History 227 - COLQ:MEDIEVAL EUROPEAN HISTORY

Topics course. The Holy Office of the Inquisition of the Roman Catholic church proved an effective instrument for controlling religious and political orthodoxy from the Middle Ages through the early modern era. Its range of activity spanned from investigations into doctrinal purity, clandestine assemblies, Jewish and Muslim converts to the Christian faith, scientific discoveries, witchcraft, cunning folk, the dark arts, to popular dissent and questions of doubt. Punishments for crimes of heresy were severe, often carrying penalties of mutilation, life imprisonment, and death. The colloquium examines this institution and the social, political, intellectual and imaginary world it monitored in order to safeguard "faith and morals" in this life and access to salvation in the next

Topic: Heresy, Dissent and Doubt in the Age of the Inquisition.