conciliarism

Conciliarism is a theory in the History of the Catholic Church that holds ecumenical councils, rather than the pope alone, possess supreme authority in church matters. Proponents argued that a general council could define doctrine, reform church discipline, and, if necessary, depose or depose and elect popes in order to resolve crises within Christendom.

The movement emerged in the context of late medieval crisis, notably the Western Schism (1378–1417), when multiple rivals claimed the papal office. Calls for reform and unity led to a belief that a council could effectively govern the church when papal power appeared divided or corrupt. The early attempts included the Council of Pisa (1409) and the more successful Council of Constance (1414–1418), which ended the schism by deposing rival popes and electing Martin V, while asserting some limits on papal authority in favor of conciliar governance during the crisis.

A more sustained conciliar effort arose at the Council of Basel (1431–1449), which asserted that the council possessed authority over the pope and that reform should proceed under conciliar direction. The papal position, however, prevailed in the long term: Basel was reconciled with the pope, and later councils increasingly operated within a framework that reaffirmed papal supremacy.

Conciliarism waned with the Catholic Church’s strengthened mechanisms for reform and doctrinal clarification, notably the Council of Trent (1545–1563), which reaffirmed papal authority and the central role of apostolic succession. In Catholic tradition, the universal teaching authority and infallibility later defined and elaborated in the 19th century further discouraged conciliarist claims. Nevertheless, the movement influenced debates on church governance, emphasizing the tension between collective ecclesiastical authority and papal prerogatives.