03/07/2026 15:00
- 19:30
HALL: Pola - AT14
Chair:
Barresi F.,
Caragnano M.M.
Contact:
Barresi F.
This open panel aims to examine the relationship between Pope John XXII (1316-1334) and the diverse dissident groups that emerged before and during his pontificate. The late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries witnessed the proliferation of dissenting religious movements—such as, but not limited to, the Spiritual Franciscans—as well as lay communities including, for instance, beguines and beghards. These groups sought official recognition from the Avignon papacy or struggled to preserve their identity—at times denied, at times reshaped—and their institutional autonomy.
At the same time, several figures saw their positions formally condemned. A notable example is Meister Eckhart, whose propositions were censured in the bull In agro dominico (1329), illustrating John XXII's determination to define the boundaries of orthodoxy in the face of emerging theological currents. His pontificate was also marked by vigorous action against a broader spectrum of opponents. The conflicts with major Italian Ghibelline powers—such as the Visconti and the Della Scala—reveal how accusations of heresy, rebellion, and political disobedience could intersect, especially when ambitions in temporal matters challenged papal claims.
The panel seeks to shed light on the dynamics of encounter, negotiation, and conflict between these religious, lay, political, and intellectual actors and John XXII. It will explore how different communities and individuals positioned themselves in relation to papal authority, which strategies they adopted in moments of tension, and what political, social, theological, and ecclesiological consequences arose from such confrontations.
Proposals addressing these themes are welcome. Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words by 13 March, 2026 to: francesca.barresi@unimore.it and martinamaria.caragnano@unimore.it
