Related Resources • History: November • Religious Timelines

0537
Pope Silverius died.

1050
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV was born. Henry played a major role in the Investiture Conflict, a disagreement between the papacy and secular rulers which was part of a wider conflict over the relationship between church and state.

1215
The Fourth Lateran Council opened in Rome. Organized by Pope Innocent III in Rome in order to discuss and define central dogmas of Christianity, it is one of the most important councils ever held and its canons sum up Innocent's ideas for the church. It recognizes the necessity of the Eucharist and penance as sacraments for salvation. It also addresses heresies, declaring that: "...Convicted heretics shall be handed over for due punishment to their secular superiors, or the latter's agents. ...If a temporal Lord neglects to fulfill the demand of the Church that he shall purge his land of the contamination of heresy, he shall be excommunicated by the metropolitan and other bishops of the province. If he fails to make amends within a year, it shall be reported to the Supreme Pontiff, who shall pronounce his vassals absolved from fealty to him and offer his land to Catholics. The latter shall exterminate the heretics, possess the land without dispute and preserve it in the true faith... "

1417
The Council of Constance, largest Church meeting in medieval history, officially ends the Great Schism of the West by declaring three rival popes deposed and electing a third: Pope Martin V. It replaces a papal monarchy with a conciliar government, which recognizes a council of prelates as the pope's authority and mandates the frequent meeting of councils. This new period is known as the Italian territorial papacy and lasts until 1517 CE.

1491
Martin Bucer, a leading figure for the Reformation, was born.

1855
Soren Kierkegaard, existentialist philosopher,was born.

1934
Charles Edward Coughlin founded the National Union for Social Justice (Union Party).

1992
The Church of England voted to permit the ordination of women as priests.

1992
After a five-and-a-half hour debate and by a margin of only two votes the General Synod (the Church of England's parliament) gave official approval to the ordination of women.

2004
Yasser Arafat, leader of the PLO, dies.

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