Debate: The
Inquisition
Proposition:
The
techniques of the Inquisition were an effective way to eradicate
heretical
belief and lead simple people back to orthodoxy.
Medieval Worlds pp. 285-288 and 436-7 presents the basic
historical
background for this debate, but it's pretty scanty, and should be
supplemented
by other sources (some listed below).
Background
presentations:
Team 1:
Describe the beliefs of the Waldensians and the Cathars
(Albigensians).
Team 2:
Explain the history of the Inquisition, who staffed it (and
why), and how it worked.
Debate:
Team 1:
argue for the Proposition
Team 2:
argue against the Proposition
Primary source
evidence
Bernard Gui:
Inquisitorial Technique (c.1307-1323)
Bernard
Gui: Inquisitor's Manual (longer
selection): read especially
nos. 6-11.
Confession
of
Guillemette, widow of Pierre Battegay of Pamiers
Other resources
An introduction to the
Inquisition
can be found here.
There are many
websites about the
Inquisition, but they must be used with extreme care, as many of them
contain
radical bias or else are based on erroneous assumptions.
One that seems quite good, with a
bibliography, is http://www.bede.org.uk/inquisition.htm.