Humility or Humiliation?

 

 

 

I plan to occasionally post this message again and again, to remember what this blog is about and not about: it's not about giving an endless listing of church crimes and sins, but the hope that this list will result in humility and repentance from the church. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. Proverbs 22:4 The result of humility is fear of the Lord, along with wealth, honor, and life. Understandably, church leaders like to make much of those they consider to have been "heroes of the faith", those who have suffered persecution and martyrdom because of what they believed. Also understandably, church leaders do not like to consider that the church itself has far too often been the persecutor, that the church has been the one who kill the martyrs or who committed other gross sins. Church leaders like to portray the church as the victim, but there is another and much more unpleasant truth; the church has often been the victimi...

 

In fact, the records of the time bear ample testimony to the rapine and violence, the flagrant crimes and defiant immorality of these princes of the Church... Thus, in 1198, Gérard de Rougemont, Archbishop of Besançon, was accused by his chapter of perjury, simony, and incest. When summoned to Rome the accusers did not dare to prosecute the charges, though they did not withdraw them, and Innocent, charitably quoting the woman taken in adultery, sent him back to purge himself and be absolved. Then followed a long course of undisturbed scandals, through which religion in his diocese became a mockery. He continued to live in incest with his relative, the Abbess of Remiremont, and other concubines, one of whom was a nun, and another the daughter of a priest;... 1225. Maheu de Lorraine, Bishop of Toul, was a prelate of the same stamp. Consecrated in 1200, within two years his chapter applied to Innocent for his deposition, alleging that he had already reduced the revenues of the see from a ...