THE WAR ON HERESY: FAITH AND POWER IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE

I have rather mixed feelings about this book. As a general reader I found it quite heavy going, and indeed it took me rather a long time to complete it, although i did learn much about the preoccupations of medieval europe, and the way in which accusations of heresy were used for political purposes as well by those who were sincerely motivated by a desire to resist, as they saw it, the work of the devil.Taking each campaign of action against heresy in turn, the author shows how there was little in the way of an organised Cathar grouping, but that there was quite widespread support for a range of beliefs that were consdidered heretical by the Catholic church - refusing to eat meat, or to engage in proctreative activity were rather dangerous positions for people to take.Overall this series of analyses can be a little pedanatic, as the author concedes in the afterward, but for those with strong knowledge of the period there is likely to much of interest and to stimulate further debate

I needed something to help me research medieval heretics and how they were treated and this book fit the bill! My own new book, Sworn to God, is about a religious sect with some strange beliefs and I found this a huge help in getting little titbits of info and to keep myself right when it came to understanding how the clergy in England viewed heretics.

On the face of it, this excellently researched volume on Heresy in Medieval Europe appears to be the sort of dry, scholarly book associated with history geeks. Obviously the reader will be someone who has an interest in history or, someone researching religious movements and the Albigensian Crusade in Europe. Hidden within however, is a revealing and interesting, story of how modern European states came into being while highlighting the anxieties, self-doubt and neuroses of medieval European society. Well worth a perusal by the general reader wishing to increase their knowledge of the European psyche.

Anyone wanting to explore the crusades against heresy should read this. Through analysis of prime source documents Professor Moore demonstrates that it was not a war against religious belief, but a battle for power and control. A great insight into the religious and lay politics of the period.Unfortunately it demonstrates that human nature has not changed, only the weapons we use.

A glance through its pages reveals a well-researched book with very readable narrative. R.I. Moore can be relied upon to deliver a great read.