Medieval Superstitions

Although most of the Catholic Church councils remained remarkably silent on the subject of Satan, in 1215 C.E., the Fourth Lateran Council presented what the New Catholic Encyclopedia terms a "solemn profession of faith." Canon 1 states: "The devil and the other demons were created good by nature, by God, but of their own doing they became evil."  It adds that they busy themselves trying to tempt mankind.  This latter though obsessed many people during the Middle Ages.  Satan was behind anything that seemed unusual, such as unexplained  illness, sudden death, or bad crops.  In 1233 C.E., Pope Gregory IX issued several bulls against heretics, including one against Luciferians, supposed Devil worshipers. 

Belief that people could be possessed by the Devil or his demons soon gave rise to a collective paranoia-a hysterical fear of sorcery and witchcraft.  From the 13th to the 17th century fear of witches swept across Europe colonists. Even the Protestant reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin approved of witch-hunts.  In Europe witch trials based on mere rumor of malicious denunciations were conducted by both the inquisition and secular courts.  Torture was commonly used to extort confessions of "guilt."

Those found guilty could be sentenced to death either by burning or, in England and Scotland, by hanging. As to the number of victims, The World Book Encyclopedia states: "From 1484 to 1782, according to some historians, the Christian church put to death about 300, 000 women for witchcraft." If Satan was behind this medieval tragedy, who were his instruments-the victims or their fanatic religious persecutors? 

Next time: Current Belief or Disbelief

From the Watchtower magazine, 2002