The persecutions of marginal groups that occurred in Europe from the 10th through the 13th century were some of the most influential events to occur in Western Christendom. These events not only influenced the history of many ethnic and religious groups but also influenced the rise of influential bodies of power such as the Roman Catholic Church which would go on to be one of the most powerful bodies in Europe. However, the causes that led to these occurrences are a matter of dispute. Through his work, R.I. Moor tries to set the record straight by explaining who caused these persecutions to occur and what their purpose was. Although works from the Middle Ages display marginal groups as a growing threat to Christian society, Moor’s work The
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The reader is presented a situation in European society where the heretic groups were the objects of persecution because they were considered an overwhelmingly power force that would upset the Christian order and spread their evil beliefs across European society. This was done in order to use the views of heretics as a tool for political and social purposes. For example, it is said that the heresy was created for the political interests of the church clergy (Moor, 64). This description of heresy describes the author’s values of exposing the truth of the heretical groups because he gives explanations and details that exonerate the heretics of the accusations and biases that were placed on them by the elite class. For example, in his work Moor says, “Those who defied the Church were extremely diverse in their backgrounds, their motives, and their convictions. If their teachings resembled each other it was because they rebelled against the same things – at first against the corruption of the priesthood and its entanglement in the structures of secular power and later also against the Church’s expanding claims over their lives and purses” (Moor, 67). This description is very informative to the reader because it gives an analysis that describes how the biases and prejudices against this marginal group originated. The …show more content…
The reader is presented a situation in Western European society in which homosexuality was the object of persecution because according to Moor, it was considered part of the stereotype along with Jews, heretics, and lepers that said that they were a threat to Christian society. For example, it is said that as a result of the growing persecutions of marginal groups such as the lepers, Jews, and heretics during the 13th century, homosexuals were starting to become a target of reformers of Christian society (Moor, 88). This description is very informative to us because it gives an analysis that describes how the development of prejudice against this marginal group originated during the 13th century. Therefore, as a result, these marginal groups in Western Europe suffered under the oppression of these powerful clerical and noble classes that tried to expand their power throughout Western European society; their influence on the lives of this marginal group would be felt for year to
The reader is presented a situation in European society where the heretic groups were the objects of persecution because they were considered an overwhelmingly power force that would upset the Christian order and spread their evil beliefs across European society. This was done in order to use the views of heretics as a tool for political and social purposes. For example, it is said that the heresy was created for the political interests of the church clergy (Moor, 64). This description of heresy describes the author’s values of exposing the truth of the heretical groups because he gives explanations and details that exonerate the heretics of the accusations and biases that were placed on them by the elite class. For example, in his work Moor says, “Those who defied the Church were extremely diverse in their backgrounds, their motives, and their convictions. If their teachings resembled each other it was because they rebelled against the same things – at first against the corruption of the priesthood and its entanglement in the structures of secular power and later also against the Church’s expanding claims over their lives and purses” (Moor, 67). This description is very informative to the reader because it gives an analysis that describes how the biases and prejudices against this marginal group originated. The …show more content…
The reader is presented a situation in Western European society in which homosexuality was the object of persecution because according to Moor, it was considered part of the stereotype along with Jews, heretics, and lepers that said that they were a threat to Christian society. For example, it is said that as a result of the growing persecutions of marginal groups such as the lepers, Jews, and heretics during the 13th century, homosexuals were starting to become a target of reformers of Christian society (Moor, 88). This description is very informative to us because it gives an analysis that describes how the development of prejudice against this marginal group originated during the 13th century. Therefore, as a result, these marginal groups in Western Europe suffered under the oppression of these powerful clerical and noble classes that tried to expand their power throughout Western European society; their influence on the lives of this marginal group would be felt for year to