How Would You Receive Such a Man?

12/7/2011

Consider how you would receive such a man as twelfth-century “Henry of Lausanne.”

Henry was a “clergyman” who tried—and failed—to reform cultural Christianity “from the inside,” so he left the machine and ceased to be a clergyman, in favor of being a Christian only. Around the year 1116, he began to travel all over southern France teaching publicly. Henry told anyone who would listen that (1) it was wrong to pray to the saints; (2) it was useless to pray for the dead, since they had already been judged; (3) the catholic hierarchy had no doctrinal authority; (4) the New Testament writings were the rule of faith, and that everyone should have the opportunity to hear them; (5) the mass and so-called sacraments had no spiritual value; (6) adult believers, not infants, should be baptized; and (7) worship services and liturgies were wrong concepts and should be rejected.

Henry was eventually condemned and imprisoned for life for his “heresy.”

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

Or close the wall up with our dead.

In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man

As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

Then imitate the action of the tiger;

stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour’d rage;

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,

Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit

to his full height. On, on, you noblest Saints.

6:24 p.m.