DOCSLIB.ORG

A Dialogue Concerning Heresies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

A Dialogue Concerning Heresies by Sir Thomas More 5 Page and line numbers correspond to The Complete Works of St. Thomas More (Yale University Press), volume 6. 10 A complete concordance to this work can be found at www.thomasmorestudies.org/publications.html#Concordance. Spelling standardized, punctuation modernized, and glosses added by Mary Gottschalk 15 ©CTMS 2015 Punctuation The only punctuation marks found in the original printed version of A Dialogue Concerning Heresies are the period, question mark, slash, or “virgule” ( / ), and parentheses. Commas, quotation marks, semicolons, dashes, exclamation points, italics, and suspension points have been added with the goal of making the text more readily understood by present-day readers. Italics are added for titles and, occasionally, for emphasis. As for the suspension points ( … ), these are substitutes for many of More’s slashes. He often used a slash where we would use a comma, a semicolon, a dash, or italics; but he also, quite often, used one to indicate whether a certain phrase was meant to be connected more closely with the one preceding it or with the one following it; to call attention to parallel elements in different phrases; or simply to facilitate serious reflection. He also quite often used a slash for dramatic purposes—to indicate, perhaps, a coming sly comment, or some possibly surprising conclusion. The evident thoughtfulness with which More punctuated this book leads one to suspect that he anticipated its being often read aloud, and wanted to make sure the reader got the cadence right. He writes as though he were speaking. 2 3 A dialogue of Sir Thomas More, Knight, one of the Council of our sovereign lord the King, and Chan- 5 cellor of his duchy of Lancaster. Wherein be treated divers matters: as of the venera- tion and worship of images and relics, praying to saints, and going on pil- grimage. With many other 10 things touching the pes- tilent sect of Luther and Tyndale, by the one begun in Saxony, and 15 by the other labored to be brought into England. Newly overseen by the said Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of England. 20 1530. 1 of: by 2 one: a member 5 divers: several 6 worship: reverencing 9 touching: having to do with 18 overseen: edited 4 5 The Table of the First Book Table 1.1 The First Chapter The letter of credence sent from his friend by a trusty secret messenger. With the letter of the author answering the same. 5 The declaration of the credence by the mouth of the messenger; whereupon the matter of all the whole work dependeth. The Second Chapter Here summarily is declared what order the author intendeth to treat of the matters purposed unto him. Whereof because the first 10 was an opinion conceived in some men’s heads that a certain person lately abjured of heresy for preaching against pilgrimages and images and prayers made to saints was therein greatly wronged, the author briefly declareth his mind concerning the confutation of those perilous and pernicious opinions. 15 The Third Chapter The objections of the messenger made against praying to saints, worshipping of images, and going on pilgrimages; with the answer of the author unto the same. And incidentally is it by the messenger moved that there should seem no necessity for 20 Christian folk to resort to any churches, but that all were one to pray thence or there. And that opinion by the author answered and confuted. The Fourth Chapter The author declareth in the comprobation of pilgrimages that it 25 is the pleasure of God to be specially sought and worshipped in some one place before another. And albeit that we cannot attain to the knowledge of the cause why God doth so, yet the author proveth by great authority that God by miracle testifieth it is so. 3, 5 (letter of) credence: letter of introduction 3 secret: personal 5 declaration: explanation 6 matter: content 9 purposed: put forward for consideration 11 lately: recently 11 abjured of heresy: made to renounce his heresies under oath 13 declareth his mind: explains his thinking 17 worshipping: venerating 18 incidentally: in passing 19 moved: submitted // seem: i.e., seem to be 20 resort: betake themselves; go // all were one: it would be all the same 21 thence: somewhere else 24 declareth: explains // comprobation: defense 25 sought: gone to for help 28 testifieth: attests (that) 6 The Fifth Chapter Table 1.5 Because pilgrimages be, among other proofs, testified by miracles… the messenger doth make objection against those miracles; partly lest they be feigned and untrue, partly lest they 5 be done by the devil if they be done at all. The Sixth Chapter Because the messenger thinketh that he may well mistrust and deny the miracles because reason and nature tell him that they cannot be done: therefore first the author showeth what unreasonableness 10 would ensue… if folk would stand so stiff against all credence to be given to any such thing as reason and nature should seem to gainsay. The Seventh Chapter The author showeth that neither nature nor reason do deny the 15 miracles to be true, nor do not gainsay but that they may be well and easily done. The Eighth Chapter The messenger allegeth that God may nothing do against the course of nature. Of which the author declareth the contrary— 20 and, over that, showeth that our Lord in working of miracles doth nothing against nature. The Ninth Chapter The author showeth that albeit men may mistrust some of the particular miracles, yet can there no reasonable man neither deny 25 nor doubt but that many miracles hath there been done and wrought. The Tenth Chapter The author proveth that many things daily done by nature or craft whereof we nothing marvel at all… be more marvelous 30 and more wonderful in deed than be the miracles that we most marvel of and repute most incredible. The Eleventh Chapter The author showeth that a miracle is not to be mistrusted though it be done in a small matter and seemeth upon a slight 35 occasion. 2 testified: corroborated 7, 18 may: can 7 well: rightly 16 well and: quite 18 allegeth: claims 19 declareth: shows 20 over: besides 20 showeth: asserts 26 wrought: worked 29 nothing: in no way 30 deed: fact; reality 34 though: even if // seemeth: i.e., seemingly 7 The Twelfth Chapter Table 1.12 The author somewhat noteth the froward minds of many folk that would be very hard to believe a man in a miracle upon his oath… and very light in a shrewd tale to believe a woman on her word. 5 The Thirteenth Chapter The author showeth the untoward mind of many men… which in miracles so highly touching the honor of God and weal of their own souls… will neither believe other folk that tell them… nor themselves vouchsafe to go prove them. 10 The Fourteenth Chapter The messenger maketh objection that miracles showed before a multitude… may be feigned; and by the author showed how the goodness of God bringeth shortly the truth of such falsehood to light (with examples thereof, one or two rehearsed), and further showed 15 that many miracles there be which no good Christian man may deny to be true. The Fifteenth Chapter The author showeth that if of those miracles that are told and written to be done at divers pilgrimages, and commonly believed 20 for very true, we certainly knew some falsely feigned, yet were that no cause to mistrust the remnant. The Sixteenth Chapter The author showeth that whoso would inquire should soon find that at pilgrimages be daily many great and undoubted miracles 25 wrought and well known. And specially he speaketh of the great and open miracle showed at Our Lady of Ipswich of late upon the daughter of Sir Roger Wentworth, Knight. The Seventeenth Chapter The messenger layeth forth objections against miracles done at 30 pilgrimages… of which he confesseth many to be true. But he layeth causes and reasons whereby he saith that many men be moved to believe and think that those miracles that be done there be done by 2 somewhat noteth: comments a little on // froward minds: perverse dispositions 3 hard to believe: resistant to believing; slow to believe 3, 4 in: about 4 light: ready; quick // shrewd tale: report of something bad 4 word: i.e., mere word, as opposed to an oath 6 untoward mind: badness of attitude 7 touching: pertaining to // weal: good 9 vouchsafe: bother // prove: investigate 11 showed: performed 12, 20 feigned: faked 12 showed: i.e., it is shown 14 rehearsed: related 18, 23 showeth: asserts 19, 24, 30 pilgrimages: pilgrimage sites 20 certainly knew some: knew for a fact that some were // falsely: deceitfully 21 remnant: rest 23 inquire: do any investigating 26 showed: performed 26 of late: recently 30 confesseth: acknowledges 8 the devil, to set our hearts upon idolatry by the worshipping of Table 1.17 images instead of God. The Eighteenth Chapter The author deferreth the answer to the aforesaid objections… and 5 first by Scripture he proveth that the church of Christ cannot err in any necessary article of Christ’s faith. And in this chapter be those words of Christ specially touched, “Super cathedram Mosi sederunt [etc.]: quae dicunt vobis, facite; quae autem faciunt, nolite facere,” concerning the authority of the Church. 10 The Nineteenth Chapter The author proveth that if the worship of images were idolatry, then the Church, believing it to be lawful and pleasant to God, were in a misbelief and in a deadly error.
Recommended publications
  • Plutarch's 'Lives' and the Critical Reader

    Plutarch's 'Lives' and the Critical Reader

    Plutarch's 'Lives' and the critical reader Book or Report Section Published Version Duff, T. (2011) Plutarch's 'Lives' and the critical reader. In: Roskam, G. and Van der Stockt, L. (eds.) Virtues for the people: aspects of Plutarch's ethics. Plutarchea Hypomnemata (4). Leuven University Press, Leuven, pp. 59-82. ISBN 9789058678584 Available at http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/24388/ It is advisable to refer to the publisher’s version if you intend to cite from the work. See Guidance on citing . Publisher: Leuven University Press All outputs in CentAUR are protected by Intellectual Property Rights law, including copyright law. Copyright and IPR is retained by the creators or other copyright holders. Terms and conditions for use of this material are defined in the End User Agreement . www.reading.ac.uk/centaur CentAUR Central Archive at the University of Reading Reading’s research outputs online Reprint from Virtues for the People. Aspects of Plutarchan Ethics - ISBN 978 90 5867 858 4 - Leuven University Press virtues for the people aspects of plutarchan ethics Reprint from Virtues for the People. Aspects of Plutarchan Ethics - ISBN 978 90 5867 858 4 - Leuven University Press PLUTARCHEA HYPOMNEMATA Editorial Board Jan Opsomer (K.U.Leuven) Geert Roskam (K.U.Leuven) Frances Titchener (Utah State University, Logan) Luc Van der Stockt (K.U.Leuven) Advisory Board F. Alesse (ILIESI-CNR, Roma) M. Beck (University of South Carolina, Columbia) J. Beneker (University of Wisconsin, Madison) H.-G. Ingenkamp (Universität Bonn) A.G. Nikolaidis (University of Crete, Rethymno) Chr. Pelling (Christ Church, Oxford) A. Pérez Jiménez (Universidad de Málaga) Th.
  • Theodicy: an Overview

    Theodicy: an Overview

    1 Theodicy: An Overview Introduction All of us struggle at one time or another in life with why evil happens to someone, either ourselves, our family, our friends, our nation, or perhaps some particularly disturbing instance in the news—a child raped, a school shooting, genocide in another country, a terrorist bombing. The following material is meant to give an overview of the discussion of this issue as it takes place in several circles, especially that of the Christian church. I. The Problem of Evil Defined Three terms, "the problem of evil," "theodicy," and "defense" are important to our discussion. The first two are often used as synonyms, but strictly speaking the problem of evil is the larger issue of which theodicy is a subset because one can have a secular problem of evil. Evil is understood as a problem when we seek to explain why it exists (Unde malum?) and what its relationship is to the world as a whole. Indeed, something might be considered evil when it calls into question our basic trust in the order and structure of our world. Peter Berger in particular has argued that explanations of evil are necessary for social structures to stay themselves against chaotic forces. It follows, then, that such an explanation has an impact on the whole person. As David Blumenthal observes, a good theodicy is one that has three characteristics: 1. "[I]t should leave one with one’s sense of reality intact." (It tells the truth about reality.) 2. "[I]t should leave one empowered within the intellectual-moral system in which one lives." (Namely, it should not deny God’s basic power or goodness.) 3.
  • Colin Mcallister Regnum Caelorum Terrestre: the Apocalyptic Vision of Lactantius May 2016

    Colin Mcallister Regnum Caelorum Terrestre: the Apocalyptic Vision of Lactantius May 2016

    Colin McAllister Regnum Caelorum Terrestre: The Apocalyptic Vision of Lactantius May 2016 Abstract: The writings of the early fourth-century Christian apologist L. Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius have been extensively studied by historians, classicists, philosophers and theologians. But his unique apocalyptic eschatology expounded in book VII of the Divinae Institutiones, his largest work, has been relatively neglected. This paper will distill Lactantius’s complex narrative and summarize his sources. In particular, I investigate his chiliasm and the nature of the intermediate state, as well as his portrayal of the Antichrist. I argue that his apocalypticism is not an indiscriminate synthesis of varying sources - as it often stated - but is essentially based on the Book of Revelation and other Patristic sources. +++++ The eminent expert on all things apocalyptic, Bernard McGinn, wrote: Even the students and admirers of Lactantius have not bestowed undue praise upon him. To Rene Pichon [who wrote in 1901 what is perhaps still the seminal work on Lactantius’ thought] ‘Lactantius is mediocre in the Latin sense of the word - and also a bit in the French sense’; to Vincenzo Loi [who studied Lactantius’ use of the Bible] ‘Lactantius is neither a philosophical or theological genius nor linguistic genius.’ Despite these uneven appraisals, the writings of the early fourth-century Christian apologist L. Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius [c. 250-325] hold, it seems, a little something for everyone.1 Political historians study Lactantius as an important historical witness to the crucial transitional period from the Great Persecution of Diocletian to the ascension of Constantine, and for insight into the career of the philosopher Porphyry.2 Classicists and 1 All dates are anno domini unless otherwise indicated.
  • Unius Arbitrio Mundum Regi Necesse Est Lactantius' Concern for the Preservationof Roman Society

    Unius Arbitrio Mundum Regi Necesse Est Lactantius' Concern for the Preservationof Roman Society

    UNIUS ARBITRIO MUNDUM REGI NECESSE EST LACTANTIUS' CONCERN FOR THE PRESERVATIONOF ROMAN SOCIETY BY CHRISTOPHER OCKER Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius was probably born c. 250-260 C. E. to a pagan family in northern Africa.' According to Jerome, he was a student of Arnobius and became a renowned rhetor. He pur- portedly was brought by Diocletian to Nicomedia, the new capitol in Bithynia (and not far from the future Constantinople), in order to teach in its recently founded school. It is difficult to trace Lactantius' subse- quent movements, although his writing suggests that he was well ac- quainted with the activities of the emperors. Jerome tells us that he became the tutor of Constantine's son Crispus, having been brought by the emperor to Gaul. For our purposes, it is sufficient to know that the best evidence for his life, De viris illustribus of Jerome and Lactantius' own writings, reveals to us an educated rhetor who was associated with two emperors, one who was instigated to try exterminating the Christian religion and another who tried to exterminate all but the Christian religion. Lactantius appears to have had intimate knowledge of the religious and political events of the early fourth century. Lactantius remains historically significant apart from his contacts with Diocletian and Constantine. His memory was committed to the western Christian tradition by Jerome. Moreover, his writings ex- perienced a respectable measure of popularity during the Renaissance. From 1465 to 1600, sixty editions of items from among his works
  • E Raft, Tomorrow, and the Highland Chairman

    E Raft, Tomorrow, and the Highland Chairman

    THE CHILDREN THAT PRINTER OF CLOVERLEY OF UDELL’S Hesba Stretton - 1865 Pages: 224 Harold Bell Wright - 1902 Pages: 352 Every day, in all the little common things as well as the great ones, we are to do the will This book is a winner among our unique of God. But when we love the level of comfort collection of Lamplighter classics! President we have attained and the plans we have for the future, it is hard Ronald Reagan wrote: “That book, That Printer of Udell’s, had an to say, “Thy will be done.” The children of Cloverley not only say impact I shall always remember… The term “role model” was it—they do it. This dramatic adventure gives hope and courage, not a familiar term in that time and place. But I realize I found and will touch the heart of each family member. a role model in that traveling printer whom Harold Bell Wright had brought to life. He set me on a course I’ve tried to follow even If you enjoyed The Children of Cloverley, you will also treasure Enoch Roden’s Training, Jessica’s First Prayer, Jessica’s Mother Comes Home, Me and Nobbles, unto this day. I shall always be grateful.” and Probable Sons. If you enjoyed That Printer of Udell’s, you will also treasure The Hidden Hand, Ishmael, Self-Raised, The Wide, Wide World Volumes I-II, The House of Love, Other books by Hesba Stretton: Enoch Roden’s Training, Jessica’s First Prayer, and The Lamplighter. and Jessica’s Mother Comes Home.
  • Cicero and St. Augustine's Just War Theory: Classical Influences on a Christian Idea Berit Van Neste University of South Florida

    Cicero and St. Augustine's Just War Theory: Classical Influences on a Christian Idea Berit Van Neste University of South Florida

    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 4-12-2006 Cicero and St. Augustine's Just War Theory: Classical Influences on a Christian Idea Berit Van Neste University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons, and the Religion Commons Scholar Commons Citation Neste, Berit Van, "Cicero and St. Augustine's Just War Theory: Classical Influences on a Christian Idea" (2006). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3782 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Cicero and St. Augustine's Just War Theory: Classical Influences on a Christian Idea by Berit Van Neste A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Religious Studies College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: James F. Strange, Ph.D. Paul G. Schneider, Ph.D. Michael J. Decker, Ph.D. Date of Approval: April 12, 2006 Keywords: theology, philosophy, politics, patristic, medieval © Copyright 2006 , Berit Van Neste For Elizabeth and Calista Table of Contents Abstract ii Chapter 1 1 Introduction 1 Cicero’s Influence on Augustine 7 Chapter 2 13 Justice 13 Natural and Temporal Law 19 Commonwealth 34 Chapter 3 49 Just War 49 Chapter 4 60 Conclusion 60 References 64 i Cicero and St.
  • The Path of Your Life Lessons from Jesus' Agony in the Garden a Season of Hope Your Faith Is More Than You Realize

    The Path of Your Life Lessons from Jesus' Agony in the Garden a Season of Hope Your Faith Is More Than You Realize

    St. Thomas More Catholic Parish Newsletter February 2019 more INFORMED The Path of Your Life interaction with holy people Lessons from Jesus’ Agony in the Garden inspiration from His example A Season of Hope enrich your Lenten journey Your Faith is More Than You Realize living as missionary disciples How Do We Go Out? 10 Things To Do in 2019 Gifts of Life ideas for sharing your faith guide loved ones back home a family’s pro-life journey with others to the Church filled with love and joy info content St. Thomas More Catholic Parish 8035 South Quebec Street Centennial, CO 80112 303.770.1155 stthomasmore.org editor: Carly McGillick contributing editors: Jerry Nix 19 24 director of communications: 3 The Path of Your Life 18 Praying Prodigal Hearts Irene Lindemer By Msgr. Tom Fryar Home photographers: Dave Rich 4 Parish Photo Album 19 Gifts of Life Nicole Turner By Jeff & Sonia McGarrity 5 A Season of Hope pastor: By Pope Francis (Lenten homily) Msgr. Thomas Fryar 21 Parish Staff Changes & Updates parochial vicars: 5 Enrich Your Lenten Rev. John Ludanha Journey 23 A Vital Role in the Faith Rev. Rohan Miranda, O.C.D. By Dominika Cicha By STM Religious Education Staff Rev. Ivan Monteiro, O.C.D. deacons: 7 Worship With Us This 24 News From Around Lent & Easter Deacon George Brown the School Deacon Bob Cropp By STM School’s Faculty & Staff Deacon Tim Kenny Deacon George Morin 8 Lessons From Jesus’ Deacon Alan Rastrelli, M.D. Agony in the Garden 25 Meet Our New Deacon Steve Stemper By Fr.
  • The Apology of Sir Thomas More, Knight

    The Apology of Sir Thomas More, Knight

    1 The Apology of Sir Thomas More, Knight by Sir Thomas More Page and line numbers correspond to The Complete Works of St. Thomas More (Yale University Press), volume 9. A complete concordance to this work can be found at www.thomasmorestudies.org/publications.html#Concordance. Spelling standardized, punctuation modernized, and glosses added by Mary Gottschalk ©CTMS 2014 Punctuation The only punctuation marks found in the original printed version of A Dialogue of Comfort are the period, comma, question mark, slash, or “virgule” ( / ), and parentheses. Quotation marks, semicolons, dashes, exclamation points, italics, and suspension points have been added with the goal of making the text more readily understood by present-day readers. Many commas needed to be inserted and many removed in deference to current rules about restrictive and nonrestrictive phrases. Italics are added for titles and, occasionally, for emphasis. As for the suspension points ( … ), these are substitutes for many of More’s slashes. He often used a slash where we would use a semicolon, a dash, or italics; but he also, quite often, used one to indicate whether a certain phrase was meant to be connected more closely with the one preceding it or with the one following it; to call attention to parallel elements in different phrases; or simply to facilitate serious reflection. He also quite often used a slash for dramatic purposes—to indicate, perhaps, a coming sly comment, or some possibly surprising conclusion. The evident thoughtfulness with which More punctuated this book leads one to suspect that he anticipated its being often read aloud, and wanted to make sure the reader got the cadence right.
  • The Thomas More / William Tyndale Polemic: a Selection Edited, with An

    The Thomas More / William Tyndale Polemic: a Selection Edited, with An

    The Thomas More / William Tyndale Polemic: A Selection Edited, with an introduction and notes by Matthew DeCoursey Hong Kong Institute of Education Texts Series 3, 2010 http://purl.org/emls/moretyndale.pdf © Matthew DeCoursey, 2010 Comments or corrections may be sent to [email protected] 2 CONTENTS Acknowledgements 3 Introduction 4 A Note on the Text 28 Extracts from The Obedience of a Christian Man 35 Extracts from A Dialogue Concerning Heresies 69 Extracts from An Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue 115 Extracts from The Confutation of Tyndale's Answer 170 Glossary 200 Notes 212 Bibliography and Abbreviations 228 3 Most of the work for this edition was done during the term of a postdoctoral fellowship from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, spent at the Catholic University of America and the Folger Shakespeare Library. I am indebted to Christina DeCoursey and Sister Anne M. O'Donnell for their advice and support. Katherine Acheson gave essential advice on the introduction. 4 Introduction From the beginning of the Reformation in 1517, philology was a crucial element of Protestant thought. Sola scriptura, “the scripture alone” was a Reformation slogan, and the nature of that scripture was defined in philological terms. Luther used Erasmus’s edition of the Greek New Testament with a revised Latin translation in an effort to reach the sources of biblical thought. When Luther understood the original languages well enough, he translated the text into German for the common reader. William Tyndale followed his example in English, laying the foundations for most of our King James Version.
  • The Mendicant Preachers and the Merchant's Soul

    The Mendicant Preachers and the Merchant's Soul

    MARK HANSSEN THE MENDICANT PREACHERS AND THE MERCHANT'S SOUL THE CIVILIZATION OF COMMERCE IN THE LATE- MIDDLE AGES AND RENAISSANCE ITALY (1275-1425) Tesis doctoral dirigida por PROF. DR. MIGUEL ALFONSO MARTÍNEZ-ECHEVARRÍA Y ORTEGA PROF. DR. ANTONIO MORENO ALMÁRCEGUI FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS ECONÓMICAS Y EMPRESARIALES PAMPLONA, 2014 Table of contents Prologue .......................................................................................................... 7 PART I: BACKGROUND Chapter 1: Introduction The Merchant in the Wilderness ............................. 27 1. Economic Autarky and Carolingian Political "Augustinianism" ........................ 27 2. The Commercial Revolution ................................................................................ 39 3. Eschatology and Civilization ............................................................................... 54 4. Plan of the Work .................................................................................................. 66 Chapter 2: Theology and Civilization ........................................................... 73 1. Theology and Humanism ..................................................................................... 73 2. Christianity and Classical Culture ...................................................................... 83 3. Justice, Commerce and Political Society............................................................. 95 PART II: SCHOLASTIC PHILOSOPHICAL-THEOLOGY, ETHICS AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Introduction................................................................................................
  • Justifying Religious Freedom: the Western Tradition

    Justifying Religious Freedom: the Western Tradition

    Justifying Religious Freedom: The Western Tradition E. Gregory Wallace* Table of Contents I. THESIS: REDISCOVERING THE RELIGIOUS JUSTIFICATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.......................................................... 488 II. THE ORIGINS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EARLY CHRISTIAN THOUGHT ................................................................................... 495 A. Early Christian Views on Religious Toleration and Freedom.............................................................................. 495 1. Early Christian Teaching on Church and State............. 496 2. Persecution in the Early Roman Empire....................... 499 3. Tertullian’s Call for Religious Freedom ....................... 502 B. Christianity and Religious Freedom in the Constantinian Empire ................................................................................ 504 C. The Rise of Intolerance in Christendom ............................. 510 1. The Beginnings of Christian Intolerance ...................... 510 2. The Causes of Christian Intolerance ............................. 512 D. Opposition to State Persecution in Early Christendom...... 516 E. Augustine’s Theory of Persecution..................................... 518 F. Church-State Boundaries in Early Christendom................ 526 G. Emerging Principles of Religious Freedom........................ 528 III. THE PRESERVATION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION EUROPE...................................................... 530 A. Persecution and Opposition in the Medieval
  • Chicken Soup for the Legal Soul: the Jurisprudence of Saint Thomas More

    Chicken Soup for the Legal Soul: the Jurisprudence of Saint Thomas More

    Journal of Catholic Legal Studies Volume 51 Number 2 Volume 52, 2012, Number 2 Article 3 Chicken Soup for the Legal Soul: The Jurisprudence of Saint Thomas More Brian M. Murray Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/jcls Part of the Catholic Studies Commons This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at St. John's Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Catholic Legal Studies by an authorized editor of St. John's Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE LEGAL SOUL: THE JURISPRUDENCE OF SAINT THOMAS MORE BRIAN M. MURRAYt INTRODUCTION Before Thomas More's life ended, he uttered the following famous last words: "'I die the king's good servant, and God's first.' "1 The phrase, while brief, is a window through which one can view More's philosophy, legal career, and service as a judge under the regime of King Henry VIII. Roughly twenty years earlier, More, in his finest and most widely known work, Utopia,2 advocated perseverance through prudence to public servants facing moral difficulty: "Don't give up the ship in a storm because you cannot direct the winds. [W]hat you cannot turn to good, you may at least-to the extent of your powers-make less bad."3 These lines, demonstrating the tension between serving in a system of imperfect human law while trying to remain the loyal servant of an unearthly yet divine kingdom, also serve as bookends for More's life and philosophy.