Medieval heresies were dissident currents from the official religion that not only had an impact on a spiritual level, but also endangered the foundations of medieval society. But why were medieval heresies so powerful? Why did they put the entire medieval structure, and even the Papacy, in check? And what were the most important heresies?
That the Middle Ages was a theocentric society is evident. Medieval human beings did not conceive of the world without the presence of God, and religion was inserted into their daily lives with the same naturalness as market days or guild meetings. In fact, not only was worship practiced in the churches, but they also served as a framework for civil and even commercial assemblies.
Now, it is a mistake to think that the medieval faith was a single whole. In fact, during the 10 centuries that this period lasted, various ideological and spiritual currents appeared, which often represented a protest against the official religion promulgated by the Catholic Church.
Let’s see a list of the most important medieval heresies and their main characteristics.
1. The Arians, one of the first medieval heresies
Shortly after the death of Jesus, the first differences among Christians began to appear. The topic became radicalized as the centuries passed, and towards the 5th century we found a clear differentiation between Catholics and Arians, one of the first important divisions within Christianity.
Who were the Arians? The birth of the Arian faith is attributed to Arius, presbyter of Alexandria (3rd and 4th centuries) and gradually spread throughout Europe during the following centuries.
The main Arian groups were the Germanic peoples who crossed the borders of the Roman Empire in the 5th century; among them, the Goths. As these conquering peoples settled in Roman territory and founded kingdoms, they abandoned their Arian faith and converted to Catholicism. The first German king to renounce Arianism was Clovis, king of the Franks (496).
The Arian faith was based mainly on the belief that Christ had not always existed and that he had been created by God This philosophy clashed directly with the idea of the Trinity, which held that Christ was of the same essence as the Father and that, therefore, he had not been created.
The Council of Nicaea (4th century) condemned Arianism, which represented, in addition to a deviation from the faith considered true, a threat to the stability of the Empire.
However, the doctrine still remained in force for many years, especially among the Germanic peoples. The Lombard king Grimoald (7th century) is considered the last Germanic monarch to convert to the Catholic faith.
2. The followers of Arnaldo of Brescia: the Arnaldists
The preaching of Canon Arnaldo of Brescia must be placed in a context different from that which surrounded Arianism. We are already in the 12th century; The growth of cities is unstoppable and cathedral schools and the first universities are in full swing. Ideological currents travel from one side of Europe to the other and question the principles of the official Orthodox faith.
The Gregorian reform, promoted by Pope Gregory VII a century earlier, aimed to return to the Church the initial precepts of Christianity, which included, among others, chastity and poverty. In reality, this reform hid a political motive, which was none other than strengthen papal authority over regional powers Thus, the Christian liturgy was unified under the Roman rite (and in this way, the liturgical manifestations of each area were lost). Papal superiority was also proclaimed above any temporal power and, therefore, the emperor, something that did not please the lords at all.
Thus, although the Gregorian reform also contemplated a purification of customs within the Church, it was not enough to satisfy the needs of the faithful and, furthermore, it represented a direct affront against the authority of local powers. It is not surprising, then, that during the following century a series of heresies developed strongly that represented a clear protest against papal power and its doctrine.
In this context it is understood the appearance of preachers such as Arlando of Brescia, who promulgated poverty and the absolute rejection of riches The direct attack of him to the Pope causes him to be captured by Frederick I, who, after obtaining from the Pope the promise of making him emperor, delivers the prisoner to the Roman curia. Arnaldo is sentenced to death, and his remains are thrown into the Tiber River to avoid pilgrimages to his tomb.
3. The Waldenses or the Poor of Lyon
Just two decades after the death of Arnaldo of Brescia, a new heretical current emerged: the Waldenses, also called the Poor of Lyon. Followers of Pedro Valdo, a rich merchant from Lyon who abandoned his luxurious existence to embrace a mendicant life, this group took up the idea of poverty that Arnaldo had already rescued. In this case, They emphasized the contradiction of being, at the same time, rich and Christian
This medieval heresy went further, by raising the question of preaching; They considered that every Christian, even if he was a layman, had the obligation to preach, thus following the order written in the Gospels: Go and announce the good news to all peoples.
Many consider Pedro Valdo as one of the precursors of Protestantism, since one of the most important bases of his doctrine was free access to the Gospels and the translation of the Bible into vulgar languages, in order to be understood by all the faithful without the need for an intercessor. The Waldenses were condemned at the Third Lateran Council, along with the Cathar heresy.
4. Dulcino and the millenarian doctrines
Throughout the Middle Ages, millenarianism had been spreading, a rather heterodox current that based its beliefs on the Apocalypse of Saint John. From this book took the idea of the second coming of Christ, the arrival of the Antichrist and the fight between Good and Evil
There were many followers of this current; among them, Abbot Joaquin de Fiore y Dulcino, founder of the sect of the Apostolic Brothers or Dulcinists. Dulcino continued the idea, defended by previous heresies, of the return to evangelical poverty. But, in addition, the Dulcinists preached the end of times and the reestablishment of order after the second descent of Christ.
Dulcino constituted an uncomfortable figure for the official Church, since he directly attacked the ecclesiastical hierarchy and its opulence. Likewise, he was persona non grata for the feudal lords, since he also criticized the feudal system, the basic pillar of medieval society. Pope Clement V, from the papal see of Avignon, promulgated a crusade against the Dulcinists, which culminated in the arrest, torture and execution of Dulcinus in the summer of 1307.
5. The Cathars or Albigensians, the most famous medieval heresy
If there is a widely known and tremendously popular heresy, it is the Cathar heresy. Many legends and myths have been told about it, and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish reality from fantasy.
The great fame that the Cathars acquired is given, on the one hand, by the very nature of their doctrine, and on the other, by the great stir that their existence entailed. Indeed, Pope Innocent III called the lords of France to a crusade against the Cathars (also called Albigensians, since they had one of their most important fiefdoms in the city of Albi). The crusade was bloody, it dragged on in time and finally led to the annexation of the territories of Languedoc, where the Cathars had no less than five dioceses, to the French crown.
But what did the Cathars believe? Their faith had its roots in the dualistic philosophies that came from the East: they believed in a good God, creator of souls, and in an evil demon, author of bodies and all physical manifestation. Thus, the most “pure” Cathars rejected marriage and procreation, as well as the eating of meat. Salvation was obtained through an absolute renunciation of everything created by the devil, that is, all of creation. Only the souls were good and pure.
Catharism was one of the last medieval heresies, but also one of the most important. After putting the feudal order and the official Church in check, the Cathars disappeared in the middle of the 13th century, although there are testimonies of their survival until the beginning of the following century. We hope that this brief review of the most important medieval heresies will help you better understand this complex period of history.
