Podcast Episode 57
Avignon Papacy
with Dr. Joelle Koster & host Nick Walters
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Power, politics, and the papacy—what really happened in Avignon?
Episode 57 of This Week in Christian History examines the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377), one of the most consequential and debated periods in the history of Christianity. When the papal court relocated from Rome to Avignon in southern France, it marked a dramatic shift in the geographic and political center of the Church—one that continues to raise questions about authority, influence, and credibility.
This episode features three core segments that define the structure of the podcast each week.
First, an interview with Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College. This conversation frames why the Avignon Papacy remains such a critical turning point, particularly in understanding how the relationship between church leadership and secular rulers evolved during the late medieval period. The influence of King Philip IV of France, the pressures facing the papacy in Rome, and the long-term implications of relocating the papal seat are all part of the broader historical context explored in this segment.
Second, a Deep Dive with subject matter expert Dr. Joëlle Rollo-Koster of the University of Rhode Island, one of the leading scholars on the Avignon Papacy and late medieval Church administration. This discussion examines the realities behind the move to Avignon, including the development of papal bureaucracy, the financial systems that supported the Church, and the ways in which governance expanded during this period. The Avignon Papacy was not simply a geographical relocation—it was also a time of institutional growth and centralization, even as critics raised concerns about political dependence and moral authority.
The conversation also helps situate the Avignon Papacy within the larger narrative of Church history, especially as a precursor to the Western Schism (1378–1417), when competing papal claims would divide Europe. Understanding this period is essential for grasping how questions of legitimacy, unity, and reform developed in the centuries that followed.
Third, the episode includes a couple of historical highlights from this week in Christian history. This week features Ignaz von Döllinger, a 19th-century German theologian and church historian who became a central figure in opposing the doctrine of papal infallibility at the First Vatican Council, emphasizing the importance of historical scholarship and conscience within the life of the Church. It also highlights Hans Nielsen Hauge, the Norwegian Lutheran lay preacher whose revival movement stressed personal faith, lay leadership, and economic responsibility, leaving a lasting mark on Scandinavian Christianity.
Together, these highlights reinforce a broader theme that runs throughout this episode: the ongoing tension within Christianity between institutional authority and calls for reform. From the Avignon Papacy to the 19th century and beyond, believers have continually wrestled with how the Church should exercise authority while remaining faithful to its spiritual mission.
The Avignon Papacy stands at the intersection of theology, politics, and institutional development. It challenges modern audiences to consider how external pressures shape religious leadership and how those decisions are remembered across generations. Whether seen as a necessary response to instability or as a period of compromised independence, it remains a defining chapter in Christian history.
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