How did the Church Effect Witchcraft?
In Europe around 100AD Witchcraft was associated with heresy (rejection of the churches teachings), the Christian church began it's very long campaign to abolish all heresy. Beginning sometime in the 1000'sAD the churches religious leaders decided the punishment for a heretic would be death, by either burning or hanging.
During the 12th and 13th centuries many more changes were being made. Pope Gregory the Great was in charge of the church. He attempted a mass conversion to the newer Christian religion. First he had churches built, over what was the ancient worshipping sites of the Pagans. Even worse was Pope Gregory forced the people of the Old Religion to build them for him, covering their own sacred grounds. In an attempt to keep their religion alive the Pagan people placed various symbols hidden throughout the churches walls, such symbols include; Green Men, quarter guardians and pentacles. By this time the church was realizing that the Horned God and Goddess may be a more difficult rival (in their own created battle) then they had first anticipated.
As an effort by the church to seek out and punish those considered to be a heretic, in the year 1230 what was known as the Inquisitions began. This was done so the people of the church could force those who had different beliefs, into either changing them to match those of the newer Christian religion or be punished. In the year 1233 Pope Gregory instituted the first Papal Bull, a way for him to communicate his thoughts and feelings on Witchcraft and the issue of heretics. Eventually all Christian churches and secular (non-religious) courts were involved in the persecution of witches. Although the people of the Old Religion may have been forced to act like their opinions and beliefs had changed out of fear, for most part those beliefs hadn't changed a bit. Poetry and music of the goddess was still wide spread, this helped to compensate the Pagan peoples need for her. In 1324 an Irish coven was discovered, led by a woman named Dame Alice Kytler the group was tried by the Bishop Ossuary for worshipping a non-Christian God. Kytler was the only one in her group spared from punishment, done so only because of the title she held. The rest of her coven were burnt for the crime of heresy.
By the time of the 1400's Witchcraft was being defined by the church as any person, usually female whom by their own free will rejects God and instead makes a pact with the "Devil" himself. Any person found practicing the Craft was seen as an agent for Satan, on a mission to destroy the church and to work evil on the followers of God. Despite the numerous attempts to wipe out the Craft, the numbers continued to grow. So did the stories being told about witches, most were greatly exaggerated saying such things as; people flying on broomsticks. It was a very dark time, wars, plagues and crusades advanced across Europe. A woman named Joan of Arc led her armies of France to victory, however once it was found out she was indeed a woman and no man like they had thought, she suddenly became bruited as a sorceress, after all what woman could do such things. Originally an alleged Witch, but officially Joan was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake for her crime May 30, 1431. this example indicates the embryonic stages of the Witchcraft accusations. For at this point in time it was easier to convict someone a heretic than of Witchcraft. Unfortunately for those who practiced the craft, over the course of the next century this fact would be reversed.
In 1486 the Malleus Malleficarnum, translation "the Witches Hammer" was released. Produced by two Inquisitors who worked for Pope the Innocent. These Dominicans Kramer and Spranger brought forth what is often referred to as the first Witch Hunter's Handbook. The Malleus stated that "All Witchcraft" stemmed from lust, which in most woman (according to the them) was insatiable. This definition of Witchcraft made it so anyone could be accused including children. Unlike our laws of today, in those days you were guilty until proven innocent. Many terrible and torturous things were done to those held prisoner for their so called Witchcraft. Placed based on a definition of a word, not to mention a definition that was made up solely by those of the church. Simply a theory invented by people, but in the minds of most of the churches followers it was reality.
How Did The Inquisitions Effect Witchcraft?
In 1494, " the Papal Bull" of the innocent the VIII unleashed an inquisition against the Old Religion. Issued Dec. 5, 1494, it's purpose was to serve justification for pitiless persecutions. The Papal Bull instituted the combating of the Devil and saving man kind from the clutches of evil. This set forth a reign of terror which gripped Europe well into the 18th century, a time when rumours, lies and a very incorrect meaning of the word "Witch" was being spread. The years moved on, but the people of the church had not. The conditions for those who practiced the craft had not become any better. By the 1500's people accused of Witchcraft were being brought to secular courts for trial. Charged with awful crimes such as; human sacrificing and worshiping the Devil through horrible rites. Although many historians today doubt there was any actual worship of the Devil, but if there was it was not very widespread. It didn't matter either way the stories alone were enough to cause fear and panic to those belonging to the church.
