890:
1167:
151:
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
399:, 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.
118:
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
71:(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
55:
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
187:(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'.
225:
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
515:
166:, 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
889:
295:
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.
497:
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
195:
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.
90:
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.
624:
241:
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
267:
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.
327:. 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.
324:
1207:
617:
206:
271:, a Dominican reformer who attended the council, became concerned that beliefs of the Free Spirit heresy, and other heresies, were mixed with elements of
1192:
198:
610:
245:, who was executed sometime between 1393 and 1397. Another known case was the execution of Löffler, who admitted adherence to the movement, in
234:
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
170:
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
1202:
162:
During the late thirteenth century, such concerns increasingly became applied to the various unregulated religious groups such as the
304:
Fears over sets of beliefs similar to the Heresy of the Free Spirit have recurred at various points in
Christian history. Fears over
637:
24:
1099:
864:
230:
and
William of Poitiers. More broadly, as a result of his prominence and through the statements of his used in the bull
264:
of misdescribing the nature of union with God in a way that placed him in the company of the 'Free Spirit' heretics.
205:
from 1306 to 1328, was a particularly fervent opponent of heresy. Another person accused, by Bishop John's colleague
501:
1119:
114:. The themes which occur in these documents, and which would emerge again in subsequent investigations, included:
1076:
331:
519:, vol. 3. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1858, tr. John W. Hull, p. 174, footnote 8, where he cites Justinger's
1197:
602:
633:
312:, such as were detected in the Heresy of the Free Spirit, may be detected in the early Church's response to
316:. Fears of suspect forms of prayer were particularly apparent in reactions to the fourth and fifth century
249:. False beliefs about the annihilation of the will were virulently attacked by the late fourteenth century
221:, who lived during the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. In 1326, Eckhart was charged by the
713:
357:
183:
367:
130:
was believed to be sufficient for salvation. They believed that they could communicate directly with
810:
323:
What was perhaps novel in the fears of the Heresy of the Free Spirit was the fear of the notion of
281:, Nider combined the Free Spirit heresy with witchcraft in his condemnation of false teachings.
1171:
1114:
1146:
163:
1094:
372:
227:
122:
Denial of the necessity of Christ, the church and its sacraments for salvation – such that
595:
Denys Turner, "Dionysius and some late medieval mystical theologians of northern Europe",
545:
Denys Turner. "Dionysius and some late medieval mystical theologians of northern Europe".
486:, ed. P. Mommaers and N. De Paepe (Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1984), esp. pp. 15-16.
98:
The set of beliefs ascribed to the Free
Spirits is first to be found in a text called the
8:
1006:
986:
775:
646:
287:
445:
261:
142:
1019:
946:
681:
520:
347:
250:
242:
235:
178:
72:
68:
1151:
874:
103:
852:
842:
352:
292:
218:
214:
155:
135:
84:
28:
632:
1109:
1086:
916:
879:
763:
743:
708:
701:
268:
152:
of God are no longer under the law") were seen as foundational to such beliefs.
52:
1186:
1049:
1014:
859:
822:
817:
800:
780:
674:
309:
36:
395:, (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972) and Malcolm Lambert,
1139:
1024:
926:
869:
832:
795:
738:
659:
317:
1129:
1069:
1059:
1039:
1029:
996:
898:
847:
837:
733:
669:
654:
478:'Poverty of the Will': Ruusbroec, Eckhart and 'The Mirror of Simple Souls
305:
277:
257:
174:
127:
1054:
966:
961:
936:
931:
911:
906:
805:
790:
785:
770:
758:
728:
434:
Battling Demons: Witchcraft, Heresy, and Reform in the Late Middle Ages
313:
272:
202:
148:
123:
32:
1134:
1124:
1104:
1064:
1044:
1034:
991:
981:
976:
951:
921:
827:
748:
718:
686:
167:
484:
Jan Van Ruusbroec: The Sources, Content and Sequels of his Mysticism
465:. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1972, intro.
16:
Religious movement in northern Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries
1166:
971:
956:
723:
696:
691:
664:
753:
362:
335:
210:
111:
80:
76:
48:
40:
106:
in the 1270s, concerning a group of persons investigated in the
107:
44:
500:. London: Forgotten Books (reprint), 2013, p. 5. Online text:
334:
and the seventeenth century British Puritan sect known as The
171:
330:
Similarities may also be detected with seventeenth-century
246:
222:
571:
Norman Cohn, The Pursuit of the Millennium (Oxford, 1957).
299:
131:
585:, (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972).
634:
Beliefs condemned as heretical by the Catholic Church
583:
The Heresy of the Free Spirit in the Late Middle Ages
463:
The Heresy of the Free Spirit in the Late Middle Ages
393:
The Heresy of the Free Spirit in the Late Middle Ages
452:. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1979, pp. 38-39.
436:. Pennsylvania State University Press, 2003, p. 56.
31:but held (or at least believed to be held) by some
1184:
87:) actually held the views attributed to them.
1208:History of Christianity in the Czech Republic
618:
576:The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany
534:The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany
421:The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany
625:
611:
63:The set of errors condemned in the decree
1193:Heresy in Christianity in the Middle Ages
23:were adherents of a loose set of beliefs
450:Repression of Heresy in Medieval Germany
190:
300:Similarities to other Christian beliefs
1185:
93:
606:
592:, 2nd edn, (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992).
1100:Community of the Lady of All Nations
536:. New York: Crossroad, 2005, p. 402.
415:
413:
411:
409:
407:
405:
13:
565:
474:Edmund Colledge and J. C. Marler.
14:
1219:
1203:History of Catholicism in Germany
402:
1165:
888:
256:In the early fifteenth century,
552:
539:
526:
507:
489:
468:
455:
439:
426:
423:, (New York: Crossroad, 2005).
385:
1:
578:, (New York: Crossroad, 2005)
495:Henry Frank Eshleman (1917).
378:
177:(1308–1310) into the beguine
558:Bailey, Battling Demons, 49.
516:A Textbook Of Church History
513:John C. L. Gieseler (1855).
7:
341:
21:Brethren of the Free Spirit
10:
1224:
1172:Catholic Church portal
358:The Mirror of Simple Souls
184:The Mirror of Simple Souls
100:Compilatio de novo spiritu
1160:
1085:
1005:
897:
886:
645:
368:Sister Catherine Treatise
285:also became a model for
143:erotic union with Christ
391:Both Robert E. Lerner,
141:Use of the language of
1198:Beguines and Beghards
1147:Positive Christianity
325:personal annihilation
191:14th and 15th century
164:Beguines and Beghards
134:and did not need the
373:Men of Understanding
275:. In his 1434 work,
126:and reliance on the
35:, especially in the
1115:Jehovah's Witnesses
987:Spanish Adoptionism
549:24:4, 2008, p. 654.
432:Michael D. Bailey.
288:Malleus maleficarum
238:and his followers.
228:Berengar of Landora
94:Beliefs and origins
682:Antidicomarianites
581:Robert E. Lerner,
461:Robert E. Lerner.
446:Richard Kieckhefer
291:, a later work by
207:Henry of Virneburg
1180:
1179:
1020:Consubstantiation
588:Malcolm Lambert,
521:Bernese Chronicle
348:Marguerite Porete
262:Jan van Ruusbroec
251:Theologia Deutsch
243:Nicholas of Basel
236:Jan van Ruusbroec
179:Marguerite Porete
138:for intercession.
73:Marguerite Porete
69:Council of Vienne
1215:
1170:
1169:
1152:Reincarnationism
892:
875:Subordinationism
860:Pneumatomachians
791:Melchisedechians
627:
620:
613:
604:
603:
574:Bernard McGinn,
559:
556:
550:
543:
537:
532:Bernard McGinn.
530:
524:
511:
505:
493:
487:
481:
477:
472:
466:
459:
453:
443:
437:
430:
424:
419:Bernard McGinn,
417:
400:
389:
232:In agro Dominico
199:John of Dirpheim
104:Albert the Great
102:put together by
25:deemed heretical
1223:
1222:
1218:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1213:
1212:
1183:
1182:
1181:
1176:
1164:
1156:
1081:
1007:Early modernity
1001:
893:
884:
853:Semipelagianism
843:Patripassianism
641:
631:
597:Modern Theology
590:Medieval Heresy
568:
566:Further reading
563:
562:
557:
553:
547:Modern Theology
544:
540:
531:
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512:
508:
494:
490:
479:
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444:
440:
431:
427:
418:
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397:Medieval Heresy
390:
386:
381:
353:Meister Eckhart
344:
302:
293:Heinrich Kramer
215:Meister Eckhart
193:
136:Catholic Church
96:
85:Meister Eckhart
29:Catholic Church
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1155:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1137:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1110:Indifferentism
1107:
1102:
1097:
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1089:
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1080:
1079:
1074:
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1072:
1067:
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1037:
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994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
919:
917:Bosnian Church
914:
909:
903:
901:
895:
894:
887:
885:
883:
882:
880:Valentinianism
877:
872:
867:
865:Psilanthropism
862:
857:
856:
855:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
814:
813:
808:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
767:
766:
764:Valentinianism
761:
756:
751:
746:
744:Priscillianism
741:
736:
726:
721:
716:
711:
709:Collyridianism
706:
705:
704:
702:Circumcellions
694:
689:
684:
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677:
672:
662:
657:
651:
649:
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630:
629:
622:
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593:
586:
579:
572:
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538:
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488:
467:
454:
438:
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401:
383:
382:
380:
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375:
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365:
360:
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350:
343:
340:
301:
298:
269:Johannes Nider
192:
189:
160:
159:
153:
146:
139:
120:
95:
92:
53:Northern Italy
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1220:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
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1190:
1188:
1173:
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1075:
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1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1051:
1050:Protestantism
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1015:Antinomianism
1013:
1012:
1010:
1008:
1004:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
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968:
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960:
958:
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953:
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938:
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928:
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918:
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904:
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850:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
823:Monothelitism
821:
819:
818:Monophysitism
816:
812:
809:
807:
804:
803:
802:
801:Monarchianism
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
781:Macedonianism
779:
777:
776:Luciferianism
774:
772:
769:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
731:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
703:
700:
699:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
676:
675:Semi-Arianism
673:
671:
668:
667:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
652:
650:
648:
644:
639:
635:
628:
623:
621:
616:
614:
609:
608:
605:
599:24:4, (2008),
598:
594:
591:
587:
584:
580:
577:
573:
570:
569:
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548:
542:
535:
529:
522:
518:
517:
510:
503:
499:
492:
485:
471:
464:
458:
451:
447:
442:
435:
429:
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416:
414:
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410:
408:
406:
398:
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384:
374:
371:
369:
366:
364:
361:
359:
356:
354:
351:
349:
346:
345:
339:
337:
333:
328:
326:
321:
319:
315:
311:
310:antinomianism
307:
297:
294:
290:
289:
284:
280:
279:
274:
270:
265:
263:
259:
254:
252:
248:
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208:
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150:
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133:
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117:
116:
115:
113:
110:Ries area of
109:
105:
101:
91:
88:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
66:
61:
59:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
37:Low Countries
34:
30:
26:
22:
1140:Santa Muerte
1130:Narco-saints
1025:Febronianism
942:Free Spirits
941:
927:Conciliarism
870:Sabellianism
833:Nestorianism
739:Paulicianism
660:Apollinarism
596:
589:
582:
575:
554:
546:
541:
533:
528:
514:
509:
496:
491:
483:
470:
462:
457:
449:
441:
433:
428:
420:
396:
392:
387:
329:
322:
318:Messalianism
303:
286:
282:
276:
266:
255:
240:
231:
209:, Bishop of
201:, Bishop of
197:
194:
182:
161:
156:Anticlerical
99:
97:
89:
64:
62:
58:Free Spirits
57:
20:
18:
1095:Americanism
1070:Lutheranism
1060:Arminianism
1040:Josephinism
1030:Gallicanism
997:Waldensians
899:Middle Ages
848:Pelagianism
838:Novatianism
734:Manichaeism
670:Anomoeanism
655:Adoptionism
306:esotericism
283:Formicarius
278:Formicarius
258:Jean Gerson
217:, a German
175:inquisition
128:Holy Spirit
1187:Categories
1055:Anabaptism
967:Josephines
962:Impanation
947:Henricians
937:Fraticelli
932:Dulcinians
912:Bogomilism
811:Modalistic
806:Athinganoi
786:Marcionism
771:Iconoclasm
759:Sethianism
729:Gnosticism
379:References
314:Gnosticism
273:witchcraft
203:Strasbourg
158:sentiment.
149:Antinomian
65:Ad nostrum
33:Christians
1125:Mormonism
1120:Modernism
1105:Feeneyism
1087:Modernity
1065:Calvinism
1045:Pantheism
1035:Jansenism
992:Taborites
982:Pasagians
977:Migetians
952:Humiliati
922:Catharism
907:Arnoldism
828:Montanism
749:Naassenes
719:Ebionites
687:Audianism
647:Antiquity
219:Dominican
168:Clement V
124:austerity
1077:Quietism
972:Lollardy
957:Hussites
796:Modalism
724:Euchites
697:Donatism
692:Docetism
665:Arianism
342:See also
332:quietism
260:accused
119:creator.
81:Beghards
77:Beguines
1135:Maximón
754:Ophites
714:Dualism
363:Ranters
336:Ranters
211:Cologne
112:Germany
108:Swabian
67:at the
49:Bohemia
41:Germany
27:by the
502:scan B
482:". In
213:, was
83:, and
79:, the
75:, the
51:, and
45:France
172:Paris
638:list
308:and
247:Bern
223:Pope
19:The
498:War
181:'s
132:God
1189::
448:.
404:^
338:.
320:.
253:.
60:.
47:,
43:,
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523:.
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480:'
476:"
145:.
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