Hello. I am a student at Curtin University in West Australia. I have
finished a social sciences degree majoring in German and Medieval
history. I plan to continue my studies next year by doing my Honours
degree at Oxford Brookes University in England. I am interested in the
elements that went into the development of the diabolic witch which had
become an accepted stereotype by the 15thC. I have been looking at
elements of folklore, the influence of the Church Fathers, other
heretical groups, the demonization of pagan magic or the village healer,
and the scholastic tradition.
I was wondering about the accusations thrown at the early Christians by
the Pagans. Accusations such as canibalism, infanticide, incestual
orgies etc, which were recorded by the Christian apologists, Tertullian
and Minucius Felix. How likely would it have been that the monks,
having access to this information in the course of their studies, would
have applied these accusations directly onto groups tried for heresy?
For example the group at Oleans in 1022 were tried and burned for
heresy, as a result of being accused of indulging in incestual orgies,
sacrificing children and worshipping the devil. These types of
accusations had not been seen for centuries. Yet all of a sudden they
appear in Orleans in 1022. I am having trouble accounting for this.
Some input would be gratefully appreciated.
lilith nightshade
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