Question

Which of the following developments demonstrate the Roman Catholic Church experienced hierarchal instability during the later Middle Ages? (select all that apply)

The Protestant Reformation.
The church’s mission to the Americas.
The rise of nation states.
The Babylonian Captivity of the Church.
The (second) Great Schism.

Answer 1

Select:
- The rise of nation-states.
- The Babylonian Captivity of the Church.
- The (second) Great Schism.

Brief reasons:
- Babylonian Captivity (Avignon Papacy, 1309–1377) showed papal dependence on French kings and loss of independent authority.
- The Western/Second Great Schism (1378–1417) split the papacy with multiple claimants, directly demonstrating hierarchical breakdown.
- The rise of strong nation-states in the later Middle Ages (e.g., England, France, Spain) eroded papal power as monarchs asserted control over clergy, appointments, and church revenues.

(The Protestant Reformation and missions to the Americas are later/other developments and don’t primarily illustrate medieval hierarchical instability.)