Popes and Councils: A Survey of Church History with W. Robert Godfrey

Summary

The sermon explores the evolution and crises of papal authority in the Middle Ages, referencing claims by Innocent III and Boniface VIII (specifically the bull "Unam Sanctam"). It highlights the debate among canon lawyers regarding papal absolutism versus limited monarchy, a tension that culminated in the Avignon Papacy and the subsequent Western Schism with multiple papal claimants, ultimately challenging the very notion of papal infallibility and authority. The practical takeaway is that such grand claims, when tested by crisis, lead to profound questions about leadership, governance, and the spiritual well-being of believers.