Mediæval Heresy & the Inquisition

This work surveys medieval heterodox movements and the institutional response of the Church, combining doctrinal history with procedural study of the Inquisition. It traces origins and varieties of heretical currents — including rural evangelical groups, dualist sects, philosophical Averroism, and late medieval reformers — and addresses associated topics such as millenarian ideas and popular beliefs in magic. The second part examines ecclesiastical policy: the emergence and spread of inquisitorial tribunals, their composition, procedures, and penalties. The author concludes that persecution reflected both ecclesiastical authority and prevailing public opinion, shaped in large part by clerical instruction.