Wednesday, September 25, 2024

*** This is a rough transcript of today’s show ***

It is September 25th, 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

Here at 1517, there is no doubt as to where we stand on the Protestant/Catholic divide.

And knowing the important question of authority in church history and for church unity I do not wish to make light of papal claims. But… ONE guy? ONE! The President of the Church, everywhere! Wowza. Even if I wasn’t a lick religious I would want to follow the stories of these gents holding authority surpassing the mightiest Pharaoh.

Ok, all that to say. What would it take, in the whole history of Popes (like 266, plus or minus a few based on theological predilections), for one of them to be named “the most unfortunate of Popes”? Well, dig this:

Giulio de’Medici (Patrick or Sam Ortiz- just email or text with how I should say it from now on out…) he’s born in 1478. A de’Medici! Wow, cool.

Except he was the illegitimate son of Giuliano de Medici, who was assassinated shortly before his birth. Bummer.

And then he’s adopted by his Uncle, Lorenzo (“the Magnificent”), and raised in Florence until Savonarola and the mess that gets him kicked out.  

He and his cousin travel Europe! Until they are arrested. They are bailed out and come home. His cousin is then named Pope- Leo X (that’s a big one, folks). That’s ok- Giulio is not ordained and because he’s illegitimate he ends up working behind the scenes for his cousin, the new Pope.  

He makes his way up to Vice Chancellor, awesome. Except the year is 1517 and a bunch of stuff is gonna happen.

He is praised for being the better statesman during the early events of the Reformation, and when Leo dies, he expects to become the next Pope.

But a plan backfires and a different guy is named Pope- a Dutchman (and the only Dutchman, and the last Non-Italian until Pope John Paul II).  

But then, in 1523 lil’ Giulio, the illegitimate, is made Pope. He picks the name Clement VII.

But by this point, and in part because of his predecessor's failures, the real power across Europe (both in the State and Church) is being held between Francis the King of France and Charles V of Habsburg (and giant chin) fame.

Before the battle of Pavia, Clement backs Charles, and Charles is victorious. Sweet.

But he then transfers his allegiance to Francis before the disastrous sack of Rome by Charles and Clement (aka Lil’ Giulo) is imprisoned. 

He is eventually let out by Charles, but then is given the ignominious task of crowning Charles Holy Roman Emperor- something that started in the days of Charlemagne (ostensibly putting the church under the power of the state). Clement would be the last pope to ever do this (at least, in this manner).

Man, what a mess.

But in all of this there had been some trouble from across the English Channel. King Henry VIII was upset with his wife, Catherine of Aragon (the Aunt of Charles V, the man who humiliated him) and wanted a divorce. “Ah!” Thanks, Clement- my own Papal legate, Cardinal Wolsey, will straighten this out! Until Wolsey couldn’t, or wouldn’t- Thomas Cranmer would annul the marriage, and now the English Reformation was underway.  

Poor Clement. 

He was, by many accounts, a sincere man who was well-liked by many, and by comparison with some of the Renaissance Popes (we’re looking at you, “Warrior Pope” Julius II), he seemed like he might be the right guy for the job. He tried to call a council to debate the Reformation but was blocked by Francis. He wanted to keep some balance of power among the monarchs but was humiliated by Charles V. And then the whole English Reformation was thrown at his feet….

He was a patron of the arts and a fine statesman (perhaps), but in the words of historian Eamon Duffy- “he was a disastrous Pope,” and he continues, “Poor Pope Clement VII, overwhelmed by multiple catastrophes, which had included Martin Luther, died (we will add, on this the 25th of September) in 1534.  

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary and John 8 and some self-revelation from Jesus:

25 “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 25th of September 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man wondering how you score a nickname like “the Magnificent”…. Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who, walking down the hall yesterday, did an impromptu jazz box; muscle memory is there…. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.