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(1545-1563 AD) The Index of Forbidden Books was a list of books established by the [[Council of Trent]]. It is also known in latin as the ''Index Librorum Prohibitorum'', being published in an effort to guard Catholics against publications deemed heretical.

The '''Index of Forbidden Books''' ([[Latin]]: ''Index Librorum Prohibitorum'') was a list of books established by the [[Council of Trent]] (1545-1563 AD) in order to guard Catholics against publications deemed unsuitable (for example, having content that was considered [[heretic]]al or immoral). Catholics were not allowed to read these books.

 

Since [[1966]], under [[Pope Paul VI]], the list no longer has force of [[canon law|law]], although the ''moral'' authority of the list was reaffirmed by the [[Vatican]]. The last published list dates from [[1948]].

 

Notable writers whose works appeared on this Index include [[Francis Bacon]], [[John Calvin]], [[Rene Descartes|René Descartes]], [[Karl Marx]] and [[Voltaire]].<ref>[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/indexlibrorum.html Modern history sourcebook], Fordham University</ref>