The Spanish Inquisition: Spain, 1834

The practice of Christianity, Judaism and Islam were tolerated under Arab rule, in Spain during the period of 700-1500. Inter-racial marriages were also tolerated for it provided the freedom to choose to convert to another religion, preferably Islam. However, given the general acceptance of the practice of the three religions, conversion to Islam was not enforced. If it was, it was not near the magnitude of enforcement the Christians employed to convert all to Christianity, more specifically Roman Catholicism when the Christians regained Spain from the Arab Muslims.

Inquisition refers to the practice of seeking out, trying, and sentencing persons, suspected of “heresy”, denial of a revealed truth by a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church. The early enforcement of Inquisition by the State Church of Spain was done by means of trying to persuade those who had left the church to return. Persuasion was also used on those who practiced a religion other than the official State religion to join the official State Church. For example, the Visigoth Kings as early as the 600’s considered the Jewish people in particular to be practicing heresy. They threatened them with fear by ordering them to be a sincere member of the church. When the “heretics” did not comply with the kings’ order their property and children were seized.

Inquisition created an atmosphere of resentment against the Christian Church. Those outside its faith did not adhere to converting or returning to the church. This caused the Inquisition by the Christian Church to become official referendum, whereby new policies of more vigorous and resolute methods required the Pope of Rome permission. These new methods implemented by the monarchical government of Spain and the State Church included corporeal punishment, whereby heretics were tolerating unspeakable punishments, one may classify as persecution. In its final attempt to eradicate the problem of heresy the Christian Church resorted to pain, torture and even death. Such was the case with the Spanish Inquisition in its attempt to convert other religions to practice Roman Catholicism.

Domingo de Guzman formally introduced and made the Inquisition an official policy when he obtained permission from the Pope. While attending the University of Palencia in Spain, he decided to join the priesthood and was ordained Saint. His bishop sent him to France where he was exposed to a level of “heresy” that left him in a state of disbelief. The Albigensian, a group of people in southern France, who practiced Dualism, had organized against the corruption of the Catholic priests. They were passionately displeased with the Catholic priesthood flare for the extravagance. Many of the social conducts of behavior decreed by the Catholic Church from Rome, such as marriage, were rejected.