Changing Policy on Medieval Heresy Essay -- essays research papers

heresy, as defined by the medieval church, is an eyeshot chosen by human perception, found on the scriptures, contrary to the teachings of the church, publically avowed and obstinately defended (Moore ix). The word unorthodoxy originates from the Greek word, Hairesis, meaning choice (George xi). During the Medieval prison term period, which stretched from the 700s to the 1400s, heresies became sought out as religious alternatives to the constraining Catholic perform (George 342, Roach 11). The common people began to become increasingly more educate (Roach 52). With this came the ability, the need, to question authority (Moore 3, Roach 59). Because of the churchs religious monopoly and the laitys demand for knowledge, unorthodoxy became a widespread practice across Europe during the Middle Ages, causing the Church to reconsider their methods of controlling the spread of heresy and devise new shipway to appease the opposing heretical factions.The Roman Catholic Church, which h ad once been a unification of the churches of both the knotted Empire and the Western Empire, divided into the eastern Orthodox Church and the Western Roman Catholic Church (Hamilton and Hamilton 4). The east Orthodox Church, located in Constantinople, spoke out greatly against heresy ?The Faith of the three hundreds and eighteen fathers assembled at Nicaea...shall not be brand aside, but shall remain firm. And every heresy shall be anathematized? (Roach 10). The Church scorned heresies and tried to abolish heresy using any method they could (Moore 8-10).Heresy?s spread through Europe was not appreciated by the Church, but it remained unquestioned by the larger part of the civilian population for a time because people began to make more choices in their lives... ...orced to reevaluate their means of suppressing the rising heresies and the heresies devised new ways to fit better into inn (George xiv). Cited1.George, Leonard. Crimes of Perception an Encyclopedia of Heresies an d Heretics. crude York, Paragon House, 1995. 2.Hamilton, Janet and Bernard Hamilton. Christian Dualist Heresies in the Byzantine World c. 650-c. 1450. New York Manchester University, 1998.3.Lambert, Malcolm. Medieval Heresy Popular Movements from Bogomil to Hus. New York Homes & Meier, Inc, 1976.4.Leff, Gordon. Heresy in the Later Middle Ages The Relation of Heterodoxy to Dissent c. 1250-c. 1450. New York Manchester University, 1969.5.Moore, R.I. The Origins of European Dissent. Oxford Basil Blackwell, 1985.6.Roach, Andrew P. The Devil?s World Heresy and company 1100-1300. United Kingdom Pearson Education, 2005.