the papacy is an unbroken line to the apostles with divine authorization is seriously challenged by the history of the papacy. It is precisely this lesson that bolsters the true believer’s conviction that Scripture—God’s unchanging and inspired Word—is the only true authority for faith and practice.

The principle of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) is not merely a theological position; it is the cornerstone of church life and personal faith. Unlike the papacy, which has demonstrated over the centuries that its human leadership is fallible and subject to error, the Bible remains the only reliable guide. Scripture, untainted by human ambition or political maneuvering, offers a timeless standard against which all teachings must be measured.

The turbulent history of the Avignon Papacy underscores the dangers of elevating a human institution to a status of infallibility. The saga of divided loyalties, political opportunism, and bitter schisms makes it clear that the Catholic church’s claim of authority centered in the pope is mistaken. Authority should never rest in the hands of any individual or centralized hierarchy outside of Scripture. Instead, those in the church must be guided by the clear, unwavering truths found in the Bible. The story of the Avignon papacy provides a needed reminder to rely on God’s Word alone for guidance, instruction, and correction.

Photo by Ashwin Vaswani on Unsplash