Class notes
Medieval Europe - Treatment of Heretics
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An introduction to the status and treatment of heretics in medieval Europe.
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HERESY IN LATIN CHRISTENDOM(Most notes initially from lecture slides)
Example: Saint Chapelle is a Gothic royal chapel in Paris – consecrated in 1248, around the time of
the Inquisition’s creation. Built to house the ‘crown of thorns’.
MEANING
- Deliberate defiance of church teaching and Holy Scripture.
- Opposite of Orthodoxy – Church leaders must have been aware of both.
- Many heretics still thought of themselves as Christians, but rejected the Church in its current
form – they saw the Church as heretical to Christian values?
EMERGENCE
- Appeared to emerge during this period – almost no evidence of heresy in early medieval
Europe.
- Appears in 11th century.
- Persecution widespread by 13th century.
- Less to do with increase in heresy, but rather Church reform making Christians more
conscious of what it meant to be a heretic…
Examples of heretical groups from the period and onwards:
- Beguines.
- Cathars.
- (Hussites) - Later.
- Joachimites (Spiritual Franciscans, Fraticelli).
- Lollards.
- (Waldensians) - Later.
CHURCH REFORMS
Most heretics were not heretics at all, but Catholic Reformers, wanting a different Church to the one
they found.
The Church was unifying its identity 1100-(1500). Excluding certain groups made people conscious of
what it meant to be included; in other words, heresies defined the Church.
AIMS
- A clergy which is distinct from laity.
- They provide an example of a good Christian life.
- Laity should adopt a more active Christian life.
- New ‘human’ element – conception of Christ/God. (‘Medieval humanism’).
- God as kind and loving, not terrible; but Satan also seemingly more real.
- Concept of ‘Crusade’ – more active participation amongst the laity.
- More intellectual thought – meant ideas; can be dangerous, bringing people closer to heaven
and hell.
TENSIONS
- Church as an agent of reform.
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