I know that the Inquisition (the Church setting up its own tribunal to deal with heresy) in itself is not a bad thing. There are, however, two particular points of the inquisitions which don't seem to be justifiable-- the torture and burning of heretics. These two things are quite abhorrent in my view and, unless someone can change my mind, I view them as disfiguring marks on the face of the Church. It's mainly the fact that torture was authorized and used by the Church's tribunals that bothers me. I understand that putting certain heretics to death may have been "necessary" for the good of society, since society then was founded on the faith and deviations were seen as dangerous. But even then, we shouldn't delight in their deaths. And did they have to be burnt? If heretics just had to die (and I'm not too convinced they had to), why not choose a less painful death? But anyway, torture just seems unnecessary and cruel. Yes, there were limitations to the torture that was actually allowed by the popes, but I don't think these limitations were enough...
How do you view the Inquisitions? Good? Bad? Good and bad? I view them as good and bad. It is, after all, due to the inquisitions that many thousand of people repented of their heresy and were reconciled to the Church. And here are some quotes for your consideration:
Whether they be convicted of error, or freely confess their guilt, Catharists are not to be Put to death, at least not when they refrain from armed assaults upon the Church. For although the Apostle said, A man that is a heretic after the third admonition, avoid, he certainly did not say, Kill him. Throw them into prison, if you will, but do not put them to death.
By persuasion, not by violence, are men to be won to the faith, (St Bernard)
Religion being a matter of the will, it cannot be forced on anyone; in this matter it is better to employ words than blows [verbis melius quam verberibus res agenda est]. Of what use is cruelty? What has the rack to do with piety? Surely there is no connection between truth and violence, between justice and cruelty . . . . It is true that nothing is so important as religion, and one must defend it at any cost [summâ vi] . . . It is true that it must be protected, but by dying for it, not by killing others; by long-suffering, not by violence; by faith, not by crime. If you attempt to defend religion with bƖσσdshɛd and torture, what you do is not defense, but desecration and insult. For nothing is so intrinsically a matter of free will as religion. (Divine Institutes) [I only disagree with this when it comes to situations like Lepanto, when non believers are actively coming to you to destroy you and your land]
We wish them corrected, not put to death; we desire the triumph of (ecclesiastical) discipline, not the death penalties that they deserve (St Augustine)
Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause” - (St. John Cantius)
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.. (Jesus)
Finally, isn't killing and torturing heretics comparable to modern Islamic terrorism? How can we condemn them and justify ourselves?
Topic: Defending (certain aspects of) the Inquisitions? (Read 1187 times)