During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church occupied a dominant position in society. Representatives of all classes obeyed the will of the Pope: from kings to peasants.
The Church possessed not only unlimited power, but also countless possessions and significant wealth. The servants of the Catholic Church skillfully imposed on society a complex of inferiority and insignificance before God: it was for this purpose that the active construction of famous cathedrals began, which impressed with their grandeur and majesty. Catholic priests zealously preached to their flock the doctrine that one should live in poverty, since this is the only way to receive divine grace, while they themselves bathed in luxury, conducted expensive church ceremonies and actively collected tithes from the population.
How did the church fight heretics?
Despite the despotic policies of the church, more and more people appeared among the representatives of peasants and townspeople who questioned the fidelity of its teachings. They accused the clergy of idleness, abandonment of poverty, and excessive spending of money. The Catholic clergy reacted with lightning speed to religious rebellion, and responded with severe repressions that agitated all of Europe for several centuries.
To fight the Catholic Church against heretics, the Inquisition - a secret church court, which, on the basis of anonymous denunciations, dealt with the “messengers of the devil on earth.” The trial was accompanied by prolonged cruel, horrific torture and ended with the death penalty of the person. The legal proceedings were characterized by the absence of an investigation procedure. Often, judges and prosecutors did not even know the name of the defendant, but designated them as defendant number one, number two, number three... etc. The medieval Inquisition always delegated the power to execute heretics to secular authorities, but always controlled that the sentence was carried out.
Inquisition and public burnings
The death penalty was carried out by public burning. The burning of people suspected of heresy was widespread. And if at the initial stage the victims of the Holy Inquisition were people who did not agree with the classical teachings of the church, then over time the categories of apostates increased exponentially. Attractive girls and women were accused of witchcraft and vicious relationships with the devil. Babies born with physical disabilities were considered children of Satan. Both of them faced an inevitable death fate. The families of heretics were ruined, their property was divided in half between the state treasury and the clergy.
Scientific figures, the first astronomers, chemists, and physicists, whose views radically diverged from the teachings of the church, also became victims of the Inquisition processes. Thus, the famous astronomer Galileo Galilei was able to avoid death at the stake only after he publicly renounced the teachings of Copernicus.
It is estimated that the fire of the Holy Inquisition claimed the lives of more than 12 million Europeans, 98% of whom were innocent.
Dogma on the punishment of heretics who today break away from the Holy Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church
First stumbling
Christ commands to treat heretics as pagans, but does not command them to be burned or killed (Matthew 18:17).
WE ANSWER: Christ does not command here, but does not prohibit either. Moreover, Christ never commanded the killing of robbers, adulterers, thieves, or other criminals. However, all this happens through righteous judgment.
Second stumbling block
When the disciples wished for fire to come down from heaven and burn the Samaritans, Christ said: You do not know what kind of spirit you are (Luke 9:55).
WE ANSWER, first of all. The Samaritans are very different from the heretics - they never promised Christ to keep the faith, but they themselves began to believe, and therefore they did not need to be forced. The heretics promised to keep the faith of Christ pure and immaculate, so they should be forced in every possible way.
WE ANSWER, secondly. The apostles James and John, who wanted to burn Samaria, wanted to do this not out of zeal for the salvation of souls, but wanting to take revenge for the fact that they did not accept Christ. Therefore, Christ rightly denounces them.
The Holy Church arms itself against heretics out of zeal for the souls corrupted by heresy. Because of such zeal, Christ Himself drove the merchants out of the Church with a whip (Matthew 21:13), Peter killed Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), Paul handed over the adulterer to Satan for the exhaustion of the flesh and the salvation of the spirit (1 Cor. 5). I will keep silent about the rest, such as Moses, Phinehas, Elijah, Mattathias and others, who, prompted by zeal for God, killed many.
Third stumbling block
Leave both to grow together until the harvest (Matthew 13:30),
- says Christ, that is, wheat and tares, faithful and heretics.
WE ANSWER FIRST: If we look at this parable without turning to interpretation, it may seem that the conclusion should be a refusal to kill villains, robbers and other lawbreakers, but righteous judgment does the opposite. The parable needs interpretation, and its meaning is based on the words of Christ: so that when you choose the tares, you do not pull up the wheat along with them (Matthew 13:29).
If it is possible to remove the evil without harming the good and without a nationwide rebellion, then the tares must be completely eradicated. If it is impossible to eradicate the tares without damaging the wheat, that is, when there is a fear that the innocent will suffer instead of the guilty, or if they will suffer along with the guilty, or when the heretics are stronger than us, and there is a fear that they will win the battle or that more of ours will die than heretics, then, in accordance with the words of Christ, both the wheat and the tares should be left to grow together until the harvest, so that, while destroying the evil, the good would not be damaged along with it. This interpretation is given by Chrysostom and others.
WE ANSWER SECONDLY: By tares here we mean not only heretics, but also all evil people, this interpretation is given by Christ Himself: the good seed are the sons of the Kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil one (Matthew 13:38).
This parable has a more general meaning and teaches that evil will not be completely eradicated until the end of the age.
The fourth stumbling block
When many disciples left Christ, he said to the Apostles: Do you also want to leave (John 6:67)?
The Church should do the same and give everyone the freedom to believe as they want.
WE ANSWER, FIRST: Heretics differ from the Apostles, who were not obliged not to leave Christ, but heretics obliged themselves by holy baptism not to leave the Holy Church, their Mother, and to preserve the faith given in baptism.
WE ANSWER SECONDLY: Christ, having come, chose not to judge, but to be judged, and not to take revenge on himself for insults, but to leave revenge to his spiritual sons. His prototype was David, who, while he was alive, did not want to kill Shimei, who was slandering him, but, dying, he commanded Solomon to take revenge on Shimei for his atrocities (1 Kings 2).
Fifth stumbling block
Christ says to Peter: sheathe your sword (John 18:11).
From these words it is clear that Christ gave the Church a spiritual sword - the Word of God for correction, and not an iron sword for murder.
WE ANSWER: The Holy Church has spiritual and temporal rulers, like two hands that hold two swords, spiritual and material, which help each other. Therefore, when the spiritual sword fails to reach its target, then the material sword is used.
This was foreshadowed when the disciples said: Behold, here are two swords. He said to them: Enough (Luke 22:38).
Christ commanded Peter to sheathe his sword, because he was a spiritual and not a worldly person.
Sixth stumbling block
It is said about Christ: He will not break a bruised reed, nor will He quench the smoking flax (Matthew 12:20).
This is how every Christian should be.
WE RESPOND, firstly, with an objection. Christ, having made a scourge from ropes, drove everyone out of the temple
(merchants)
(John 2:15)
WE ANSWER, secondly. Christ will have mercy and accept the broken reeds of the repentant sinner and his contrite heart.
Seventh stumbling block
Love your enemies (Matt. 15:44; Lk.
6,
35).
WE RESPOND. FIRSTLY. OBJECTION: Didn't I hate it? Lord, did you not grieve for Your haters and Your enemies? I hated them with great hatred; They became my enemies (Ps. 139:21-22).
And again:
and if he does not listen to the Church, then let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector (Matthew 18:17).
WE RESPOND. SECOND: Love your enemies,
they say,
yours,
and not the enemies of the Holy Church, who persecute the Church and kill the souls of the faithful.
Eighth stumbling block
The time is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he is serving God (John 16:2).
WE ANSWER: This speaks of the Apostles, and not of heretics. Otherwise: Moses, Elijah, Phinehas and others, who killed the wicked, truly served God.
The ninth stumbling block
If you do not convert and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3).
WE ANSWER FIRST: Why are you, heretics, not like children? Why are you erupting from the mother's womb of the Holy Church? Why, having previously sucked her nipples, now you cruelly bite them?
WE ANSWER SECONDLY: We must be like children in humility, in meekness, in kindness, purity, and not in negligence about the souls entrusted to our flock.
Tenth stumbling block
There must also be differences of opinion among you, so that skillful ones may be revealed among you (1 Cor. 11:19) -
says the Apostle.
WE ANSWER: Let's give space to three points.
1
. The deceit of the devil, who sows heretical tares.
2
. Human damaged nature, prone to evil.
3
. By God's permission.
Taking these three points into account, we say that there must be heresies, just as we usually say that there must be weeds and bad grass in the garden. And when Christ says that temptations must come (Matthew 18:7),
then with these words he does not command to dispel heresies or not to eradicate them, but only foreshadows what will always be in the world.
And since bad weeds always get out in the garden, it is righteous and good to eradicate temptations, although we know that it is impossible to eradicate all temptations and all evil herbs.
Stumbling Eleventh
The heretic, after the first and second admonition, turn away (Titus 3:10).
Here they are told to turn away, not to kill.
WE ANSWER, FIRST: This is what the Holy Church does. First she exhorts the heretic to return, both once and twice. Finally, when she sees that gangrene is incurable and harms living and healthy members, she strives to cut it off.
WE ANSWER SECONDLY: Here Paul does not command killing, but he does not forbid it either.
WE ANSWER, THIRDLY: Paul himself, who said this, delivered the heretics Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan. And this punishment is stronger than corporal punishment.
Twelfth stumbling block
For why should I judge those who are outside (1 Cor. 5:12)? –
says the Apostle. But since heretics are outside the Church, how can the Church judge them?
WE ANSWER: Heretics are outside the Church, but they must and are obliged to remain within the Church. Therefore they must be compelled to return, just as sheep are compelled when they escape from the sheepfold.
The thirteenth stumbling block
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give room to the wrath of God. For it is written: Vengeance is Mine. I will repay, says the Lord (Rom. 12:19).
WE ANSWER, FIRST: When heretics are killed, this is not done in order to take revenge, but with concern for the salvation of human souls that are killed by heretics. Examples are Moses, Elijah, Phinehas, Mattathias and others.
WE ANSWER SECONDLY: It is impossible to take revenge for an offense without a court hearing. But one should take revenge for the insult inflicted on the Holy Church in every possible way, and especially by attracting the righteous judgment of the authorities, who do not bear the sword in vain, as Paul said (Rom. 13:4).
Stumbling fourteenth
Why would you rather not remain offended? Why would it be better for you now not to endure hardships (1 Cor. 6:7)?
WE ANSWER: This saying applies to you, opponents. Why do you offend the Holy Church and do not want to suffer hardships?
Stumbling fifteenth
If a person falls into any sin, you who are spiritual correct him in a spirit of meekness (Gal.
6,
1).
WE ANSWER, FIRST: Paul, who said this, struck with blindness Elymus the sorcerer, who turned away Anaphipatus from the faith (Acts 13:8).
Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan, so that they would learn not to blaspheme (1 Tim. 1:20).
He betrayed his father, who had a wife, to Satan (1 Cor. 5:1).
In addition, he threatened the Corinthians with a rod: What do you want?
Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of meekness (1 Cor. 4:21)? WE ANSWER SECONDLY: The Holy Church usually first exhorts with a spirit of meekness. But when the weapon in her right hand does not reach the target, she takes another weapon in her left hand.
The sixteenth stumbling block.
If he who rejects the law of Moses, in the presence of two or three witnesses, is punished without mercy with death, then how severe a punishment do you think will be guilty of the one who tramples on the Son of God and does not consider as sacred the Blood of the Covenant, by which he was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace? We know the One who said: Vengeance is Mine. I will repay, says the Lord (Heb. 10:28-30).
WE ANSWER FIRST: This scourge is raised against you, opponents. It is you, having been sanctified by the Blood of the Covenant, who consider it unclean, slandering that the Eucharist contains only simple wine. You trample on the Sacraments of the Son of God, falsely understanding the words of Christ: This is My Body. This is My Blood.
Therefore, if the one who violated the law of Moses must die, then this should apply even more to you.
WE RESPOND. SECOND: If we accept the words of God, vengeance is mine. I will repay
literally, then the conclusion will follow that the worldly court should not kill either evildoers, robbers, or adulterers.
However, this is not so, for Paul says to the Romans: for the ruler is God's servant, for your good.
If you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain: he is God’s servant, an avenger to punish those who do evil (Rom. 13:4). For with these words,
vengeance is mine, I will repay,
God requires from us only that punishment should not come from a desire for revenge, not from cruelty, not from malice, not from enmity, but from zeal for the glory of God and for the sake of preserving the Law and righteousness . This is what Moses did, although the Scriptures praise his meekness. Such is Phinehas, such is Elijah, such are the rest who were zealous for the praise of God.
WE RESPOND. THIRD: God is an Avenger not only in Himself, but also in His governors, whom He placed over us and commanded them to obey (Rom. 13:5).
