Changes

By 1324, John Lutterell, a former chancellor of Oxford university, had complained about Ockham’s orthodoxy, and Ockham was summoned to the papal court at Avignon. Arriving in Avignon between January and May 1324, he stayed there while his theological and philosophical works were being examined.  In 1326 the commission, headed by Durand of St. Pourçain, concluded that 51 propositions in Ockham's writing deserved censure, but they were never formally condemned by the Pope.  In 1237, the Franciscan minister general Michael of Cesena arrived in Avignon. Ockham met Cesena and became embroiled in the dispute about Francisan poverty, about whether Christ and his disciples had ever owned anything.   

By 1324, John Lutterell, a former chancellor of Oxford university, had complained about Ockham’s orthodoxy, and Ockham was summoned to the papal court at Avignon. Arriving in Avignon between January and May 1324, he stayed there while his theological and philosophical works were being examined.  In 1326 the commission, headed by Durand of St. Pourçain, concluded that 51 propositions in Ockham's writing deserved censure, but they were never formally condemned by the Pope.  In 1237, the Franciscan minister general Michael of Cesena arrived in Avignon. Ockham met Cesena and became embroiled in the dispute about Francisan poverty, about whether Christ and his disciples had ever owned anything.   

At the request of Michael, Ockham began to study John XXII’s views on Franciscan poverty, concluding that the pope’s views were heretical. This forced him to leave Avignon for Pisa with Michael on May 26, 1328.  On June 6, 1328, Ockham was officially excommunicated - not for his writings, but for leaving Avignon without permission.

At the request of Michael, Ockham began to study John XXII’s views on Franciscan poverty, concluding that the pope’s views were heretical. The dispute forced him to leave Avignon for Pisa with Michael and other dissidents on May 26, 1328.  On June 6, 1328, Ockham was officially excommunicated - not for his writings, but for leaving Avignon without permission.

In Pisa the group of dissidents met Louis of Bavaria, the Holy Roman Emperor, who was engaged in a political dispute with the Papacy. Ockham is supposed to have said to Louis "Defend me with the sword and I will defend you with the pen" (''me defendas gladio; ego te defendam calamo''). Louis offered Ockham's group protection, and in 1330, Ockham travelled to the imperial court in Munich, where he occupied the rest of his life exclusively with political and ecclesiological treatises. He died in April 1347, when he was about 60.

In Pisa the group of dissidents met Louis of Bavaria, the Holy Roman Emperor, who was engaged in a political dispute with the Papacy. Ockham is supposed to have said to Louis "Defend me with the sword and I will defend you with the pen" (''me defendas gladio; ego te defendam calamo''). Louis offered Ockham's group protection, and in 1330, Ockham travelled to the imperial court in Munich, where he occupied the rest of his life exclusively with political and ecclesiological treatises. He died in April 1347, when he was about 60.