It was to build up the great
outward corporation of the Church that all these labors of Innocent
mainly tended. Even his additions to the canon law, his reforms of
ecclesiastical jurisdiction, dealt with the external rather than the
internal life of the Church. The criticism of James of Vitry, that the
Roman curia was so busy in secular affairs that it hardly turned a
thought to spiritual things, is clearly applicable to much of
Innocent's activity. But the many-sided Pope did not ignore the
religious wants of the Church. His crusade against heresy was no mere
war against enemies of the wealth and power of the Church. The new
tendencies that were to transform the spiritual life of the thirteenth
century were not strange to him. He favored the early work of Dominic;
he had personal dealings with Francis, and showed his sympathy with
the early work of the poor man of Assisi. But it is as the conqueror
and organizer rather than the priest or prophet that Innocent made his
mark in the Church. It is significant that, with all his greatness, he
never attained the honors of sanctity.
Toward the end of his life, Innocent held a general council in the
basilica of St.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353