Tanchelm

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how Tanchelm preached in the Low Countries for five years before his death c1115 and how he was branded a heretic in the 12th century by the Utrecht clergy. It looks at how he was an itinerant preacher who wanted to further Gregorian reforms, how he was considered a threat to the clergy because he rejected the old established order, and how Tanchelm not only posed a threat to the clergy, but to secular authorities in the region as well.

From the Paper:

"Tanchelm was disliked by the Utrecht's clergy because of his actions during the years 1112-1113 when he travelled to Rome to persuade pope Paschal II to transfer the maratime regions, (a quarter) of the Utrecht diocese, to the episcopate of Therouanne of the Kingdom of France under Louis VI. Louis initiated this move in order to weaken the clergy of Utrecht, who were partisans of the emporer Henry VI against France and the papacy. There was a new concern for the social implications of the gospel and a desire for more radical changes in the clergy and the relations between the church and lay society, coupled with stressing the apostolic ideal. This feature of 12th century heresies represented a reaction against the wealthy Church and a developing bourgeoisie during a time of rapid economic growth . "

Sample of Sources Used:

• W. Wakefield and A. Evans, Heresies of the High Middle Ages, Columbia University Press, 1991.
• Malcolm Lambert, Medieval Heresy, Popular Movements form the Gregorian Reform to the Reformation, 3rd ed. Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2002.
• R.I. Moore, The Origins of European Dissent, Basil Blackwell Ltd, 2005.

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: