A Discourse on the Albigensian Heresy

C H A P T E R I.

Explaining the errors of the Albigensians is not very difficult; indeed, we might be content, as some are, to simply call them new Manichaeans Followers of Manichaeism, an ancient dualistic religion that taught a struggle between a good spiritual world of light and an evil material world of darkness., and declare that they embraced the dogmas of the ancient Manichaeans. However, the description of Manichaean dogmas is not as easy and straightforward as it seems to some; and while most agree that the Albigensians were Manichaeans, there are some who deny it. Among these is Johann Christoph Wolf Johann Christoph Wolf (1683–1739) was a German Lutheran scholar known for his studies on Manichaeism. in his book entitled (1) Manichaeism before the Manichaeans: because he clearly saw that if the Albigensians were condemned, the Waldensians A medieval ascetic movement often claimed by later Protestant historians as spiritual predecessors to the Reformation.—from whom heterodox men trace their own succession—could not remain safe (2). To us, it seems that the ancient and common opinion must be entirely retained, and we believe we can prove it by comparing the dogmas of the ancient Manichaeans with those that contemporary writers attributed to the Albigensians. "Certain heresiarchs," says Caesarius Caesarius of Heisterbach (c. 1180–1240), a Cistercian monk and author. (3), "collected points from the dogma of Mani... they believe, like the Manichaean, in two principles: a good God and an evil God, that is, the Devil, whom they say creates all bodies, just as the good God creates souls." Peter, a monk of the Abbey of Vaux-de-Cernay Petrus Sarnensis, a primary chronicler of the Albigensian Crusade., another very ancient writer of Albigensian history (4), says: "First, it should be known that the heretics established two Creators; namely, one of invisible things, whom they called the benevolent God, and one of visible things, whom they named the malignant God, etc." and he adds what is known to have been characteristic of the ancient Manichaeans: "They attributed the New Testament to the benevolent God, but the Old Testament to the malignant one." Caesarius agrees with this, when he denies that they receive Moses and the Prophets; indeed, Peter records these blasphemies of the Count of Toulouse Raymond VI or VII, the rulers of Toulouse who were accused of harboring heretics., the chief defender of the Albigensian heresy (5): "It appears clearly that the Devil made this world. If the God of Moses, in whom you believe, cannot help you, etc." Manich-

(1) Page 256. (2) Colberg Ehrenreich Gerhard Colberg (1659–1698), a theologian who wrote on the "Platonic-Hermetic" Christianity. thinks these errors are truly attributed to the Albigensians, yet I cannot help but express a different view from his, since it is to be feared that in this way the Waldensians—whom he nevertheless declares free from these beliefs—might be charged with the same indictment. (3) Distinction 9, chapter 21. Cistercian Library, Tissier, volume 2, page 138. (4) History of the Albigensians, chapter 2. (5) Chapter 4.