Official Definition of the Inquisition

[CuriousAlan]

Greetings,

As far as my knowledge extends, the Inquisition was an a judicial system/office that is now the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Since the Inquisition is an office (correct?), an Inquisition cannot be “declared”, right? The reason I ask is because a friend of mine says the Church should declare an Inquisition on Cardinal Mahoney. I don’t like Mahoney and his mega church that looks like a library and all, but an Inquisition can’t be declared on a single person can it? The offender could be tried by the Inquisition, but an Inquisition cannot be declared on them, yes?

In my studies I notice a lot, and I mean A LOT of authors speak of the Inquisition like suing someone when it is actually a judicial system, not a court case. That would be a trial against the heretic, correct?

Anyways, to sum my question up, the Inquisition is an office, and one cannot declare an Inquisition on someone, but they can be tried by the Holy Office, now CDF, which is the Inquisition, correct?

Thanks!

 

[CuriousAlan]

Bump

 

[Fr_of_Jazz]

Greetings,

As far as my knowledge extends, the Inquisition was an a judicial system/office that is now the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Since the Inquisition is an office (correct?), an Inquisition cannot be “declared”, right? The reason I ask is because a friend of mine says the Church should declare an Inquisition on Cardinal Mahoney. I don’t like Mahoney and his mega church that looks like a library and all, but an Inquisition can’t be declared on a single person can it? The offender could be tried by the Inquisition, but an Inquisition cannot be declared on them, yes?

In my studies I notice a lot, and I mean A LOT of authors speak of the Inquisition like suing someone when it is actually a judicial system, not a court case. That would be a trial against the heretic, correct?

Anyways, to sum my question up, the Inquisition is an office, and one cannot declare an Inquisition on someone, but they can be tried by the Holy Office, now CDF, which is the Inquisition, correct?

Thanks!

The various inquisitions in the church take their procedures from Roman law and courts. In late Roman law inquisitio, as the name suggests, was “an intense and detailed investigation by a magistrate who controlled the procedure of a legal dispute, whether civil or criminal.” (Peters, 12)

In the Middle Ages after many other attempts to pursuade heretics (who were often politically seditious sub-groups) the church used this Roman legal tool and sought out and investigated heresy according to a prescribed legal framework. So “Inquisition” primarily refers to the active investigation and legal proceedings against heresy, not an office. It is a procedure.

It wasn’t until the mid 16th c that the Congregation of the Holy Office of the Inquisition was formed in Rome as a permanent congregation staffed with cardinals and other officials with the task of maintaining and defending the integrity of the faith and of examining and proscribing errors and false doctrines. Of course the office could launch a proceeding.

A good read on the subject is Philip Peters, Inquisition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989.

 

[DavidFilmer]

That’s kinda like asking what is the “official” definition of a “trial?”

The Church conducts ecclesiastical courts and tribunals all the time (marriage tribunals, for example). We don’t typically use the word “inquisition” today (too much baggage), but that’s exactly what they are - an inquiry into a certain matter.

The terms might have changed, but the principles remain the same.

Given sufficient cause and evidence, Cardinal Mahoney, or any other Church official besides the Pope, could be brought up on charges of heresy, and tried and convicted of this offense. Your friend can call it what he wants.

The Pope cannot be held accountable in such a way (as I understand it) because ecclesiastical courts and excommunications and what-not are all exercises of Church judicial authority (not doctrinal authority), and no Office of the Church exercises judicial authority over the Office of Peter, so the Pope alone is beyond the reach of such courts and tribunals (which is not to say that some have not tried… (ahem, Constantinople-4)).