Temporalities

Temporalities or temporal goods are the secular properties and possessions of the church. The term is nearly often used to describe those properties a Stift in German or sticht in Dutch that were used to assist a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite are spiritualities.

History

In the Middle Ages, the temporalities were commonly those lands that were held by a bishop and used to guide him. After the Investiture Crisis was resolved, the temporalities of a diocese were usually granted to the bishop by the secular ruler after the bishop was consecrated.

If a bishop within the liege indult" Lehnsindult. The temporalities were often confiscated by secular rulers to punish bishops.