Dear all,
I was wondering if anyone can tell me if the sort of accusations that
were levelled against Jews (infant sacrifice, perverting sacraments, etc)
were ever used against heretics. I know some similar charges were used
against the Templars, and Boniface, but I wanted to know if such things
were ever used of the esoteric sects such as the Valentinian Gnostics,
the Cathars or the antinomians. I'm interested in the conflation of
spiritual and physical harm in these charges; that when people were in
fear of a spiritual attack on the body of the Church, they often used for
this fear the metaphor of physical harm, particularly against the young
and helpless.
I realise that this is a rather wide and unrefined request, but I am at
the stage of kicking around ideas, and if they prove fruitful, then I
can clarify my query further. If no-one can help on the above request then
I'd begrateful for bibliographical material on the charges against the Jews; is
Miri Rubin the best source?
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer,
Rebecca A. Stephens.
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