from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957
The Great Schism, otherwise know as the Schism of the West was not strictly a schism at all but a conflict between the two parties within the Church each claiming to support the true pope. Three months after the election of Urban VI, in 1378, the fifteen electing cardinals declared that they had appointed him only as a temporary vicar and that in any case the election was invalid as made under fear of violence from the Roman mob. Urban retorted by naming twenty-eight new cardinals, and the others at once proceeded to elect Cardinal Robert of Geneva as Pope Clement VII, who went to reside at Avignon. The quarrel was in its origin not a theological or religious one, but was caused by the ambition and jealousy of French influence, which was supported to some extent for political reasons by Spain, Naples, Provence, and Scotland; England, Germany, Scandinavia, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Flanders and Hungary stood by what they believe to be the true pope at Rome. The Church was torn from top to bottom by the schism, both sides in good faith (it was impossible to know to whom allegiance was due), which lasted with its two lines of popes (and at one time three) till the election of Martin V in 1417. It is now regarded as practically certain that the Urbanist popes were the true ones and their names are included in semi-official lists; moreover, the ordinal numbers of the Clementine claimants (who, however, are not called anti-popes,) were adopted by subsequent popes of the same name.
church differences
The crusades were going on and they changed a lot.
The Pope's claim of supremacy or authority over the church is what caused the Schism in the church in the late 1300s.
The Church's huge land holdings (A+)
Indulgences led reformers to speak.
The Church's huge land holdings (A+)
Protestant Reformation
Roman Catholic AnswerThe question, as asked, makes no sense, as the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, and, obviously, can not be "weakened" as it is guaranteed by God and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Weakened power of the church, increased power of the king, 1/3 population died, Fuedalism was weakened.
the power of the catholic church was weakened
churches; crises
churches; crises