Thesis

"To abolish the malignity of divers heresies, which of late time are sprung up in most parts of the world, it is but fitting that the power commited to the Church should awakened, that by the concurring assistance of the imperial strength, both the insolence and malapertness of the heretics, in their false designs, may be crushed..."

- Pope Lucius III, 1184 in the Papal Bull Ad Abolendam*

Cross of Mathilde from the Essen Cathedral Treasury

The Catholic Church was undoubtedly one of the most powerful single institutions and widespread belief systems throughout the Middle Ages, and well into the modern era. It has played a cruical role in the rise and fall of nations and kingdoms in Europe, gaining power thitherto unattainable by any other belief system, state, or institution.

However, unlike many other prominent ideologies and philosophies, the Catholic Church centers (by doctrine) on a rigidly defined authoritarian system.

The factors mentioned above culminated in a very interesting form of communication of ideology, one of spread and indoctrination that eclipsed all forms of competition to the Church. This is perhaps best shown by two fundamental events in the Catholic Church’s history:

European Colonialism

As a medium of spread and conversion

The Inquisition

As a means of reenforcing belief and retaining religious supremecy

Events which are filled with examples of the Catholic Church going directly against the ideals it taught (and still teaches) to its adherents, in order to gain and retain political, ideological, and global might.

*Allix, Pierre. Some Remarks Upon the Ecclesiastical History of the Ancient Churches of Piedmont. Church History Reseach & Archives, 1989. This quote was orignally written in Latin by Pope Lucius III. Allix provides a translation to English in his work, which was originally made in 1690, and has been published in book form since.