Block, SkipCaptcha, Upload, Automoderated users, edit, move, protect
30,891
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 23:
Line 23: − + Line 44:
Line 44: − + − The Cathars or Albigensians (these are synonyms, the original reference being to the Cathars of the city of Albi in Southern France<ref>Müller</ref>), were an important Christian heresy in Europe between about 1150 and 1350.+ + Line 58:
Line 59: − + Line 71:
Line 72: − + + + + + − In both scholarly and popular accounts, the commonly held view has often been repeated that late classical [[Manichaeism]] experienced a revival in the eleventh century, a notion going back to the [[Middle Ages]] when ‘Manichaean’ was used by the orthodox catholic Christian Church as a generic label for heretics from about the year 1000 onwards, and that in the three and half centuries between 1000 and 1350 variant forms of the doctrines of ‘Manichaeism’ had spread in Europe, where followers of those doctrines were commonly known as [[Cathar]]s, even if they did not properly belong to that particular sect. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Line 85:
Line 130: + + Line 132:
Line 179: + +
User:Dataclarifier/Development page (view source)
Revision as of 18:13, January 24, 2020
, 18:13, January 24, 2020→Development
Etymology
Etymology
The term Bogomil in free translation means "dear to God", and is a compound of the Slavic words for "god" (Common Slavic: *bogъ) and "dear" (Common Slavic: *milъ). It may be also a translation of the Greek name Theophilos, literally "dear to God; loved by the gods," from theos "god" + philos "loved, beloved". The Bogomils were so-called supposedly after their founder, the priest Bogomil. But it is difficult to ascertain whether the name was taken from the reputed founder of that movement, a priest known by the name Bogomil (Bulgarian: Богомил, romanized: Bogomil), or whether he assumed that name after it had been given to the sect itself.
The term Bogomil in free translation means "dear to God", and is a compound of the Slavic words for "god" (Common Slavic: *bogъ) and "dear" (Common Slavic: *milъ). It may be also a translation of the Greek name Theophilos, literally "dear to God; loved by the gods," from theos "god" + philos "loved, beloved". The Bogomils were so-called supposedly after the name of their founder, the priest Bogomil. But it is difficult to ascertain whether the name was taken from the reputed founder of that movement, a priest known by the name Bogomil (Bulgarian: Богомил, romanized: Bogomil), or whether he assumed that name after it had been given to the sect itself.
In Church Slavonic documents the members are referred to as Babuni, which originally meant "superstition; superstitious person" (Common Slavic: *babonъ, *babunъ *babona). Toponyms<ref>A Toponym is a place name, especially one derived from a topographical feature.</ref> which retain the name include the river Babuna, the mountain Babuna, the Bogomila Waterfall and village Bogomila, all in the region of Azot today in central North [[Macedonia]], suggesting that the movement was very active in the region.
In Church Slavonic documents the members are referred to as Babuni, which originally meant "superstition; superstitious person" (Common Slavic: *babonъ, *babunъ *babona). Toponyms<ref>A Toponym is a place name, especially one derived from a topographical feature.</ref> which retain the name include the river Babuna, the mountain Babuna, the Bogomila Waterfall and village Bogomila, all in the region of Azot today in central North [[Macedonia]], suggesting that the movement was very active in the region.
200 - 3rd century
200 - 3rd century
Manichaeism was a heretical Christian movement present throughout late antiquity, between approximately 240 and 800 CE.
Manichaeism was an heretical dualist movement of Persian origin present throughout late antiquity, between approximately A.D. 240 and 800. The first Manichaean texts were found in 1905 in Turfan, [[Mongolia]]. These source texts consist mainly of fragments, and have the unique virtue of being accompanied by illustrations. Most of these texts are preserved in Berlin. Since 1930 an enormous number of almost entirely Manichaean texts has been found in Fayum, in Egypt. Written in Coptic, these texts include the ''Manichaean Homilies'', the ''Psalm-book'' and the ''Kephalaia''. New discoveries are still being made. The Cologne ''ManiCodex '', discovered in 1970, contains autobiographical passages by Mani (A.D. 216-274). All these texts have now been made accessible in the CFM (''Corpus Fontium Manichaeorum''), initiated by the International Association of Manichaean Studies (IAMS). These have made it possible to study Manichaeism without relying on the interpretations of the [[Early Christianity|Church Fathers]].
300 - 4th century
300 - 4th century
Up to 1930, our knowledge of Manichaeanism was based mainly on information from its opponents, such as the great Apostolic Father, [[Saint Augustine]] (354-430), who, according to his ''Confession'' had been a fervent Manichee before his conversion to orthodox catholic Christianity under the influence of the preaching of [[Saint Ambrose]].
400 - 5th century
400 - 5th century
600 - 7th century
600 - 7th century
The Paulicians were Christian heretics in the Byzantine Empire between about 600 and 1000.
The Paulicians were Gnostic dualist Christian heretics in the Byzantine Empire between about 600 and 1000.
700 - 8th century
700 - 8th century
1000 - 11th century
1000 - 11th century
The Bogomils were Christian heretics in the Balkans between about 1000 and 1400.
The Bogomils were Christian heretics in the Balkans between about 1000 and 1400 who promulgated a neo-Gnostic anarchic dualist doctrine. The Bogomils first appeared in the tenth century in Bulgaria and spread throughout the Byzantine Empire.
In both scholarly and popular accounts, the commonly held view has often been repeated that late classical [[Manichaeism]] experienced a revival in the eleventh century, a notion going back to the [[Middle Ages]] when ‘Manichaean’ was used by the orthodox catholic Christian Church as a generic label for heretics from about the year 1000 onwards, and that in the three and half centuries between 1000 and 1350 variant forms of the doctrines of ‘Manichaeism’ had spread in Europe, where followers of those doctrines were commonly known as [[Cathar]]s, even if they did not properly belong explicitly to that particular sect.
Another trend in the academic debate about Manichaean influence on Catharism centers on developments in medieval Europe itself. By the year 1000, the church had become very corrupt. Ecclesiastical offices were sold, celibacy as a clerical requirement was often ignored, and the parish priests received hardly any theological training. The heretics’ chief objections concerned the seven sacraments and the unworthiness of the clergy. They wanted to return the church to the pristine era of the apostles <ref>Van Schaik, p. 51</ref>. However the sources before about 1150 provide no substantive information about their heretical teachings. This gave rise to a broad religious reaction: the lay people in particular sought to return to the origins of Christianity. This reaction is known as the [[Pope Gregory VI|Gregorian]] reform movement. Some researchers think that Catharism is a logical radicalization of this reformation.<ref>Moore; Morghen</ref>
Their criticism of the church attracted the accusation of being ‘Manichaeans,’ an epithet derived from the writings of Augustine. The existence of Manichaeans in Europe was first reported in 1020. Many similar reports were to follow.
1100 - 12th century
1100 - 12th century
Around the year 1150 the Bogomils were repeatedly condemned and persecuted by Emperor Manuel Komnenos without any apparent effect. The Bogomils spread west from the Balkans (Bosnia and Servia).
The Cathars or Albigensians (these are synonyms, the original reference being to the Cathars of the city of Albi in Southern France<ref>Müller</ref>), developed into an important neo-Gnostic and dualist Christian heresy in Europe between about 1150 and 1350, significant for its rejection of both state and orthodox catholic ecclesiastical authority.
The Cathar sources: Moderate Catharism and Radical Catharism.
Moderate Catharism
Moderate Catharism was influenced by the Bogomil movement <ref>Van den Broek; Quispel.</ref>. The texts with moderate Cathar ideas are: the ''Interrogatio Iohanni'', also called the ''Cène Secrete'' <ref>Bozóky</ref>; two versions of the rituals, one in Latin <ref>Dondaine, ''Un Traité''</ref> and one in Provencal <ref>Clédat</ref>; ''A Vindication of the Church of God'' <ref>Venckeleer, ''Revue belge''</ref>, ''A Gloss on the Lord’s Prayer'' <ref>ibid., Venckeleer, ''Revue belge''</ref> and the ''Visio Isaia'' <ref>Charles</ref>.
The ''Cène Secrete'' describes a “moderate dualism”: there is one good God and a fallen angel (Lucifer) who created the earth. This has also been called “Gnostic dualism” . It includes the dualism of the Bogomils and that of the moderate Cathars <ref>Van Schaik, pp. 89-90.</ref>. The inquisitor and former Cathar, Reinerius Sacconi (d. 1262) traces the origin of the various moderate Cathar churches in Southern Europe back to the “church of Philadelphia in Romania” <ref>Sanjek.</ref>.
There are no problems with regard to the historical transmission of moderate dualism: Bogomil ideas were taken back to Europe by the returning crusaders. The inquisitor Anselmus Alessandria reports this in 1266 <ref>''Tractatus the hereticis''</ref>. The ''Cène Secrete'' from about 1190 confirms this: the manuscript ends with a note: “this manuscript originates from Bulgaria” <ref>Bozóky, p. 87.</ref>.
Radical Catharism
There are fewer texts with radical Cathar ideas: the ''Liber the Duobis Principiis'' (circ. 1250-1280; SC 198) and the ''Liber contra Manicheos'' (BHRE 37). The ''Liber the Duobis Principiis'' is the only surviving extensive radical Manichaean text available to us. The ''Liber contra Manicheos'' (''circa'' 1218-1222) is by Durand the Huesca, an opponent of the Cathars, and contains a radical Cathar treatise. The contents of the two texts accord closely with the information that we have from the opponents of the Cathars, so we can use both texts.
The transmission of radical dualism to Europe is said to been brought by a certain ‘Pope Nicetas’ from Constantinople to Northern Italy and Southern France. However the sources are unclear about the sectarian origins of Pope Nicetas; whether he was from the Bogomil Church <ref>Runciman; Niel.</ref>, or from the Paulician sect <ref>Borst; Thouzellier.</ref>. Pope Nicetas is said to have converted the moderate Cathar bishops to radical Catharism during the so-called Council of Saint Félix de Caraman in 1167 <ref>Fearns</ref>. However there are strong indications that this source was a seventeenth century forgery <ref>Dossat; Thouzellier.</ref>. The only certain fact is the transmission of Bogomil dualism to moderate Cathar dualism.
The supposed influence of Manichaeism on the Cathars has been increasingly questioned, particularly as regards ''radical'' Catharism, because it was especially this variant of Catharism that was said to teach the same dualism as did the Manichaeans <ref>Söderberg; Dies.</ref>.
The Cathars, like the Bogomils, claimed to be Christians. They differed from Catholic Christianity in teaching dualism and Docetism, both of which had been [[dogma]]tically condemned as [[Heresy|heretical]]. Because the Cathars taught that the creation and the body were created by the wicked [[demiurge]] or [[Satan]], they could not imagine that Christ could have been incarnated in the flesh. According to the ''Interrogatio Iohanni'', he entered Mary through her ear and left her again in the same way <ref>Bozóky</ref>.
According to Sacconi, the radical Cathar Giovanni di Lugio taught that Christ actually suffered, died and rose again, not in the physical world, but in a higher world <ref>Sanjek; Borst.</ref>. This idea cannot be found so clearly in the ''Liber de duobus principiis'', which claims that Christ was crucified by the bad God and creator, meaning the old Testament Iahweh <ref>Liber IV, p. 53, ed. Thouzellier.</ref>. The good God had nothing to do with this. Therefore the crucifixion does not represent salvation for men, but does show that the ''veri christiani'' "true Christians" (the Cathars) will have to suffer in his footsteps <ref>ibid., Liber VII, p. 66, ed. Thouzellier.</ref>. The true salvation is achieved through ''gnosis''. For the Cathars, Christ is the wise teacher who teaches us that our true origin is from the spirit <ref>Borst; Müller.</ref>.
At the Council of Reims in 1157, measures were taken against the “impure sect of the Manichaeans” <ref>Mansi, 1903</ref>. The first report from a layman about the Cathars dates from 1177. This report is not based on information from Augustine. In a letter to a Cistercian abbot, Count [[Raymond of Toulouse]] in Southern France asks how he should proceed against the heretics who “teach two principles”, that is, two Gods <ref>Stubbs</ref>. The heretics were then interrogated, and the report of the interrogations speaks of heretics who preach “two gods” <ref>ibid., Stubbs.</ref>.
From that point, events move rapidly.
1200 - 13th century
1200 - 13th century
Within a few decades, Southern France in particular develops into a Cathar bulwark. The Cathars have the sympathy of the population and the local nobility, while the [[Roman Catholic Church]] has little influence on them.
The Cathar priests had been successful because they led pious and ascetic lives in imitation of the apostles, in apparent contrast to the general Catholic clergy, although the Catholic clergy included many pious members who practiced personal poverty and disciplines of ascetic self-denial. So beginning in 1178, Rome sent [[Dominican]] [[monk]]s already practicing the same ascetic discipline, who tried with little success to convert the Cathars to Catholicism.
The church’s response came in three increasingly harsh phases:
1. Attempts at conversion:
2. The inquisition, established in 1184. The inquisition was a church court that interrogated those suspected of Cathar sympathies, and the Cathar faithful and priests, in a brutal fashion. Their property was declared forfeit, and they were forced under torture to betray others. The perfecti and other intransigent Cathars died at the stake.
3. The crusade: Finally the church turned to its ultimate weapon, launching a crusade against the Cathars in Southern France from 1204. Pope Innocent III announced the ‘Crusade against the Albigensians’ (= Cathars) officially in 1208. Thus there was a domestic crusade in Europe, between the fourth and fifth crusades against the Saracens . The Cathars were often persecuted in horrifying ways. The situation reached its nadir with the conquest of the fortress of Montségur in 1244, when 205 Cathar priests (parfaits or perfecti) died at the stake. The Cathars retreated into the Pyrenees. However the last Cathars, a group in the caves of Lombrive, were not eliminated until 1330, when the only access to the caves was bricked over.
1400 - 15th century
1400 - 15th century
The Bogomils were still being persecuted in Bosnia in 1462. A year later, Bosnia was conquered by the Ottomans, and the Bogomils apparently adopted Islam, as they did elsewhere following Islamic conquests <ref>Bozoky</ref>.
[[Montanism]]
[[Montanism]]
[[Anarchism]]
[[Alchemy]]
[[Alchemy]]