In the IV century BC.e.Emperor Constantine turned the persecuted Christian religion to the official, widely adopted in the vast Roman Empire.After that persecuted and oppressed adherents of Christianity began to deny themselves and pursue their enemies, attributing them to unorthodox unorthodox beliefs.At the same time, the bishop of Rome was developed system of views and ideas, which later became the foundation of Catholicism.Anything that does not fall under this system was despised, and later persecuted.People who disagree with conventional religious beliefs, were called heretics, and the teachings themselves were called heresies.
Social causes of heresy
emergence of heresies in Christianity is usually associated with the social and ideological changes that have occurred in the lives of Christians in the time of persecution.Most poor people looking for a new religion in reconciliation and equality.Therefore, a gradual process of enrichment of the clergy, the strengthening of administrative beginning apostasy during the persecution could not bring condemnation on the part of ordinary believers.In the poorest strata of the population continued to live a simple and modest ideals of early Christian life.Contradictory mood of the masses, diverse interpretations of Christian doctrine and general discontent full life of the higher clergy and gave impetus to the emergence and spread of ideas that preached the heretics with whom the Catholic Church waged a long and bloody struggle.
Nicaea in 313, the emperor Constantine issued a Toleration Act, according to which all citizens have the freedom of religion.This document, named after the Edict of Milan, in fact, marked the Christianity as a full-fledged religion.Then, in 325, took Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in, which first sounded the word "heresy".The first bishop was declared a heretic Arius, who had been considered one of the pillars of Christianity.Arius preached Creation, Secondary Jesus compared God.Orthodox as an equality between God and Jesus Christ, which later formed the basis of the doctrine of the Trinity.Arius and his followers, called Arians, were the first carriers of those ideas that preached heretical.
century without heretics
In 384 he was executed Priscillian - the last of those who have been formally convicted of faith in the Roman Empire.But the political vision and methods of strengthening the government, left a legacy of this powerful state, the Catholic Church has adopted and is actively used.For centuries, Catholicism did not pay attention to the different interpretations of the New Testament and Christianity are actively traded in the European nations.It was only after the formation of the Carolingian Empire - that is, with the strengthening of the secular authorities, Millennium, Catholicism became a common religion, and in the chronicles and the annals of the time re-appeared the word "heresy".
Causes
monks who lived at the beginning of the second millennium, often described the healing ability of the holy relics and various miracles taking place with the believers.In these records and found an extremely disapproving mention of those who mockingly refers to the Holy relics, perhaps, the first heretics were people who did not recognize the "holy miracles."These ridicule poured in protests that took place in the name of the Gospel - the Gospel of meekness, justice, poverty and humility of the Gospel and apostles of the early Christians.Those views, which preached heretical, based on evangelistic concepts reflecting, in their opinion, the very essence of Christianity.
Home persecution
According to medieval annals and chronicles, those who were called heretic, denied the authority of councils, refused infant baptism, did not recognize the sacrament of marriage and confession.First come down to historians example of how the church has struggled with heretics, dated 1022 year.Sentences dissenters burned at Orleans told the children to the essence of what the heretics preached.These people did not recognize the sacrament of communion, baptism performed with one laying on of hands, denied the cult of the Crucifixion.You can not assume that the heretics were people from the lowest strata of the population.On the contrary, the first victims of the fires were educated at that time pastors, using theology to justify their dissent.
penalty in Orleans opened the way for the most severe repression.The fight against heretics ignited fires in Aquitaine and Toulouse.To the bishops led entire communities infidels, who spoke before the ecclesiastical courts with Bible in hand, explaining and proving quotations from Scripture is correct that preached heretical.As the Catholic Church fought the heretics, the church can be seen from the verdicts of judges.Sentenced in full force went to the fire, which spared neither children nor the elderly.Fires in Europe - a vivid example of how the church has struggled with heretics.
In the XII century, fires burned in the Rhine lands.Heretics were so many that the monk Evervin de Steynfeld requested help from the Cistercian monk Bernard, having a reputation as a consistent and brutal persecutor of the Gentiles.After the large-scale massacres and raids fires burned in Cologne.Judicial investigations and sentences dissidents were no longer set of allegations of witchcraft and immorality, but kept clear points of disagreement with the heretics by orthodox church concepts.Convicted and sentenced, "the apostles of Satan" took his death so bravely that caused concern and the murmur of the crowd present at the burning.
foci of heresy
Despite the fierce repression of the church, there were pockets of heresy in Europe.The popular notion of dualism, as a struggle between good and evil, has gained a second wind in the heretical trends.The principle of duality was that the world was not created by God, and the rebellious angels - Lucifer, which is why there is so much evil, famine, death and disease.At the end of XII century dualism was considered one of the most serious heresy.The concept of the battle between good and evil, angel and the dragon, was widespread in the early Middle Ages, but struggle with this idea the church began much later.This was due to the fact that in the XII century in Europe has strengthened the royal and ecclesiastical power, life is relatively stabilized, and the principle of duality - the struggle - has become unnecessary and even dangerous.The power and the power of God, and therefore the Church - something which is opposed by the heretics, and that carried a danger to the strengthening of Catholicism.
Distribution heresies
In the XII century the main centers of the earth were considered heresy in Southern Europe.The communities were built in the image of the Catholic Church, but, in contrast to the orthodox clergy in the management of the church was given to the place and women.The heretics in the Middle Ages called "good man" and "a good woman."Historians later time began to call them to Qatar.This name comes from the Middle Ages, the word cattier translated as witch, bowed to the cat.
known that the Cathars had their own religious institutions held their councils, to recruit more and more adherents.If France and Germany are destroyed dissent in the bud, then in Italy and Languedoc Cathars expanded and strengthened its influence.Many of the noble families of the time to adopt a new faith, and gave food and shelter to the persecuted co-religionists, and subject to the doctrine that preached the heretics.
Catholic Church fought the heretics
At the beginning of the XIII century.the papal throne by Innocent III, whose goal was to bring together all the European world, the return of southern European lands to the monastery church.After a series of setbacks Catholic Church, taking over all powers to eradicate heresy, and entered into an alliance with the king of France, led the crusade against the dissidents.Twenty years of incessant wars, mass burning of people led to a complete seizure of Languedoc and the planting of the Catholic faith.But there were whole families and communities of people who secretly kept the customs of their ancestors, and resisted the invaders.It was to identify and eradicate the rebels had established the Inquisition.
Inquisition
In 1233 the papacy established a special body that has the authority to impose repentance and punish the disobedient.The power of the Inquisition was given to Dominicans and Franciscans, who carried the South preaching a new land based on the tenets of the Catholic Church.Instead of open armed terror Inquisition used denunciations and slander as a tool to identify and destroy the disobedient.Compared with the mass executions last Inquisition killed a few, but it was terrible to be in her hands.Simple repentant could rid confiscation of property and public repentance for those who defended their right to faith, the verdict was a fire.They do not spare even the dead - their remains exhumed and subjected to burning.
Thus, the Catholic Church and heretics were unequal battle for one and the same faith of the same God.The whole history of Catholicism becoming lit fires perished for their faith.The extermination of heretics served as further proof as having the power of a church in the name of Christ, to destroy the other, weaker, the Church.
