Medieval Heresy And Inquisition Summary

Throughout medieval times, variables such as wealth, gender roles and the growing concern of witchcraft challenged the authority of the Church. Because each of these themes are unique to their circumstances and elicited different if not similar responses from both those involved and those observing, it is relevant to detect and understand why these different events took place, and what became of the people who drove these actions. In chapters four, five and six of Deane’s A History of Medieval Heresy and Inquisition, each of these themes respectively was discussed in detail. The first of the previously mentioned concepts that challenged the authority of the Church is wealth. This was problematic as a good Christian was thought to have few worldly possessions and pride, however once in power, the men of the church had an abundance of these. “Ironically, however, the very appeal of the message and it’s embodiment in the ragged, austere, holy friars brought them into positions of authority and privilege with the institutional church” (pg. 101). As seen earlier the Church had struggled with maintaining authority in regards to people who branched out and used impoverishment as a means of claiming piety. …show more content…
Unsurprisingly this way of life brought followers, who asked to be called Friars Minor, or “Little Brothers” (pg. 102). Francis and his way of life was approved by Pope Innocent III and there were three orders that served towards forwarding the cause. The first order were the men or “Little Brothers” the second were the women, who though they requested to own nothing and to be homeless, because of the gender roles of the time were required to live their chaste lives in supervised walls. The third order were the