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Among the most notable and controversial beliefs of the Cathars was the idea of two gods or deistic principles, one good and the other evil. The Catholic Church asserted this was antithetical to monotheism, a fundamental principle that there is only one [[Yahweh|God]], who created all things visible and invisible, as stated in the Nicene Creed. Cathars believed that the good God was the God of the [[Bible|New Testament]], creator of the spiritual realm, whereas the evil God was the God of the Old Testament, creator of the physical world whom many Cathars identified as [[Satan]]. The latter, often called ''Rex Mundi'' ("King of the World"),[23] was identified as the God of [[Judaism]], and was also either conflated with Satan or considered Satan's father, creator or seducer. | Among the most notable and controversial beliefs of the Cathars was the idea of two gods or deistic principles, one good and the other evil. The Catholic Church asserted this was antithetical to monotheism, a fundamental principle that there is only one [[Yahweh|God]], who created all things visible and invisible, as stated in the Nicene Creed. Cathars believed that the good God was the God of the [[Bible|New Testament]], creator of the spiritual realm, whereas the evil God was the God of the Old Testament, creator of the physical world whom many Cathars identified as [[Satan]]. The latter, often called ''Rex Mundi'' ("King of the World"),[23] was identified as the God of [[Judaism]], and was also either conflated with Satan or considered Satan's father, creator or seducer. | ||
Cathars believed human spirits were the sexless spirits of [[angel]]s trapped in the material realm of the evil god, destined to be reincarnated until they achieved salvation through the ''consolamentum'', a form of baptism performed when death is imminent, when they would return to the good God as "Perfect." The Cathars taught that to regain angelic status one had to renounce the material self completely. Until one was prepared to do so, they would be stuck in a cycle of reincarnation, condemned to suffer endless human lives on the corrupt Earth. | Cathars believed human spirits were the sexless spirits of [[angel]]s trapped in the material realm of the evil god, destined to be reincarnated until they achieved salvation through the ''consolamentum'', a form of baptism performed when death is imminent, when they would return to the good God as "Perfect." The Cathars taught that to regain angelic status one had to renounce the material self completely. Until one was prepared to do so, they would be stuck in a cycle of [[reincarnation]], condemned to suffer endless human lives on the corrupt Earth. | ||
===Beliefs concerning Jesus Christ=== | ===Beliefs concerning Jesus Christ=== | ||
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Cathars venerated [[Jesus Christ]] and followed what they considered to be his true teachings, labelling themselves as "Good Christians." However, they denied his physical incarnation and Resurrection. Authors believe that their conception of Jesus resembled docetism, believing him the human form of an [[angel]], whose physical body was only an appearance. This illusory form would have possibly been given by the Virgin Mary, another angel in human form, or possibly a human born of a woman with no involvement of a man. | Cathars venerated [[Jesus Christ]] and followed what they considered to be his true teachings, labelling themselves as "Good Christians." However, they denied his physical incarnation and Resurrection. Authors believe that their conception of Jesus resembled docetism, believing him the human form of an [[angel]], whose physical body was only an appearance. This illusory form would have possibly been given by the Virgin Mary, another angel in human form, or possibly a human born of a woman with no involvement of a man. | ||
They firmly rejected the Resurrection of Jesus, seeing it as representing reincarnation, and the [[Christianity|Christian]] symbol of the cross, considering it to be not more than a material instrument of torture and evil. They also saw John the Baptist, identified also with Elijah, as an evil being sent to hinder Jesus's teaching through the false sacrament of baptism. For the Cathars the "resurrection" mentioned in the New Testament was only a symbol of re-incarnation. | They firmly rejected the Resurrection of Jesus, seeing it as representing [[reincarnation]], and the [[Christianity|Christian]] symbol of the cross, considering it to be not more than a material instrument of torture and evil. They also saw John the Baptist, identified also with Elijah, as an evil being sent to hinder Jesus's teaching through the false sacrament of baptism. For the Cathars the "resurrection" mentioned in the New Testament was only a symbol of re-incarnation. | ||
Most Cathars did not accept the normative Trinitarian understanding of Jesus. Some communities might have believed in the existence of a spirit realm created by the good God, the "Land of the Living," whose history and geography would have served as the basis for the evil god's corrupt creation. Under this view, the history of Jesus would have happened roughly as told, only in the spirit realm. The physical Jesus from the material world would have been evil, a false messiah and a lustful lover of the material Mary Magdalene. However, the true Jesus would have influenced the physical world in a way similar to the Harrowing of [[Hell]], only by inhabiting the body of Paul. | Most Cathars did not accept the normative Trinitarian understanding of Jesus. Some communities might have believed in the existence of a spirit realm created by the good God, the "Land of the Living," whose history and geography would have served as the basis for the evil god's corrupt creation. Under this view, the history of Jesus would have happened roughly as told, only in the spirit realm. The physical Jesus from the material world would have been evil, a false messiah and a lustful lover of the material Mary Magdalene. However, the true Jesus would have influenced the physical world in a way similar to the Harrowing of [[Hell]], only by inhabiting the body of Paul. | ||
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===Sexual beliefs=== | ===Sexual beliefs=== | ||
Cathars believed that the sexual allure of women impeded a man's ability to reject the material world. Despite this stance on sex and reproduction, some Cathar communities made exceptions. In one version, the Invisible Father had two spiritual wives, Collam and Hoolibam (identified with Oholah and Oholibah), and would himself have provoked the war in heaven by seducing the wife of Satan, or perhaps the reverse. Cathars adhering to this story would believe that having families and sons would not impede them from reaching [[Yahweh|God]]'s kingdom. | Cathars believed that the sexual allure of women impeded a man's ability to reject the material world. Despite this stance on sex and reproduction, some Cathar communities made exceptions. In one version, the Invisible Father had two spiritual wives, Collam and Hoolibam (identified with Oholah and Oholibah), and would himself have provoked the war in [[heaven]] by seducing the wife of [[Satan]], or perhaps the reverse. Cathars adhering to this story would believe that having families and sons would not impede them from reaching [[Yahweh|God]]'s kingdom. | ||
The Cathars ate a pescatarian diet. They did not eat cheese, eggs, meat, or milk because these are all by-products of sexual intercourse. The Cathars believed that animals were carriers of reincarnated souls, and forbade the killing of all animal life, apart from fish, which they believed were produced by spontaneous generation. | The Cathars ate a pescatarian diet. They did not eat cheese, eggs, meat, or milk because these are all by-products of sexual intercourse. The Cathars believed that animals were carriers of reincarnated souls, and forbade the killing of all animal life, apart from fish, which they believed were produced by spontaneous generation. | ||
==Legacy of Catharism== | ==Legacy of Catharism== | ||
The Cathars could be seen as prefiguring Protestantism in that they denied transubstantiation, purgatory, prayers for the dead and prayers to [[saint]]s. They also believed that the scriptures should be read in the vernacular. 20th century Baptists have argued that the Cathars are part of Baptist successionism; placing the Cathars as forerunners of Baptist theology. | The Cathars could be seen as prefiguring Protestantism in that they denied transubstantiation, [[purgatory]], prayers for the dead and prayers to [[saint]]s. They also believed that the scriptures should be read in the vernacular. 20th century Baptists have argued that the Cathars are part of Baptist successionism; placing the Cathars as forerunners of Baptist theology. | ||
There is academic controversy about whether Catharism was a real and organized movement or whether the medieval Church imagined or exaggerated it. The lack of any central organization among Cathars, regional differences in beliefs and practices, as well as the lack of sources from the Cathars themselves has prompted some scholars to question whether Catharism existed. Other scholars say that there is evidence of the existence of Catharism, and also evidence that the threat of it was exaggerated by its persecutors in the Church. Since the 1990s, some scholars have regarded the fear of Cathars as a moral panic. | There is academic controversy about whether Catharism was a real and organized movement or whether the medieval Church imagined or exaggerated it. The lack of any central organization among Cathars, regional differences in beliefs and practices, as well as the lack of sources from the Cathars themselves has prompted some scholars to question whether Catharism existed. Other scholars say that there is evidence of the existence of Catharism, and also evidence that the threat of it was exaggerated by its persecutors in the Church. Since the 1990s, some scholars have regarded the fear of Cathars as a moral panic. | ||
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In popular culture, Catharism has been linked with the [[Knights Templar]], an active sect of monks founded during the First Crusade (1095–1099). This link has caused fringe theories about the Cathars and the possibility of their possession of the Holy Grail, such as in the pseudohistorical book ''The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail''. | In popular culture, Catharism has been linked with the [[Knights Templar]], an active sect of monks founded during the First Crusade (1095–1099). This link has caused fringe theories about the Cathars and the possibility of their possession of the Holy Grail, such as in the pseudohistorical book ''The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail''. | ||
Zoé Oldenbourg compared the Cathars to "Western Buddhists" because she considered that their view of the doctrine of "resurrection" taught by [[Jesus Christ]] was similar to the Buddhist doctrine of rebirth. | Zoé Oldenbourg compared the Cathars to "Western [[Buddhism|Buddhists]]" because she considered that their view of the doctrine of "resurrection" taught by [[Jesus Christ]] was similar to the Buddhist doctrine of rebirth. | ||
[[Category:Religions]] | [[Category:Religions]] | ||
[[Category:Christianity]] | [[Category:Christianity]] | ||