What was the extent of the threat posed by the Waldensians to the Church in the 12th C?

INTRODUCTION

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Up to the 1980s, how was the Waldensian movement presented?

Waldensians presented the movement as a unified and coherent movement

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However, this old confidence gone, what has set in to Waldensian histories now?

Scepticism developed about the identity, continuity and coherence of Waldensianism

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What 2 historians particularly forwarded this scepticism?

Cameron and Merlo

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In terms of the authors of the Walendensian histories, what does Merlo emphasise the need for?

Emphasised the need for critical historiography in the examination of historians and how they have written and constructed Waldensian history

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What does Audisio state about what type of Waldensian historians?

Catholic and Protestant authors present two extremes

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What does Merlo expand about how Catholic authors present the Waldensians in comparison to the Church?

They create a long traition of condemnation of the sects doctrines as erroneous, attributing moral wickedness to the sect, and contrasting it with the Apostolic Church

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What does Merlo expand about how Protestant authors present the Waldensians?

Protestant historians envisaged medieval Waldensians as medieval Protestants, sound in doctrine and morals,

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What explanation does MErlo provide for why Protestants present Waldensians as having sound doctrine?

This is because the closing date for the end of Waldenses was in the 16th C when they joined the Protestant Reformation

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What does Biller add about what Protestants stress about Waldensians and Cathars?

Biller notes that Protestants stress the fact that unlike Catharism, it was not destroyed and survived into the 16th C with the Protestant reform,

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WHile medieval Waldensians retained most of its name and sense of history while joining the Protestant Reformation what did it lose?

It lost most of its earlier character and identity,

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Why did the Protestants favour highlighting the Orthodox elements of the group?

They don't want a heretical group joining their ranks

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In the 19th C, what did German historians discover?

New sources and worked on the Vaudois manuscripts

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Who created general account of the Waldensians up to the 14th C?

Muller

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What was produced by who in 1908, which is still the best general info for Waldensians?

-Heinrich Bohmer, -Produced an encyclopedia, about the Waldensians to the 14th C,

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What became the fashion in academic studies of medieval heresies in the 20th C?

Deconstruction, including a sharper and critical scrutiny of evidence,

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WHo was particularly influential in the 20th C? What did he identify about inquisitors and their presentation of Waldensians?

-Lerner, Inquisitors could have seen unity where there was none -Identified inquisitors could have come across mild dissent in a particular region and labelled it 'Cathar' or Waldensian' regardless, especially with one list of leading questions

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What di Merlo aim to do with his work on Waldensians, setting him apart from the past?

Aimed to shrug off the tyranny of the older unitary view of medieval Waldensianism, recognising all the textx were coloured in some way but still part of the past reality,

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How did Cameron also change the traditional perspective?

Drive towards minimisation- Of numbers, spread, organisation, coherence, unity and historical continuity

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How does Biller explain Cameron's difference in opinion based on his status as an early modern historian?

While medieval historians look forward in time, impressed with the strength of the Waldensains as they spread and last long, Cameron looks backward,s noticing the opposite and weaknesses in comparison to the Protestant Reformation,

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PARA 1- WALDENSIANISM

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What does Audisio state about the name Waldensian and where it formed?

The name Walensian was coined by those who persecuted them, designating the heretics by the name of their founder, Valdes/ Waldo

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How did they identify instead?

Instead they identified as the Poor of Christ or the Poor of Lyon due to their renunciation of wealth

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What does he suggest for the future of the name of this gorup?

He suggests by using these named we can avoid one lable which was pejorative at the time

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However, who presents a different approach about the term?

Merlo

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What did the title of his influential work show about what his different approach is towards 'waldensianism'?

'Waldensianisms'- Instead editing the name to show there wasn't this level of coherence historian have presented for years,

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For dates, what does Audisio state about when the Waldensians began? Do other historians agree?

-12th C with Valdes, -Most historians today would agree with this

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Why has there been confusion for historian abotu the start date of Waldensianism?

The group grew the myth that they date back to the Apostles

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Why did the group create this myth according to Audisio?

The worse criticism for Christians is being innovatory. Therefore, to rebut this accusation, the Poor of Lyons set about tracing their origins as far as possible. Ancient times were a guarantee of authenticity

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Although, who does Biller attribute to causing confusion to historians about this myth?

Post-medieval confessional historians, such as Protestants,

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While there is now agreement of the 12th origins, what is the status of the closing date of Waldensians?

It is still deabted

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What date does Audisio use for the finish date of the Waldensians and why?

16th C- Merged into the Protestant Reformation, losing the characteristics of medieval Waldensians

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However, what author states we should reconsider and why?

-Merlo, -He lives in Pinerolo, a medieval Waldensian site and close to modern Italian Walensians who live there now- Has it ended?

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For the Waldensians, who were the Poor of Lyons formed by?

A successful merchant from Lyon called Valdes

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When did he convert to the religious life?

The early 1170s

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Forming this movement, when was he and the group excommunicated?

1184

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Which author evoked the origins of the Waldensians in his work? Who was he?

Bernard Gui, -Dominican friar and papal inquisitor

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When did Bernard Gui compile his work? Is his work contemporary?

-Later in the 14th C, -While not contemporary, he includes the work of numerous contemporary sources

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What does Bernard Gui state about Valdes and his move from wealth to poverty?

Valdes was rich but 'set about observing a life of poverty and evangelical perfection

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What does Bernard Gui state about Valdes and his access to the bibles and his understanding of these?

He had the Holy Scriptures and other books of the Bible translated for his own use into the vernacular which were 'read frequently but barely understood them; they were self-infatuated'

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What does BErnard Gui state about their level of education and preaching?

Though they wre of little education, '[they] dared preach the gospel in the streets and in town squares'

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What does Bernard Gui show in these three statements about Valdes inspiration, which this essay is formed by?

3 pillars of valdes inspiration- Poverty, Preaching and Holy Scriptures

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PARA 2- HOLY SCRIPTURES

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What date did an anonymous chronicler give for when Valdes converted?

1173

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How did this anonymous chronicler described valdes?

As a local man who 'amassed a great fortune through the sicked practice of lending interest'

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What did Valdes hear in the city of Lyon that inspired him to convert?

He heard the minstel singing about the lfie of St Alexius who was an early Christian saint who exchanged a wealthy life for one of begging and spiritual bliss

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The next day, what did Valdes do which led to his full conversion?

From this moment, Valdes was fully converted

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Why are the Holy Scriptures important for Valdes and his beliefs?

They are the original fundamental basis of Valdes beliefs

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Showing how important the scriptures were, what did one Lyon chronciler report was one of Valdes' first actions upon his conversion?

To hire 2 priests to copy and translate into the French vernacular many books of the Bible

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Why was this translation vital for Valdes?

As he was uneducated and unable to read Latin

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Why was translation vital on a whole for society?

Vital to making portions of the Bible accessible to lay people- Process that would continue for centuries

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After studyin the sacred texts by heart, what was Valdes goal?

To commit himself to the goal of evangelical perfection in the footsteps of the apostles

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What historian describes what Poor of Lyons member as one of the best known and eloquent voices?

-Deane, -Durand of Huesca

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What is Durand of Huesca's important contribution to the movement?

The Liber Antiheresies- the only major theological work

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How were the Waldensians described in this text?

Described Waldensians as Orthodox in context, but what set them apart was their emphasis upon the apostolic poverty and preaching,

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HOWEVER, who disagrees with Deane, instead stating what about Durand and orthodoxy?

-Audisio, -Durand of Huesca- Rejected moderate predestination as taught by the church. Others rejected prayers and ceremonies for the dead

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What does Selge state why this differentation occured and when?

-Many preachers influenced by other dissents they came into contact with, -After 1184

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What were the Poor of Lyon's view on the sacraments?

They acknowledge the sacraments and considered them necessary for salvation, especially the sacrament of penance

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HOWEVER, what sacrament did the Poor of Lyon begin to commend and why?

-Began to commend confession to layment, -Saw ho Christians held the clergy in contempt

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What ceremony did they aso form on their own?

Their own Holy Communion on the model of the Last Supper

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What does Selge state about this difference?

He states a distinction must be made, with the first form being the 'authentic waldensianism' which was not heretical or Orthodox,

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However, what does Audio state about the motives behind the later 'heretical' acts of Waldensians?

He states even these 'heretical' acts were only intended as an asnwer to a critical situation and to pressign needs,

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PARA 3- POVERTY

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What words from the Gospel of Matthew does Valdes base his voluntary poverty from?

'If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me!

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How important was this poverty in defining them?

It was through poverty they chose to define themselves e.g. 'Poor of Christ' and 'Poor of Lyons'

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Was voluntary poverty unusual?

It was not original- Many church people had espoused a life of poverty in one way or another, and urged the clergy to do likewise

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Was lifestyle still powerful?

Yes- Valdes was keeping with a trend that was powerful at the time

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Was this lifestyle easy to fulfil?

It was a large sacrifice- It mean loss of wealth and one's place in the social order

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What disaster occured in 1176?

The economic expansion of the 12th C was followed by recession and crop failure,

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In this year, what did Valdes use his wealth to do?

He distributed bread, meat and beg daily to all who needed it,

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When did Valdes first go to the Third Lateran Council, and what was their atittude towards their voluntary poverty?

-1179, -General approval expressed towards their life of poverty

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HOWEVER how did the Poor view and believe themselves to be in comparison with the church?

They believed themselves to be models of Orthodox, setting a fine apostolic example and better than other Catholic hierarchies,

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What did this mean for how they were viewed by the church?

Church officials looked upon them with mounting distrust

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Why did this profession of poverty make the clergy look bad?

Even if the lay brothers and sisters were nto explicitly denouncing the wealthy church, there was an implicit criticism in the stark contrast between voluntary improverished barefoot Christians and richly garbed clergy

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For example, what did Durand of Huesca state in his Liber Antiheresies about certain qualities of the catholic clergy?

He criticised 'the greedy, simony, pride, avarice, feasting...lechery and other disgraceful acts' fo the Catholic clergy

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What does Deane state to nte the threat they posed about how lay people viewed the Waldensians in comparison to the church?

Observant lay people certainly began to think the Poor were more Christian like than the latter

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Likewise what does Audisio state about the lay and their reaction to this evangelical poverty by the end of the 12th C?

The Poor of Lyon's influence led to increasing calls by the majority for evangelical poverty,

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ALTHOUGH was this fear just brought up by Valdes?

No- By valds day, unanticipated religious passion among the laity was ripe, beginning to distrust the traditional order

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Although what effect did Vaudes movement have on this?

Vaudes and his movement definitely threatened this

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PARA 4- PREACHING

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What was Jesus last message to his disciples in Mark which inspired Vaudes to preach?

'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation'

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How did Vaudes view this statement?

He beleived it was not just his mission but duty to spread the God's word

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However, how did this challenge the clergy?

It challenged the clergy's monopoly of the Word

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What was the 3 stages of reaction by the Church hierarchy to the group's preaching?

First astonishment, then reprobation and finally condemnation of the Church hierarchy

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What was the church's view on who could preach?

Only clergymen coudl preach as they have been trained for that mission. However, Valdes group were laymen,

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How did Bernard Gui describe their preaching mission despite being unlettered and ignorant?

They went from vilalge to village, into hoems and 'preaching in public squares and even in churches, the men in particular leaving behind them a host of misunderstandings and mistakes'

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Were lay people allowed to preach at all?

They were only allowed to peach with the consent of their local clergy

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What did clergymen beleve was the danger of laypeople preaching?

Untrained and theologically ignorant preachers would spread error and confusion and so the seeds of spiritual destruction

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Why was leaving 'mistakes and misudnerstandings' a concern for clergy?

In the middle ages, safety of souls was a paramount concern, and they were generally worried for people's souls

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What does Deane state about the danger of lay people looking and acting like clergy?

Their attempts to transcend and blue these old divisions were perceived as deeply troubling, many not knowing these preachers were not part of the church

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However, what does Audio instead state about the church's view towards preachers?

Groups of itinerant preachers had multiplied, all more or less accepted by the church hierarchy

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Although rather than being accepted, why did the Church delay instead?

They were reluctant to analyse too closely the individual doctrine due to a far great threat- Catharism- growing in the South of France,

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How do we sum up the Church's percieved threat by Waldensian and Catharism?

Waldensianism was a threat, but Catharism a greater threat,

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Why is there a difference between Deane and Audisio's arguments based different reactions?

Deane represents the clergy's disapproval and jealousy towards the Poor of Lyon, whereas Audisio represents the main authority's approval of Valdes

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How was their mission to preach treated at both the 1179 Third Lateran Council and Valde's profession of faith by Pope Alexander?

Their mission to preach was accepted orally, following instruction to seek agreement by a local priest,

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The next how many years marked growing difficulties between the Poor and the church?

Next 2/3 years

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What is one explanation for these difficulties based on anti-clericalism and Waldensians?

May be said some Waldensian preachers played on the anti-clerical sentiments of the people

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What is another explanation based on certain priests and the threat they felt the Poor posed?

Certain priests may have refused to grant them the right to preach, inspired by a vague feeling of jealousy towards these people who had chosen to be poor and whom the people preferred

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What is another explanation based on permission gained?

Waldensian preachers may have gailed to get the essential local permission or even decided not to apply for it

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What is another possible explanation based on women?

Women who had been coverted by Valdes and became his disciples also began to preach- Unacceptable to Church powers

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Complaints from both sides reached the new archbishop called what? What was his reaction to these complaints?

-Jeane Aux Belles-Mains, -He withdrew the verbal agreemnt and forbade preaching

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What is the reasoning behind the new Archbishop's decision towards banning the Poor of Lyons from preaching?

Unlike the previous archbishop who was a Cistercian, Belles-Mains was orthodox Christian, and was doubtless irritated by the ill-defined movement

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What was Valdes' resposne to this?

He refused to obey, drawing confidence from the agreement accorded by the Pope,

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PARA 5- TURNING POINT

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What 2 events and the dates was the turning point for Waldensians status?

1182-Expulsion fron Lyon, 1184- Council of Verona

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What did this turning point change?

The Poor categorised as schismastics and firmly located within a legal status defined by disobedience

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Why did Jean aux Belles-Maines expel the Poor of Lyon?

After refusing to give them permission to preach, they continued to do so,

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Were they expelled for 'heretical' behaviour? What was it instead and was this becoming a problem in general in the alte 12th C?

They were not heretical, -Disobedience to ecclesiastical authority was increasingly becoming the cornerstone of Orthdoxy

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Even so, what did they decision led to for the group's status in comparison to Cathars?

It would lead to their marginalisation alongside the Cathars they despised

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What did they decide to do after the expulsion?

They left Lyon in samll groups, travelling through Soutern France and Northern ITaly, committed to defending Catholic doctrine and preaching against Cathar heresy,

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What event within the church opened a way for a different agenda?

The death of Pope Alexander III, and the take-over of Lucius III

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What decree was passed at the 1184 Council of Verona?

Ab Abolednam or 'To abolish the disgrace of different heresies'

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What did Lucius set forth in this decree?

A series of requirements to improve the spiritual supervision an prevent future outbreaks of heresy

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How often did a local bishop have to visit a parish where heresy was reported?

Twice a year

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What did the local bishop have to go to gain information about local religiosity?

An oath was reuired from three or more people of god reputation,

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What was now supposed to happen against those denounced?

Legal action should occur, and punishment,

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However, what does Deane state about this punishment?

Despite condemnation, for another 30 years the Poor were dealt with pragmatic tolerance

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Likewise, what does Taylor state about the Ab Abolednam and tolerance?

The Ab Abdolendam didn't mark an end to this tolerance towards Waldensians

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Therefore, what did the Poor continue to do to those ;unsuspecting'?

The Poor contoinued to roam, stirring the souls of listeners who likely had no idea these preachers had been excommunicated

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Who was writing in 1190 in North of Narbonne?

Bernard of Foucade

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Who does he describe Waldensians?

AS 'ravening wolves and 'demon-heretics and tyrants' as they were not seized or punished

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What does Bernard state is the solution to remove Waldensians?

Either by preaching or by the 'rod of discipline or strictness'

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As early as 1190, what began to emerge among certain communities and how did this affect the Poor's unity?

New doubts and ideas emerged, -This seeprated them from the Original Poor

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Who wrote a treatises about heresies after being a former Poor preacher and converting to Catholicism in 1207?

Ermengaud of Beziers

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How did Ermenguad describe Waldensians and their 'heretical' beliefs?

Waldensians said to deny purgatory and value of any religious offering for the dead, and to claim baptismal and Eucharisitc sacramental authority for themselves

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From 1190, what began to be arranged instead of legal action to deal with Walensians?

Disputations/ Debates- BEtween key church members and Waldensian members in an area, and even Cathars

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How many official consultations and debates were there after the Ab Aboldendam?

Four

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When was their a dispuation between the Waldensians and which King?

-1203/4, -King Peter II of Aragon

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What was the outcome of this disputation for the heretics?

They were heretics,

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When was the disputation at Pamiers between Waldensians and Catholics?

1207

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Why is this disputation outcome so important?

Durand of Huesca and some of his followers were persuaded to reocncile with the church, creating the Poor Catholics,

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What did this movement mean for the unity of the Waldensians?

They were splitting- After Valdes died, the movement was already unstable. Durand's reconciliation was a major blow

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CONCLUSION

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What does Deane state about the originality of Valdes and his preaching and poverty

Valdes was neither the first or the last of such preachers, apostolic ideal of poverty, preaching and piety had long inspired men and women

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How does Audisio explain why Vaudes was original?

His originality lies in remaining a laymen and remaining so

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By refusing to enter an existing religious order what did Vaudes reject?

He rejected the idea of a mould

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What did Valdes reflect in the laity?

The laity;s desire to play a different and more important role in a church which had become too clerical,

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What does Audisio conclude as the challenge Vaudes presented?

It was high, threatening the unequalled prestige clergy had enjoyed before that

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Although rather than looking at the danger of Valdes, how does what Roach explain this development of theat?

He suggests it was the church's inadequate and confused reponse that hightened this threat

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What did Roach state about what the confused reponse revealed about the spiritual landscape?

It revealed the extent to which the spiritual landscape had changed- In the course of a generation, groups which had existed outside the church threatened to make serious inroads into the monopoly it had enjoyed for hundreds of years,

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Likewise, what did Vissier state about what this distrust from the local clergy led to?

It drove the Waldenses 'into a permanent structure heresy'

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What process does Cameron state the church was udnergoing?

A process of rigid institutionalisation

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In the resulting conflicts, the legitimate demands for reofrm of clergy was lost, thus allowing for what? What event did it lead to?

Seds for mor serious conflicts of the future sown- Led to Protestant Reformation

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Get Revising

What was the extent of the threat posed by the Waldensians to the Church in the 12th C?

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