Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th
Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not
Pure Polemical Fantasy

k 2013

Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not Pure Polemical Fantasy

ZBÍRAL, David

Basic information

Original name

Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not Pure Polemical Fantasy

Authors

ZBÍRAL, David (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

International Medieval Congress 2013 : Pleasure, Leeds, 1-4 July 2013, 2013

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Prezentace na konferencích

Field of Study

60300 6.3 Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/13:00066258

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

Keywords in English

Catharism; Cathars; foundation myths; De heresi catharorum; Tractatus de hereticis

Abstract

V originále

Several texts from the 12th and 13th centuries (Ebervin of Steinfeld's letter to St. Bernard, 1143/1147; De heresi catharorum, 1190/1215; Charter of Niquinta, 1220s?; Tractatus de hereticis, 1250/1280) depict the beginnings of various dissident groups labeled Cathar by some modern scholars. These narratives have been studied mostly as either historical facts or polemical fictions. In this paper, I try to refine this sharp division. In the light of current discussions on the "invention of heresy", and in line with Peter Biller's article "Goodbye to Waldensianism?" (Past and Present, 192, 2006, 3-33), I argue that there are good reasons not to consider these narratives mono-vocal polemical fables, as Jean-Louis Biget has claimed following (and slightly simplifying) Gabriele Zanella's thoughts, but a poly-vocal narrative trying to make sense of Cathar groups also using their own narratives. This view deliberately counters the current deconstructionist trend, eye-opening in many ways but ideological when transformed into a dogma sweeping away what interpretive historical work should continue to be, i.e. the patient and open-minded reading of sources.

Links

GAP401/12/0657, research and development project

Name: Prameny ke studiu nesouhlasných náboženských hnutí ve středověkém západním křesťanství se zaměřením na katarství

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Sources for the Study of Dissenting Religious Movements in Western Medieval Christianity with Special Focus on Catharism

Citovat

ZBÍRAL, David. Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not Pure Polemical Fantasy. In International Medieval Congress 2013 : Pleasure, Leeds, 1-4 July 2013. 2013.

@proceedings{1116902,
   author = {Zbíral, David},
   booktitle = {International Medieval Congress 2013 : Pleasure, Leeds, 1-4 July 2013},
   keywords = {Catharism; Cathars; foundation myths; De heresi catharorum; Tractatus de hereticis},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not Pure Polemical Fantasy},
   year = {2013}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 1116902
AU  - Zbíral, David
PY  - 2013
TI  - Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not Pure Polemical Fantasy
KW  - Catharism
KW  - Cathars
KW  - foundation myths
KW  - De heresi catharorum
KW  - Tractatus de hereticis
N2  - Several texts from the 12th and 13th centuries (Ebervin of Steinfeld's letter to St. Bernard, 1143/1147; De heresi catharorum, 1190/1215; Charter of Niquinta, 1220s?; Tractatus de hereticis, 1250/1280) depict the beginnings of various dissident groups labeled Cathar by some modern scholars. These narratives have been studied mostly as either historical facts or polemical fictions. In this paper, I try to refine this sharp division. In the light of current discussions on the "invention of heresy", and in line with Peter Biller's article "Goodbye to Waldensianism?" (Past and Present, 192, 2006, 3-33), I argue that there are good reasons not to consider these narratives mono-vocal polemical fables, as Jean-Louis Biget has claimed following (and slightly simplifying) Gabriele Zanella's thoughts, but a poly-vocal narrative trying to make sense of Cathar groups also using their own narratives. This view deliberately counters the current deconstructionist trend, eye-opening in many ways but ideological when transformed into a dogma sweeping away what interpretive historical work should continue to be, i.e. the patient and open-minded reading of sources.
ER  -

ZBÍRAL, David. Forming Identity and Legitimizing Leadership: Why the 12th-13th Century Narratives about the History of Cathar Groups are Not Pure Polemical Fantasy. In \textit{International Medieval Congress 2013 : Pleasure, Leeds, 1-4 July 2013}. 2013.

Detailed Information on Publication Record