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Handout #119 |
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The Waldenses, or the Poor Men of Lyons |
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A large number of internal documents from
dissident groups were destroyed by the inquisitors charged with repressing
these groups. We often have to resort to the inquisitors to get to know
their victims. Clearly their presentation is always malicious.
The sect or heresy of the Waldenses or Poor Men of Lyons emerged about the year of Our Lord 1170 A.D. The person responsible for it was an inhabitant of Lyons, Valdesor Waldo, hence the name of these sectarians. He was rich but having given away all his possessions, he planned to observe poverty and gospel perfection, in imitation of the apostles. He had the Gospels and some other books of the Bible translated into the vernacular for his use along with some sayings of Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome, Saint Ambrose and Saint Gregory, arranged under titles, which he and his supporters called Sentences. They read them very often, but did not have much understanding of them; however, in their infatuation, although they were barely literate, they usurped the function of the apostles and dared to teach the gospel on the streets and in public places. The aforesaid Valdes or Waldo drew into this presumptuous way of behaving numerous accomplices of both sexes whom he sent out to preach as disciples. Sent word by the Archbishop of Lyons, Lord John of the Fair Hands, who forbade them to be so presumptuous, they refused to obey him, arguing in mitigation of their folly that they had to obey God rather than men. God ordained that the apostles should preach the gospel to every creature, they repeated, applying to what had been said of the apostles. They even rashly declared themselves to be the imitators and successors to the apostles, by a false profession of poverty and under the veiled image of sanctity. In fact they scorned prelates and clergy because they said that these had abundant riches and lived in luxury. Called on to give up speaking publicly, they disobeyed and were declared contumacious, subsequently being excommunicated and expelled from their city and homeland. Contempt of ecclesiastical power had been and still is the main heresy of the Waldenses...they argue that all oaths, whether in law or elsewhere, are forbidden by God without exception or explanation. Bernard Gui, 1260-1331 A.D., Inquisitor's Manual, II. 1f |