I've been reading a bit more about Catholicism recently, both for work and other reasons which I may just make a post about after this one and I've encountered something I would appreciate any input upon.
It's no secret that historically the Roman Catholic Church has fully endorsed slaying non-believers and even dissenting Catholics. We can debate the scale of the killings but we know with the Inquisition, the Albegensian Crusade amongst other historical events it was something if not the main reason to kill entire groups could be and was frequently used as an excuse to do so.
Now seeing as I've been doing a lot on Thomistic Theology here I presumed that Aquinas as a "Doctor of the Church" was the primary source for this idea, and while it's rare to do seeing as the Summa is still held to be the definitive guide to Theology it itself is not infallible so advocating Mass Murder could be dusted under the carpet as being his own personal beliefs.
But today when reading the details of the Infallible Council of Trent (http://www.thecounciloftrent.com/ch7.htm) I encountered this little nugget.....
According to the Infallible Council of Trent, Catholics are bound by threat of excommunication (and by proxy eternal damnation) to use force of any kind, be it physical force, refusing to sell them food or firing them from their jobs to compel Heretics to submit and return to the Catholic faith. I will say only Catholic Heretics, but considering the Magesterium today considers anyone Baptized under the Trinitarian formula (which are most Protestants) to be Catholics in "imperfect communion" this is just as applicable to them.
I must ask, why do Catholics today not use force to compels former Catholics to believe? Surely if the doctrine of Infallibility is correct you must do so?
During the Counter Reformation the Roman Catholic Church was very active in enforcing these policies against the Lutherans, Huguenots and Anabaptists so why has it died out?
Why do you no longer punish apostates and heterodox Catholics, when it's very clear according to one of your most important councils you must do so or suffer Hell yourself?
It's no secret that historically the Roman Catholic Church has fully endorsed slaying non-believers and even dissenting Catholics. We can debate the scale of the killings but we know with the Inquisition, the Albegensian Crusade amongst other historical events it was something if not the main reason to kill entire groups could be and was frequently used as an excuse to do so.
Now seeing as I've been doing a lot on Thomistic Theology here I presumed that Aquinas as a "Doctor of the Church" was the primary source for this idea, and while it's rare to do seeing as the Summa is still held to be the definitive guide to Theology it itself is not infallible so advocating Mass Murder could be dusted under the carpet as being his own personal beliefs.
But today when reading the details of the Infallible Council of Trent (http://www.thecounciloftrent.com/ch7.htm) I encountered this little nugget.....
Quote:"CANON XIV.-If any one saith, that those who have been thus baptized when children, are, when they have grown up, to be asked whether they will ratify what their sponsors promised in their names when they were baptized; and that, in case they answer that they will not, they are to be left to their own will; and are not to be compelled meanwhile to a Christian life by any other penalty, save that they be excluded from the participation of the Eucharist, and of the other sacraments, until they repent; let him be anathema."
According to the Infallible Council of Trent, Catholics are bound by threat of excommunication (and by proxy eternal damnation) to use force of any kind, be it physical force, refusing to sell them food or firing them from their jobs to compel Heretics to submit and return to the Catholic faith. I will say only Catholic Heretics, but considering the Magesterium today considers anyone Baptized under the Trinitarian formula (which are most Protestants) to be Catholics in "imperfect communion" this is just as applicable to them.
I must ask, why do Catholics today not use force to compels former Catholics to believe? Surely if the doctrine of Infallibility is correct you must do so?
During the Counter Reformation the Roman Catholic Church was very active in enforcing these policies against the Lutherans, Huguenots and Anabaptists so why has it died out?
Why do you no longer punish apostates and heterodox Catholics, when it's very clear according to one of your most important councils you must do so or suffer Hell yourself?
