Persecuted traditions
This page surveys religious and esoteric movements that were persecuted, mainly by church and state authorities in medieval and early modern Europe. History is reported here with sources. Theological judgements are labelled.
Bogomils
A dualist movement founded in Bulgaria in the 10th century, traditionally by the priest Bogomil (about 927–970) under Tsar Peter I. It was described by Cosmas the Priest. The Byzantine Emperor Alexios I burned the Bogomil leader Basil about 1100 (Anna Komnene, Alexiad XV). The Bogomils were a source for the Cathars.
Cathars
See Cathars: the Albigensian Crusade (1209–1229) and Montségur (1244).
Knights Templar
The military order was founded about 1119 and approved in 1129. On 13 October 1307 (Friday), Philip IV of France had the French Templars arrested on charges of heresy, idolatry ("Baphomet") and sodomy. Many confessions were obtained under torture. Clement V suppressed the order with Vox in excelso (Council of Vienne, 1312). Grand Master Jacques de Molay was burned in Paris on 18 March 1314. The Chinon Parchment (1308, published 2007) records that Clement absolved the leaders.[1]
Giordano Bruno
Bruno (1548–1600) was a Dominican friar and philosopher. He taught an infinite universe with innumerable worlds, Hermetic magic and pantheism. The Roman Inquisition tried him from 1593. He was burned at Campo de' Fiori on 17 February 1600. The charges were mainly theological (denial of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ and transubstantiation), not Copernicanism as such.[2]
Others
- Priscillian of Ávila was executed in 385 at Trier, the first Christian executed for heresy.
- Waldensians (from 1170s): persecuted and massacred, for example in the Piedmont in 1655.
- Hussites: Jan Hus was burned in 1415 at the Council of Constance.
- Lollards: followers of Wycliffe in England.
- Pagans of late antiquity: Theodosian decrees (391–392) banned sacrifice. Hypatia was killed in Alexandria in 415. The Neoplatonic Academy closed about 529.
- Witch trials (about 1450–1750) caused roughly 40,000–60,000 executions in Europe.
- Joan of Arc was burned in 1431 and rehabilitated in 1456.
- Michael Servetus was burned in Calvinist Geneva in 1553. Persecution was not only Catholic.
Founder's view
Tradition / belief Founder's belief: "those the Church burned likely held the truth". This is a matter of faith. Historically, the people burned held many differing and often incompatible beliefs.