Response to: "Patronage and Popes: Saints or Sinners?" by Loren Partridge

            The pope was commonly portrayed in woodcut prints or other art as a great builder and a person who is dedicated to the arts.  It makes sense that the pope is commonly portrayed this way, because a great deal of art from that time was commissioned by either them or church officials they were close to.  I was surprised to read about corrupt the Renaissance church was.  In the reading “Patronage and Popes: Saints or Sinners?”, the author said, “Popes generally appointed family members to high office regardless of merit (neopotism) and often carved dynastic family states out of church lands (alienation).  Clerics were often poorly educated, lax in their vows, and undisciplined.  Officers were routinely bough and sold (simony), and a single church official could draw income from many offices and benefices (pluralism) without attending to the duties of any absenteeism).”  It seems as though people of the church were among this hierarchy that did not poses the need to obey all the rules.  They knew they were in a position of power and they commonly abused it.  That is not to say that all popes abused their power, however many did violate the churches expectations of them. 

            In the past, churches were held to a higher standard.  They were an important entity of the system that was made up of relationships between lords and vassals.  However, during the Renaissance reform, societies’ priorities changed.  They changed from holding importance on the past allegiances between lords and vassals, and instead placed importance on money.  This was a difficult change for the church and they had trouble adjusting to the new ways of life. 

Before the reform, the priests of the church were though of as to be religious teachers for the common class.  However, as money influenced their society and the people they once preached advice to changed, the priests came to see that they had less and less in common with the people, and didn’t know how to advise them anymore.