Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics

Examines the various heretic movements and individuals throughout Christian history, from the time of Christ's crucifixion to the 16th century. "For more than sixteen centuries, charges of heresy often resulted in imprisonment, torture, and death for the accused. Defining what constituted heretical beliefs and determining who espoused them was a grave preoccupation for religious and secular institutions alike. More than 130 detailed entries make this reference a complete guide to heresies and heretics, from the first century -- a time when Christians struggled among themselves to define the parameters of their faith -- through the sixteenth century, when the distinction between heresy and reform began to crumble. The entries cover the individuals, religious sects, spiritual movements, and historical events connected to heresy. Although organized as a reference work, the entries as a whole permit the reader to follow the dramatic evolution of heresy from such early sects as the Adoptionists, Gnostics, and Montanists -- each attempting to shape the developing orthodoxy of the Church to groups such as the Cathars, who were perceived as such a threat to medieval Catholicism that an armed invasion of southern France was mobilized to destroy them. It was in this climate that the Inquisition, aimed at uncovering and suppressing further heretical movements, was destined to emerge. Here, too, are such well-known figures as St. Francis of Assisi, whose radical followers were executed as heretics, and St. Joan of Arc, whose execution was motivated more by politics than religion, along with an in-depth discussion of the witchcraft persecutions. Enhanced by a bibliography, an index, and extensive cross-referencing, the Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics is an authoritative record of unorthodox religious belief and its often violent extirpation."--Book jacket flap Everyone has heard of the word heresy. Attached to such famous historical figures as Galileo and Joan of Arc, the word heresy today brings to mind an image of individuals or groups that are considered to have been ahead of their contemporaries in thought or action. Prior to the seventeenth century, however, there was not such a high regard for those who digressed from the mainstream. On the contrary, persecution of "heretics" was rampant from the time of the Roman Empire. Through the sixteenth century. Despite this history of overt intolerance, standard reference works on the subject have been few; and those that do exist are far from comprehensive in scope. Now, the Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics offers access to the multitude of controversial people, religious sects, spiritual movements, and other historical events related to heresy. Chas S. Clifton, the author of this authoritative compendium of heresies and heretics, draws upon. Primary sources and historical analysis to provide insight into such key historical figures as Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor, and Conrad of Marburg, a ruthless heretic hunter during the Inquisition. Numerous illustrations further depict the prominent people, movements, places, texts, and terms included in this book; and extensive cross-referencing increases the reader's understanding of the social, political, and cultural aspects surrounding each entry. The Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics will prove fascinating to the academic and layperson alike. Further research on the topic is encouraged by the full listing of sources in the bibliography at the end of the book. This wonderful, and educational Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics is a gem. This volume organized as a reference work, the entries as a whole permit the reader to follow the dramatic evolution of heresy from such early sects as the Adoptionists, Gnostics, and Montanists-each attempting to shape the developing orthodoxy of the Church.