Nepotism
nepotism
(Latin: nepos, nephew)
Preferment shown by rulers to relatives in the bestowal of offices on grounds of relationship rather than those of merit. Historically, the term is appled to the policy of some of the earlier popes of putting relatives into positions of responsibilities and honor in the Church. This was done sometimes for unworthy motives (Sixtus IV and Alexander VI ), sometimes in the interest of the Church (Paul IV and Pius II). Some of the opponents of nepotism were: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux , Saint Bonaventure , Cardinal Bellarmine; Pope Clement IV , Pope Benedict XII , Pope Innocent VI , Pope Urban V, Pope Gregory XI , Pope Hadrian VI , Pope Paul IV, Pope Pius V, Pope Innocent XI , and Pope Innocent XII . Innocent XII gave nepotism a death blow by his celebrated Bull “Romanum decet Pontificem,” 22 June 1692.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Nepotism
is a word invented in ecclesiastical language to express a peculiar characteristic of many high ecclesiastics in Roman Catholic countries, and more particularly of popes, a propensity, namely, to aggrandize their family by exorbitant grants and favors conferred on members of it; literally on nephews (Latin nepotes). Many of the highest and wealthiest families of the Roman nobility owe their elevation entirely to this species of patronage. Nepotism was first practiced, and that to a very considerable degree, by pope Nicholas III (q.v.), towards the close of the 13th century; reproachfully he was called the patriarch of papal nepotism. In the 15th century it found most prominent practice under Sixtus IV (q.v.), and he may be said to have carried nepotism to its highest pitch, and to have given rise to much scandal in the Romish Church. Alexander VI (q.v.) is only second to the preceding pope (see Butler, Eccles. Hist. 2:129, 132; Fisher, Hist. of the Ref. Page 45). Alexander V had no relations on whom to lavish his friendship, but he found an opportunity to practice nepotism towards the order to which be belonged prior to his elevation to the papacy. As early as the 16th century strong efforts were made to stay this evil practice. Pope Pius IV and his successors labored for this end. But nepotism was not successfully circumscribed until the 17th century by popes Innocent XI and XII, the latter of whom subjected, by a bull under date of July 28, 1692, all cardinals to an oath against the practice of nepotism. See Leti, II Nepotismo di Roma (Amst. 1667; in Latin, entitled Nepot. Rom. [Stuttg. 1669]); Ranke, Hist. of the Papacy; Ffoulkes, Divisions of Christendom, 1:561; Milman, Hist. of Latin Christianity, 6:141, 530; 7:272, 302; 8:171; Cartwright, On Papal Conclaves, pages 180-183; Wessenberg, Gesch. der Kirchenversammlungen (see Index in volume 4).
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Nepotism
Of Joseph
Gen 47:11-12
Of Saul
1Sa 14:50
Of David
2Sa 8:16; 2Sa 19:13
Of Nehemiah
Neh 7:2