Changes

In both scholarly and popular accounts, the commonly held view has often been repeated that late classical [[Manicheanism|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.  

In both scholarly and popular accounts, the commonly held view has often been repeated that late classical [[Manicheanism|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>  

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 VII|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.  

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.