Conciliarism

Conciliarism is the doctrine that a general council of the Catholic Church holds supreme authority, including authority over the pope. It gained prominence during the Western Schism and shaped debates over church governance.

Western Schism: A division in the Latin Church from 1378 to 1417, when rival claimants to the papacy governed from Rome and Avignon. Competing popes prompted arguments that a council could restore unity and judge papal claimants.
Jean Gerson: A French theologian and chancellor of the University of Paris who advocated church reform and conciliar authority. Gerson supplied influential theological arguments for councils acting to resolve the schism.
General council: An assembly of bishops and other authorized participants convened to address matters of church doctrine, discipline, or governance. Conciliarists located supreme ecclesiastical authority in this assembly rather than exclusively in the pope.
Decree Frequens: A 1417 decree of the Council of Constance calling for general councils to meet at regular intervals. It sought to make conciliar oversight a recurring institution rather than an emergency remedy.
Ultramontanism: A movement emphasizing the pope's authority and centralized governance in the Catholic Church. It championed the papal centralization that opposed conciliarist limits on the pope.
Council of Pisa: A 1409 church council that deposed the rival popes Gregory XII and Benedict XIII and elected Alexander V. Its failed attempt to end the schism exposed the risks of claiming a council could depose popes.
Pierre d'Ailly: A French theologian and cardinal who promoted conciliar solutions during the Western Schism. His writings and role at Constance helped establish the case for council supremacy.
Papal primacy: The doctrine that the pope holds a unique position of authority and leadership in the Catholic Church. Conciliarism limits papal supremacy by placing the pope under a general council.
Council of Trent: A Catholic council held in multiple sessions from 1545 to 1563 to address reform and respond to Protestant challenges. Its papal oversight and deliberations reflected a church increasingly governed through strengthened papal authority.
Gallicanism: A French Catholic tradition that defended the church's liberties and the authority of bishops and councils against papal centralization. It shares limits on papal power but grounds them in national church liberties and episcopal rights.

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