Conrad of Gelnhausen ( 1320 – 1390) was a German theologian and

canon lawyer Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

, and one of the founders of the

conciliar movement Conciliarism was a reform movement in the 14th-, 15th- and 16th-century Catholic Church which held that supreme authority in the Church resided with an ecumenical council, apart from, or even against, the pope. The movement emerged in response to ...

of the late fourteenth century. Details of his life are sketchy. He was ''

baccalaureus A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...

'' at the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

in 1344. For the two decades after then he can be tracked by

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

s he is known to have had, in various places in Germany. He turned towards the law later in his career. His influence was through writings from around 1380, after the

Western Schism The Western Schism, also known as the Papal Schism, the Vatican Standoff, the Great Occidental Schism, or the Schism of 1378 (), was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 1378 to 1417 in which bishops residing in Rome and Avignon bo ...

of 1378, the ''Epistola brevis'' and the ''Epistola concordiae''. These appealed for the calling of an autonomous

General Council General council may refer to: In education: * General Council (Scottish university), an advisory body to each of the ancient universities of Scotland * General Council of the University of St Andrews, the corporate body of all graduates and senio ...

to settle matters. This idea was taken up by others, such as

Henry of Langenstein Henry of Langenstein, also known as Henry of Hesse the Elder (german: Heinrich von Langenstein; born Heinrich Heinbuche; c. 1325 – 11 February 1397), was a German scholastic philosopher, theologian and mathematician. Biography Henry was bo ...

References

*R. N. Swanson, ''Universities, Academics, and the Great Schism'', 1979, 59–68, * Hans-Jürgen Becker, ''Konrad von Gelnhausen. Die kirchenpolitischen Schriften'' (Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh, 2018).

External links

* {{Authority control 1320s births 1390 deaths 14th-century Roman Catholic theologians 14th-century German clergy Canon law jurists Year of birth uncertain German male writers 14th-century jurists