Cathars as Cultural Waste: A Global Theory of Cathar Heresy as “the Other” of a New Social Order
David Zbíral
Department for the Study of Religions, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, david.zbiral@post.cz
http://www.david-zbiral.cz
Introduction
- Goal: suggest a theory of the function of Cathar heresy in the intellectual culture of the Western Christendom, 1160-1300.
- Deals with polemical construct of Cathar/Patarene/Manichean heresy, not groups.
- Disproportion: demographic and political insignificance × huge reaction
- Question: Why the intellectual and political elites invested such considerable cultural resources into suppressing a movement with hardly any importance?
- Structure of argument: 1) Roots of this theory in previous scholarship. 2) Presentation of the theory. 3) What kind of theory it is and what are its limits.
1) Roots of the Theory in Previous Scholarship
- Synthesis.
- Max Weber (e.g. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, 1905).
- Herbert Grundmann (Religiöse Bewegungen im Mittelalter, Berlin, 1935).
- Norman Cohn (Europe’s Inner Demons: The Demonization of Christians in Medieval Christendom, London, 1975).
- Lester K. Little (Religious Poverty and the Profit Economy in Medieval Europe, London, 1978).
- Tzvetan Todorov (La Conquête de l’Amérique: La Question de l’autre, Paris, 1982).
- Robert I. Moore (The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Power and Deviance in Western Europe, 950-1250, Oxford, 1987, developed in id., The First European Revolution, c. 970-1215, Oxford, 2000, and id., The War on Heresy, Harvard, 2012).
- Dominique Iogna-Prat (Ordonner et exclure: Cluny et la société chrétienne face à l’hérésie, au judaïsme et à l’islam, 1000-1150, Paris, 1998).
- Pilar Jiménez Sanchez (Les catharismes: Modèles dissidents du christianisme médiéval (XIIe-XIIIe siècles), Rennes, 2008).
2) Presentation of the Theory
- 1) Time of changes: population growth, economy, urbanization, written law and other bureaucratic elements, universities, scholasticism, Church reform.
- 2) Transforming societies search for a new social order. Scholastic thought participated in this.
- 3) Some scholastic thought patterns were directed against radical asceticism: 1) purged of many elements of radical ascetic thought and practice; 2) relatively inner-worldly 3) purged of elements of monastic elitism. “Socio-constructive rationality”?
- 4) Image of Cathar heresy = nearly exact opposite. Based on: Ekbert of Schönau, Liber contra hereses katharorum (1163/1165); Hugh Eteriano, Contra Patarenos (1160s/1170s); Liber contra manicheos (1220s?); Liber Suprastella (1235); Moneta of Cremona, Adversus catharos et valdenses (1241/1244); Disputatio inter Catholicum et Paterinum hereticum (1240s); Las novas del heretje (1240s); a couple of summae auctoritatum against “Manicheans”; Pseudo-Cappelli, Summa contra hereticos (1240/1270). Rejection of the world, dualistic theology, rejection of marriage, secular government, oath-taking, violence, and judicial punishment. Severe predestination. Rejection of means removing the individual responsibility for salvation (infant baptism, purgatory, offerings for the dead). Elitist ecclesiology.
- 5) Cathar heresy: designed to form one of the preeminent “others” defining the new, world-affirming version of Christianity. Delegitimization of ascetic Christianity.
What Kind of Theory Is This?
- Synthesis. Not in sources.
- Unsuitable for interpretation of dissenter’s texts.
- “Big theory”.
Conclusion
- Relative insignificance of dissenting groups contrasts with their importance in polemical writing and inquisitional action.
- Cathar heresy = negative self-image.
- “Cultural waste”.
References
Sources
Bazzocchi, Dino (ed.), L’eresia catara II (Appendice): Disputationes nonnullae adversus haereticos, codice inedito Malatestiniano del sec. XIII., Bologna: Licinio Cappelli 1920.
Bruschi, Caterina (ed.), Salvo Burci, Liber Suprastella, Roma: Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo 2002.
Douais, Célestin (ed.), La Somme des autorités à l’usage des prédicateurs méridionaux au XIIIe siècle, Paris: Picard 1896.
Hamilton, Bernard – Hamilton, Janet – Hamilton, Sarah (eds.), Hugh Eteriano, Contra Patarenos, Leyden – Boston: Brill Academic Publishers 2004.
Harrison, Robert Joyce (ed.), Eckbert of Schönau’s Sermones contra Kataros I-II, Ph.D. thesis, Columbus: Ohio State University 1990.
Hoécker, Carola (ed.), Disputatio inter Catholicum et Paterinum hereticum: Die Auseinandersetzung der katholischen Kirche mit den italienischen Katharern im Spiegel einer kontroverstheologischen Streitschrift des 13. Jahrhunderts, Firenze: Sismel 2001.
Käppeli, Thomas, „Une Somme contre les hérétiques de S. Pierre Martyr (?)“, Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum 17, 1947, 295-335.
Meyer, Paul, „Le débat d’Izarn et de Sicart de Figueiras“, Annuaire-bulletin de la Société de l’histoire de France 16, 1879, 233-292.
Moneta Cremonensis, Adversus Catharos et Valdenses, ed. T. A. Ricchini, Roma 1743.
Ricketts, Peter T. (ed.), „Las novas del heretje“, http://www.rialto.unina.it/poerel/heretje(Ricketts).htm, 10 May 2002.
Romagnoli, Paola (ed.), Summa contra hereticos: Edizione critica con saggio introduttivo e commento storico, Ph.D. thesis, Bologna: Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia 1992.
Thouzellier, Christine (ed.), Une somme anti-cathare: Le Liber contra Manicheos de Durand de Huesca, Louvain: Spicilegium sacrum Lovaniense 1964.
Literature
Biget, Jean-Louis, „I catari di fronte agli inquisitori in Languedoc, 1230-1310“, in: Jean-Claude Maire Vigueur – Agostino Paravicini Bagliani (eds.), La parola all’accusato, Palermo: Sellerio 1991, 235-251.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „‚Les Albigeois‘: remarques sur une dénomination“, in: Monique Zerner (ed.), Inventer l’hérésie? Discours polémiques et pouvoirs avant l’Inquisition, Nice: Centre d’Études Médiévales 1998, 219-255.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „Mythographie du catharisme“, in: Historiographie du catharisme, Toulouse: Privat 1979, 271-342.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „Réflexions sur ‚l’hérésie‘ dans le Midi de la France au Moyen Âge“, Heresis 36-37, 2002, 29-74.
Cohn, Norman, Europe’s Inner Demons: The Demonization of Christians in Medieval Christendom, Sussex – London: Sussex University Press – Heinemann Educational Books 1975.
Hempel, Carl G., Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays in the Philosophy of Science, New York: The Free Press – London: Collier-MacMillan 1965.
Grundmann, Herbert, Religiöse Bewegungen im Mittelalter, Berlin: E. Ebering 1935.
Iogna-Prat, Dominique, La Maison Dieu: Une histoire monumentale de l’Église au Moyen Âge (v. 800-v. 1200), Paris: Le Seuil 2006.
Iogna-Prat, Dominique, Ordonner et exclure: Cluny et la société chrétienne face à l’hérésie, au judaïsme et à l’islam, 1000-1150, Paris: Aubier 22000.
Jiménez Sanchez, Pilar, Les catharismes: Modèles dissidents du christianisme médiéval (XIIe-XIIIe siècles), Rennes: Presses universitaires de Rennes 2008.
Jiménez Sanchez, Pilar, „Variations dans les rites sacramentaires des cathares: L’exemple de l’initiation chrétienne (XIIe-XIIIe siècles)“, Bollettino della Società di studi valdesi 121/194 (Essere minoranza: Comportamenti culturali e sociali delle minoranze religiose tra medioevo ed età moderna), 2004, 37-58.
Little, Lester K., Religious Poverty and the Profit Economy in Medieval Europe, London: Paul Elek 1978.
Moore, Robert I., The First European Revolution, c. 970-1215, Oxford: Blackwell 2000.
Moore, Robert I., The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Power and Deviance in Western Europe, 950-1250, Oxford: Blackwell 22007.
Pegg, Mark Gregory, „On Cathars, Albigenses and Good Men of Languedoc: Historiographical Essay“, Journal of Medieval History 27, 2001, 181-195.
Théry, Julien, „L’hérésie des bons hommes: Comment nommer la dissidence religieuse non vaudoise ni béguine en Languedoc (XIIe-début du XIVe siècle)?“, Heresis 36-37, 2002, 75-117.
Todorov, Tzvetan, La conquête de l’Amérique: La question de l’autre, Paris: Seuil 1982.
Weber, Max, „Protestantská etika a duch kapitalismu“, in: id., Metodologie, sociologie a politika, Praha: Oikúmené 22009, 182-242.
Zanella, Gabriele, Itinerari ereticali: Patari e catari tra Rimini e Verona, Roma: Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo 1986.
Zanella, Gabriele, „L’inquisizione medievale: Tra ideologia e metodologia“, in: Andrea Del Col – Giovanna Paolin (eds.), L’Inquisizione romana: Metodologia delle fonti e storia istituzionale, Trieste: Università di Trieste – Montereale Valcellina: Circolo culturale Menocchio 2000, 15-31.
- 1) Time of changes: population growth, economy, urbanization, written law and other bureaucratic elements, universities, scholasticism, Church reform.
- 2) Transforming societies search for a new social order. Scholastic thought participated in this.
- 3) Some scholastic thought patterns were directed against radical asceticism: 1) purged of many elements of radical ascetic thought and practice; 2) relatively inner-worldly 3) purged of elements of monastic elitism. “Socio-constructive rationality”?
- 4) Image of Cathar heresy = nearly exact opposite. Based on: Ekbert of Schönau, Liber contra hereses katharorum (1163/1165); Hugh Eteriano, Contra Patarenos (1160s/1170s); Liber contra manicheos (1220s?); Liber Suprastella (1235); Moneta of Cremona, Adversus catharos et valdenses (1241/1244); Disputatio inter Catholicum et Paterinum hereticum (1240s); Las novas del heretje (1240s); a couple of summae auctoritatum against “Manicheans”; Pseudo-Cappelli, Summa contra hereticos (1240/1270). Rejection of the world, dualistic theology, rejection of marriage, secular government, oath-taking, violence, and judicial punishment. Severe predestination. Rejection of means removing the individual responsibility for salvation (infant baptism, purgatory, offerings for the dead). Elitist ecclesiology.
- 5) Cathar heresy: designed to form one of the preeminent “others” defining the new, world-affirming version of Christianity. Delegitimization of ascetic Christianity.
What Kind of Theory Is This?
- Synthesis. Not in sources.
- Unsuitable for interpretation of dissenter’s texts.
- “Big theory”.
Conclusion
- Relative insignificance of dissenting groups contrasts with their importance in polemical writing and inquisitional action.
- Cathar heresy = negative self-image.
- “Cultural waste”.
References
Sources
Bazzocchi, Dino (ed.), L’eresia catara II (Appendice): Disputationes nonnullae adversus haereticos, codice inedito Malatestiniano del sec. XIII., Bologna: Licinio Cappelli 1920.
Bruschi, Caterina (ed.), Salvo Burci, Liber Suprastella, Roma: Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo 2002.
Douais, Célestin (ed.), La Somme des autorités à l’usage des prédicateurs méridionaux au XIIIe siècle, Paris: Picard 1896.
Hamilton, Bernard – Hamilton, Janet – Hamilton, Sarah (eds.), Hugh Eteriano, Contra Patarenos, Leyden – Boston: Brill Academic Publishers 2004.
Harrison, Robert Joyce (ed.), Eckbert of Schönau’s Sermones contra Kataros I-II, Ph.D. thesis, Columbus: Ohio State University 1990.
Hoécker, Carola (ed.), Disputatio inter Catholicum et Paterinum hereticum: Die Auseinandersetzung der katholischen Kirche mit den italienischen Katharern im Spiegel einer kontroverstheologischen Streitschrift des 13. Jahrhunderts, Firenze: Sismel 2001.
Käppeli, Thomas, „Une Somme contre les hérétiques de S. Pierre Martyr (?)“, Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum 17, 1947, 295-335.
Meyer, Paul, „Le débat d’Izarn et de Sicart de Figueiras“, Annuaire-bulletin de la Société de l’histoire de France 16, 1879, 233-292.
Moneta Cremonensis, Adversus Catharos et Valdenses, ed. T. A. Ricchini, Roma 1743.
Ricketts, Peter T. (ed.), „Las novas del heretje“, http://www.rialto.unina.it/poerel/heretje(Ricketts).htm, 10 May 2002.
Romagnoli, Paola (ed.), Summa contra hereticos: Edizione critica con saggio introduttivo e commento storico, Ph.D. thesis, Bologna: Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia 1992.
Thouzellier, Christine (ed.), Une somme anti-cathare: Le Liber contra Manicheos de Durand de Huesca, Louvain: Spicilegium sacrum Lovaniense 1964.
Literature
Biget, Jean-Louis, „I catari di fronte agli inquisitori in Languedoc, 1230-1310“, in: Jean-Claude Maire Vigueur – Agostino Paravicini Bagliani (eds.), La parola all’accusato, Palermo: Sellerio 1991, 235-251.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „‚Les Albigeois‘: remarques sur une dénomination“, in: Monique Zerner (ed.), Inventer l’hérésie? Discours polémiques et pouvoirs avant l’Inquisition, Nice: Centre d’Études Médiévales 1998, 219-255.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „Mythographie du catharisme“, in: Historiographie du catharisme, Toulouse: Privat 1979, 271-342.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „Réflexions sur ‚l’hérésie‘ dans le Midi de la France au Moyen Âge“, Heresis 36-37, 2002, 29-74.
Cohn, Norman, Europe’s Inner Demons: The Demonization of Christians in Medieval Christendom, Sussex – London: Sussex University Press – Heinemann Educational Books 1975.
Hempel, Carl G., Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays in the Philosophy of Science, New York: The Free Press – London: Collier-MacMillan 1965.
Grundmann, Herbert, Religiöse Bewegungen im Mittelalter, Berlin: E. Ebering 1935.
Iogna-Prat, Dominique, La Maison Dieu: Une histoire monumentale de l’Église au Moyen Âge (v. 800-v. 1200), Paris: Le Seuil 2006.
Iogna-Prat, Dominique, Ordonner et exclure: Cluny et la société chrétienne face à l’hérésie, au judaïsme et à l’islam, 1000-1150, Paris: Aubier 22000.
Jiménez Sanchez, Pilar, Les catharismes: Modèles dissidents du christianisme médiéval (XIIe-XIIIe siècles), Rennes: Presses universitaires de Rennes 2008.
Jiménez Sanchez, Pilar, „Variations dans les rites sacramentaires des cathares: L’exemple de l’initiation chrétienne (XIIe-XIIIe siècles)“, Bollettino della Società di studi valdesi 121/194 (Essere minoranza: Comportamenti culturali e sociali delle minoranze religiose tra medioevo ed età moderna), 2004, 37-58.
Little, Lester K., Religious Poverty and the Profit Economy in Medieval Europe, London: Paul Elek 1978.
Moore, Robert I., The First European Revolution, c. 970-1215, Oxford: Blackwell 2000.
Moore, Robert I., The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Power and Deviance in Western Europe, 950-1250, Oxford: Blackwell 22007.
Pegg, Mark Gregory, „On Cathars, Albigenses and Good Men of Languedoc: Historiographical Essay“, Journal of Medieval History 27, 2001, 181-195.
Théry, Julien, „L’hérésie des bons hommes: Comment nommer la dissidence religieuse non vaudoise ni béguine en Languedoc (XIIe-début du XIVe siècle)?“, Heresis 36-37, 2002, 75-117.
Todorov, Tzvetan, La conquête de l’Amérique: La question de l’autre, Paris: Seuil 1982.
Weber, Max, „Protestantská etika a duch kapitalismu“, in: id., Metodologie, sociologie a politika, Praha: Oikúmené 22009, 182-242.
Zanella, Gabriele, Itinerari ereticali: Patari e catari tra Rimini e Verona, Roma: Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo 1986.
Zanella, Gabriele, „L’inquisizione medievale: Tra ideologia e metodologia“, in: Andrea Del Col – Giovanna Paolin (eds.), L’Inquisizione romana: Metodologia delle fonti e storia istituzionale, Trieste: Università di Trieste – Montereale Valcellina: Circolo culturale Menocchio 2000, 15-31.
References
Sources
Bazzocchi, Dino (ed.), L’eresia catara II (Appendice): Disputationes nonnullae adversus haereticos, codice inedito Malatestiniano del sec. XIII., Bologna: Licinio Cappelli 1920.
Bruschi, Caterina (ed.), Salvo Burci, Liber Suprastella, Roma: Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo 2002.
Douais, Célestin (ed.), La Somme des autorités à l’usage des prédicateurs méridionaux au XIIIe siècle, Paris: Picard 1896.
Hamilton, Bernard – Hamilton, Janet – Hamilton, Sarah (eds.), Hugh Eteriano, Contra Patarenos, Leyden – Boston: Brill Academic Publishers 2004.
Harrison, Robert Joyce (ed.), Eckbert of Schönau’s Sermones contra Kataros I-II, Ph.D. thesis, Columbus: Ohio State University 1990.
Hoécker, Carola (ed.), Disputatio inter Catholicum et Paterinum hereticum: Die Auseinandersetzung der katholischen Kirche mit den italienischen Katharern im Spiegel einer kontroverstheologischen Streitschrift des 13. Jahrhunderts, Firenze: Sismel 2001.
Käppeli, Thomas, „Une Somme contre les hérétiques de S. Pierre Martyr (?)“, Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum 17, 1947, 295-335.
Meyer, Paul, „Le débat d’Izarn et de Sicart de Figueiras“, Annuaire-bulletin de la Société de l’histoire de France 16, 1879, 233-292.
Moneta Cremonensis, Adversus Catharos et Valdenses, ed. T. A. Ricchini, Roma 1743.
Ricketts, Peter T. (ed.), „Las novas del heretje“, http://www.rialto.unina.it/poerel/heretje(Ricketts).htm, 10 May 2002.
Romagnoli, Paola (ed.), Summa contra hereticos: Edizione critica con saggio introduttivo e commento storico, Ph.D. thesis, Bologna: Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia 1992.
Thouzellier, Christine (ed.), Une somme anti-cathare: Le Liber contra Manicheos de Durand de Huesca, Louvain: Spicilegium sacrum Lovaniense 1964.
Literature
Biget, Jean-Louis, „I catari di fronte agli inquisitori in Languedoc, 1230-1310“, in: Jean-Claude Maire Vigueur – Agostino Paravicini Bagliani (eds.), La parola all’accusato, Palermo: Sellerio 1991, 235-251.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „‚Les Albigeois‘: remarques sur une dénomination“, in: Monique Zerner (ed.), Inventer l’hérésie? Discours polémiques et pouvoirs avant l’Inquisition, Nice: Centre d’Études Médiévales 1998, 219-255.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „Mythographie du catharisme“, in: Historiographie du catharisme, Toulouse: Privat 1979, 271-342.
Biget, Jean-Louis, „Réflexions sur ‚l’hérésie‘ dans le Midi de la France au Moyen Âge“, Heresis 36-37, 2002, 29-74.
Cohn, Norman, Europe’s Inner Demons: The Demonization of Christians in Medieval Christendom, Sussex – London: Sussex University Press – Heinemann Educational Books 1975.
Hempel, Carl G., Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays in the Philosophy of Science, New York: The Free Press – London: Collier-MacMillan 1965.
Grundmann, Herbert, Religiöse Bewegungen im Mittelalter, Berlin: E. Ebering 1935.
Iogna-Prat, Dominique, La Maison Dieu: Une histoire monumentale de l’Église au Moyen Âge (v. 800-v. 1200), Paris: Le Seuil 2006.
Iogna-Prat, Dominique, Ordonner et exclure: Cluny et la société chrétienne face à l’hérésie, au judaïsme et à l’islam, 1000-1150, Paris: Aubier 22000.
Jiménez Sanchez, Pilar, Les catharismes: Modèles dissidents du christianisme médiéval (XIIe-XIIIe siècles), Rennes: Presses universitaires de Rennes 2008.
Jiménez Sanchez, Pilar, „Variations dans les rites sacramentaires des cathares: L’exemple de l’initiation chrétienne (XIIe-XIIIe siècles)“, Bollettino della Società di studi valdesi 121/194 (Essere minoranza: Comportamenti culturali e sociali delle minoranze religiose tra medioevo ed età moderna), 2004, 37-58.
Little, Lester K., Religious Poverty and the Profit Economy in Medieval Europe, London: Paul Elek 1978.
Moore, Robert I., The First European Revolution, c. 970-1215, Oxford: Blackwell 2000.
Moore, Robert I., The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Power and Deviance in Western Europe, 950-1250, Oxford: Blackwell 22007.
Pegg, Mark Gregory, „On Cathars, Albigenses and Good Men of Languedoc: Historiographical Essay“, Journal of Medieval History 27, 2001, 181-195.
Théry, Julien, „L’hérésie des bons hommes: Comment nommer la dissidence religieuse non vaudoise ni béguine en Languedoc (XIIe-début du XIVe siècle)?“, Heresis 36-37, 2002, 75-117.
Todorov, Tzvetan, La conquête de l’Amérique: La question de l’autre, Paris: Seuil 1982.
Weber, Max, „Protestantská etika a duch kapitalismu“, in: id., Metodologie, sociologie a politika, Praha: Oikúmené 22009, 182-242.
Zanella, Gabriele, Itinerari ereticali: Patari e catari tra Rimini e Verona, Roma: Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo 1986.
Zanella, Gabriele, „L’inquisizione medievale: Tra ideologia e metodologia“, in: Andrea Del Col – Giovanna Paolin (eds.), L’Inquisizione romana: Metodologia delle fonti e storia istituzionale, Trieste: Università di Trieste – Montereale Valcellina: Circolo culturale Menocchio 2000, 15-31.