901:
1178:
162:
statements ("Nothing is a sin except what is thought to be a sin"). Critics of the Free Spirit interpreted their beliefs to mean that they considered themselves to be incapable of sin and above the moral conduct of the Church. Verses such as
Galatians 5:18 ("Those who are driven or led by the Spirit
410:, 2nd edn, (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992) agree that the so-called "heresy of the free spirit" never actually existed, even in the early fourteenth century, at least not in the form of specific doctrines promoted by any organised body, still less by any sect and least of all by the Beguines or Beghards.
129:
Autotheism – in other words, a belief that the perfected soul and God are indistinguishably one. This was often expressed through the language of indistinction or annihilation. This belief would be heretical because it would undermine the necessary distinction between created being and
82:(1311–12) has often been used by historians to typify the group's core beliefs, though there was wide variation over how the heresy was defined during the era, and there is substantial debate over how far the individuals and groups accused of holding the beliefs (including
66:
between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. The movement was first identified in the late thirteenth century. It was not a single movement or school of thought, and it caused great unease among Church leaders at the time. Adherents were also called
198:(Porete's writing, which had become well read through France, had been condemned in 1310 as heresy, and Porete had been burned at the stake). It was the Council of Vienne which first associated these various beliefs with the idea of the 'Free Spirit'.
236:
for teaching heresy. He rigorously denied and defended against that charge until he disappeared from public life. Eckhart may have been familiar with the work of
Marguerite Porete through his proximity to theologians involved in her trial, such as
526:
177:, who had greatly increased in number in the preceding decades. Concerns over such sentiments then began to occur elsewhere, especially during the 1300s, and especially in Italy. Partly motivated by such concerns, in 1308 Pope
900:
306:
in 1486. By the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, the Church's efforts to eradicate heresy and witchcraft resulted in heresy trials and the parallel civil authorities conducting witch burnings.
508:
Historic
Background and Annals of the Swiss and German Pioneer Settlers of Southeastern Eastern Pennsylvania, and of Their ReMote Ancestors, from the Middle, of the Dark Ages, Down to the Time of the Reva
206:
During subsequent centuries, there was great fear of the Heresy of the Free Spirit, and many individuals and groups were accused of it. In particular, beguine and beghard groups came under suspicion.
101:
The meaning of the term has in more recent times been extended to apply to the beliefs of other
Christian individuals and groups, active both before and after the core period of the late Middle Ages.
635:
252:
During the late fourteenth century, western
Germany became a particularly important area for pursuing the heresy. An example of one person executed is the wandering preacher
278:
By the early fifteenth century, the
Catholic Church in Germany viewed heresy as a serious threat. It became a leading topic for discussion at the Council of Basel in 1431.
338:. This was a new idea to the mystical tradition, but was also seen as the root of many of the other dangers that were perceived in mystics in the late medieval period.
335:
1218:
628:
217:
282:, a Dominican reformer who attended the council, became concerned that beliefs of the Free Spirit heresy, and other heresies, were mixed with elements of
1203:
209:
621:
256:, who was executed sometime between 1393 and 1397. Another known case was the execution of Löffler, who admitted adherence to the movement, in
245:
he came to be recognised by the later mystical tradition as the "father" of the Free Spirit. This is seen particularly in the writings of
181:
summoned a general council, which met at Vienne from
October 1311 to May 1312. In particular, it had to engage with the report from the
1213:
173:
During the late thirteenth century, such concerns increasingly became applied to the various unregulated religious groups such as the
315:
Fears over sets of beliefs similar to the Heresy of the Free Spirit have recurred at various points in
Christian history. Fears over
17:
648:
35:
1110:
875:
241:
and
William of Poitiers. More broadly, as a result of his prominence and through the statements of his used in the bull
275:
of misdescribing the nature of union with God in a way that placed him in the company of the 'Free Spirit' heretics.
216:
from 1306 to 1328, was a particularly fervent opponent of heresy. Another person accused, by Bishop John's colleague
512:
1130:
125:. The themes which occur in these documents, and which would emerge again in subsequent investigations, included:
1087:
342:
530:, vol. 3. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1858, tr. John W. Hull, p. 174, footnote 8, where he cites Justinger's
1208:
613:
644:
323:, such as were detected in the Heresy of the Free Spirit, may be detected in the early Church's response to
327:. Fears of suspect forms of prayer were particularly apparent in reactions to the fourth and fifth century
260:. False beliefs about the annihilation of the will were virulently attacked by the late fourteenth century
232:, who lived during the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. In 1326, Eckhart was charged by the
724:
368:
194:
378:
141:
was believed to be sufficient for salvation. They believed that they could communicate directly with
821:
334:
What was perhaps novel in the fears of the Heresy of the Free Spirit was the fear of the notion of
292:, Nider combined the Free Spirit heresy with witchcraft in his condemnation of false teachings.
1182:
1125:
1157:
174:
1105:
383:
238:
133:
Denial of the necessity of Christ, the church and its sacraments for salvation – such that
606:
Denys Turner, "Dionysius and some late medieval mystical theologians of northern Europe",
556:
Denys Turner. "Dionysius and some late medieval mystical theologians of northern Europe".
497:, ed. P. Mommaers and N. De Paepe (Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1984), esp. pp. 15-16.
109:
The set of beliefs ascribed to the Free
Spirits is first to be found in a text called the
8:
1017:
997:
786:
657:
298:
456:
272:
153:
1030:
957:
692:
531:
358:
261:
253:
246:
189:
83:
79:
1162:
885:
114:
863:
853:
363:
303:
229:
225:
166:
146:
95:
39:
643:
1120:
1097:
927:
890:
774:
754:
719:
712:
279:
163:
of God are no longer under the law") were seen as foundational to such beliefs.
63:
1197:
1060:
1025:
870:
833:
828:
811:
791:
685:
320:
47:
406:, (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972) and Malcolm Lambert,
1150:
1035:
937:
880:
843:
806:
749:
670:
328:
1140:
1080:
1070:
1050:
1040:
1007:
909:
858:
848:
744:
680:
665:
489:'Poverty of the Will': Ruusbroec, Eckhart and 'The Mirror of Simple Souls
316:
288:
268:
185:
138:
1065:
977:
972:
947:
942:
922:
917:
816:
801:
796:
781:
769:
739:
445:
Battling Demons: Witchcraft, Heresy, and Reform in the Late Middle Ages
324:
283:
213:
159:
134:
43:
1145:
1135:
1115:
1075:
1055:
1045:
1002:
992:
987:
962:
932:
838:
759:
729:
697:
178:
495:
Jan Van Ruusbroec: The Sources, Content and Sequels of his Mysticism
476:. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1972, intro.
27:
Religious movement in northern Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries
1177:
982:
967:
734:
707:
702:
675:
764:
373:
346:
221:
122:
91:
87:
59:
51:
117:
in the 1270s, concerning a group of persons investigated in the
118:
55:
511:. London: Forgotten Books (reprint), 2013, p. 5. Online text:
345:
and the seventeenth century British Puritan sect known as The
182:
341:
Similarities may also be detected with seventeenth-century
257:
233:
582:
Norman Cohn, The Pursuit of the Millennium (Oxford, 1957).
310:
142:
596:, (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972).
645:
Beliefs condemned as heretical by the Catholic Church
594:
The Heresy of the Free Spirit in the Late Middle Ages
474:
The Heresy of the Free Spirit in the Late Middle Ages
404:
The Heresy of the Free Spirit in the Late Middle Ages
463:. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1979, pp. 38-39.
447:. Pennsylvania State University Press, 2003, p. 56.
42:but held (or at least believed to be held) by some
1195:
98:) actually held the views attributed to them.
1219:History of Christianity in the Czech Republic
629:
587:The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany
545:The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany
432:The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany
636:
622:
74:The set of errors condemned in the decree
1204:Heresy in Christianity in the Middle Ages
34:were adherents of a loose set of beliefs
461:Repression of Heresy in Medieval Germany
201:
311:Similarities to other Christian beliefs
14:
1196:
104:
617:
603:, 2nd edn, (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992).
1111:Community of the Lady of All Nations
547:. New York: Crossroad, 2005, p. 402.
426:
424:
422:
420:
418:
416:
24:
576:
485:Edmund Colledge and J. C. Marler.
25:
1230:
1214:History of Catholicism in Germany
413:
1176:
899:
267:In the early fifteenth century,
563:
550:
537:
518:
500:
479:
466:
450:
437:
434:, (New York: Crossroad, 2005).
396:
13:
1:
589:, (New York: Crossroad, 2005)
506:Henry Frank Eshleman (1917).
389:
188:(1308–1310) into the beguine
569:Bailey, Battling Demons, 49.
527:A Textbook Of Church History
524:John C. L. Gieseler (1855).
7:
352:
32:Brethren of the Free Spirit
10:
1235:
1183:Catholic Church portal
369:The Mirror of Simple Souls
195:The Mirror of Simple Souls
111:Compilatio de novo spiritu
1171:
1096:
1016:
908:
897:
656:
379:Sister Catherine Treatise
18:Heresy of the Free Spirit
296:also became a model for
154:erotic union with Christ
402:Both Robert E. Lerner,
152:Use of the language of
1209:Beguines and Beghards
1158:Positive Christianity
336:personal annihilation
202:14th and 15th century
175:Beguines and Beghards
145:and did not need the
384:Men of Understanding
286:. In his 1434 work,
137:and reliance on the
46:, especially in the
1126:Jehovah's Witnesses
998:Spanish Adoptionism
560:24:4, 2008, p. 654.
443:Michael D. Bailey.
299:Malleus maleficarum
249:and his followers.
239:Berengar of Landora
105:Beliefs and origins
693:Antidicomarianites
592:Robert E. Lerner,
472:Robert E. Lerner.
457:Richard Kieckhefer
302:, a later work by
218:Henry of Virneburg
1191:
1190:
1031:Consubstantiation
599:Malcolm Lambert,
532:Bernese Chronicle
359:Marguerite Porete
273:Jan van Ruusbroec
262:Theologia Deutsch
254:Nicholas of Basel
247:Jan van Ruusbroec
190:Marguerite Porete
149:for intercession.
84:Marguerite Porete
80:Council of Vienne
16:(Redirected from
1226:
1181:
1180:
1163:Reincarnationism
903:
886:Subordinationism
871:Pneumatomachians
802:Melchisedechians
638:
631:
624:
615:
614:
585:Bernard McGinn,
570:
567:
561:
554:
548:
543:Bernard McGinn.
541:
535:
522:
516:
504:
498:
492:
488:
483:
477:
470:
464:
454:
448:
441:
435:
430:Bernard McGinn,
428:
411:
400:
243:In agro Dominico
210:John of Dirpheim
115:Albert the Great
113:put together by
36:deemed heretical
21:
1234:
1233:
1229:
1228:
1227:
1225:
1224:
1223:
1194:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1175:
1167:
1092:
1018:Early modernity
1012:
904:
895:
864:Semipelagianism
854:Patripassianism
652:
642:
608:Modern Theology
601:Medieval Heresy
579:
577:Further reading
574:
573:
568:
564:
558:Modern Theology
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551:
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408:Medieval Heresy
401:
397:
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364:Meister Eckhart
355:
313:
304:Heinrich Kramer
226:Meister Eckhart
204:
147:Catholic Church
107:
96:Meister Eckhart
40:Catholic Church
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1232:
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1206:
1189:
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1166:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1121:Indifferentism
1118:
1113:
1108:
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1100:
1094:
1093:
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1090:
1085:
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1010:
1005:
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985:
980:
975:
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965:
960:
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950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
928:Bosnian Church
925:
920:
914:
912:
906:
905:
898:
896:
894:
893:
891:Valentinianism
888:
883:
878:
876:Psilanthropism
873:
868:
867:
866:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
826:
825:
824:
819:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
778:
777:
775:Valentinianism
772:
767:
762:
757:
755:Priscillianism
752:
747:
737:
732:
727:
722:
720:Collyridianism
717:
716:
715:
713:Circumcellions
705:
700:
695:
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689:
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611:
604:
597:
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583:
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549:
536:
517:
499:
478:
465:
449:
436:
412:
394:
393:
391:
388:
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386:
381:
376:
371:
366:
361:
354:
351:
312:
309:
280:Johannes Nider
203:
200:
171:
170:
164:
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150:
131:
106:
103:
64:Northern Italy
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1231:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
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1207:
1205:
1202:
1201:
1199:
1184:
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1164:
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1137:
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1086:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1063:
1062:
1061:Protestantism
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1026:Antinomianism
1024:
1023:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
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969:
966:
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869:
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862:
861:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
834:Monothelitism
832:
830:
829:Monophysitism
827:
823:
820:
818:
815:
814:
813:
812:Monarchianism
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
792:Macedonianism
790:
788:
787:Luciferianism
785:
783:
780:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
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741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
714:
711:
710:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
687:
686:Semi-Arianism
684:
682:
679:
678:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
663:
661:
659:
655:
650:
646:
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634:
632:
627:
625:
620:
619:
616:
610:24:4, (2008),
609:
605:
602:
598:
595:
591:
588:
584:
581:
580:
566:
559:
553:
546:
540:
533:
529:
528:
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514:
510:
503:
496:
482:
475:
469:
462:
458:
453:
446:
440:
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427:
425:
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421:
419:
417:
409:
405:
399:
395:
385:
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372:
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367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
356:
350:
348:
344:
339:
337:
332:
330:
326:
322:
321:antinomianism
318:
308:
305:
301:
300:
295:
291:
290:
285:
281:
276:
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270:
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263:
259:
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207:
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144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
127:
126:
124:
121:Ries area of
120:
116:
112:
102:
99:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
72:
70:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
48:Low Countries
45:
41:
37:
33:
19:
1151:Santa Muerte
1141:Narco-saints
1036:Febronianism
953:Free Spirits
952:
938:Conciliarism
881:Sabellianism
844:Nestorianism
750:Paulicianism
671:Apollinarism
607:
600:
593:
586:
565:
557:
552:
544:
539:
525:
520:
507:
502:
494:
481:
473:
468:
460:
452:
444:
439:
431:
407:
403:
398:
340:
333:
329:Messalianism
314:
297:
293:
287:
277:
266:
251:
242:
220:, Bishop of
212:, Bishop of
208:
205:
193:
172:
167:Anticlerical
110:
108:
100:
75:
73:
69:Free Spirits
68:
31:
29:
1106:Americanism
1081:Lutheranism
1071:Arminianism
1051:Josephinism
1041:Gallicanism
1008:Waldensians
910:Middle Ages
859:Pelagianism
849:Novatianism
745:Manichaeism
681:Anomoeanism
666:Adoptionism
317:esotericism
294:Formicarius
289:Formicarius
269:Jean Gerson
228:, a German
186:inquisition
139:Holy Spirit
1198:Categories
1066:Anabaptism
978:Josephines
973:Impanation
958:Henricians
948:Fraticelli
943:Dulcinians
923:Bogomilism
822:Modalistic
817:Athinganoi
797:Marcionism
782:Iconoclasm
770:Sethianism
740:Gnosticism
390:References
325:Gnosticism
284:witchcraft
214:Strasbourg
169:sentiment.
160:Antinomian
76:Ad nostrum
44:Christians
1136:Mormonism
1131:Modernism
1116:Feeneyism
1098:Modernity
1076:Calvinism
1056:Pantheism
1046:Jansenism
1003:Taborites
993:Pasagians
988:Migetians
963:Humiliati
933:Catharism
918:Arnoldism
839:Montanism
760:Naassenes
730:Ebionites
698:Audianism
658:Antiquity
230:Dominican
179:Clement V
135:austerity
1088:Quietism
983:Lollardy
968:Hussites
807:Modalism
735:Euchites
708:Donatism
703:Docetism
676:Arianism
353:See also
343:quietism
271:accused
130:creator.
92:Beghards
88:Beguines
1146:Maximón
765:Ophites
725:Dualism
374:Ranters
347:Ranters
222:Cologne
123:Germany
119:Swabian
78:at the
60:Bohemia
52:Germany
38:by the
513:scan B
493:". In
224:, was
94:, and
90:, the
86:, the
62:, and
56:France
183:Paris
649:list
319:and
258:Bern
234:Pope
30:The
509:War
192:'s
143:God
1200::
459:.
415:^
349:.
331:.
264:.
71:.
58:,
54:,
50:,
651:)
647:(
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630:t
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534:.
515:.
491:'
487:"
156:.
20:)
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