Antipapacies

Antipapacies are movements, ideologies, or expressions of opposition to the institutional authority of the papacy within the Roman Catholic Church. The term encompasses a range of political, theological, and social critiques that challenge the pope’s jurisdiction, influence, and doctrinal claims. While not a single, unified doctrine, antipapacies share a common thread of seeking to limit or reject papal prerogatives.

In the early modern period, Gallicanism in France and the Jansenist controversy in the 17th century exemplified early antipapastic sentiment. These movements argued for greater national autonomy in church governance and for theological positions that conflicted with papal pronouncements. The Protestant Reformation further intensified antipapacism, as reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin rejected papal supremacy and advocated for ecclesiastical reforms based on scriptural authority.

During the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, secularist and anti-clerical factions condemned the papacy’s political power, leading to the confiscation of church property and the establishment of state-controlled religions in several European nations. In the 19th and 20th centuries, anti-papal rhetoric was often intertwined with nationalist movements, anti-clerical laws in Italy and Spain, and the rise of secular states in Latin America.

Today, antipapacism appears in various cultural and religious contexts, including secular humanist platforms, anti-clerical activism in certain developing regions, and critiques within non-Catholic faith traditions. The legacy of antipapacists is evident in the evolving relationship between church and state, the historical shaping of Protestant denominations, and enduring debates over the role of charismatic authority in global Christianity.