R. I. MOORE. The War on Heresy.
Ian Forrest
This is a landmark work of history that sets out to do three things. As R. I. Moore explains in his preface, scholarly on many aspects heresy, inquisition, religion, and politics the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth centuries has ramified for past thirty years. It high time there was new synthesis. But synthesis this field cannot merely summarize consensus, none. So book also makes bold intervention its field, pursuing clear striking argument with which subsequent historians will have engage, whether they agree it or not. Finally, attempts convey all controversy an accessible style aim reaching reading public shown considerable appetite heretics, especially Cathars. The erasure word—“Cathar”—from historical lexicon deserves be one book's lasting achievements. In popular historiography Cathars are portrayed as members coherent heretical sect alternative church, systematic theology established hierarchy believers, perfecti, bishops. What more, over century Catharism been countercultural coat projections Marxism, feminism, environmentalism, occultism have, from time, dressed. Although serious scholars long recognized term imposes more unity upon medieval dualist heretics than historically plausible, “Cathars” held tenaciously textbooks lectures, captivating generations undergraduate students symbolizing exotic appeal Middle Ages. For Moore, persistent hold writing teaching travesty. There were no such people. he goes much further this, making very case indeed. Taking each piece evidence heresy own concerns times, refusing every temptation project backward later sources, systematically dismantles existence single across Western Europe between early eleventh beginning Albigensian Crusade.
The American Historical Review