Causa XXIII

GRATIAN. Certain bishops, together with the people committed to them, fell into heresy. They began by threats and tortures to compel the Catholics dwelling round about them into heresy. When this became known, the Apostolic commanded the Catholic bishops of the surrounding regions, who had received civil jurisdiction from the emperor, to defend the Catholics from the heretics and by whatever means they could to compel the heretics to return to the truth of the faith. The bishops, receiving these apostolic commands, summoned soldiers and began to fight against the heretics openly and by ambushes. At length, after some of them had been delivered to death, others despoiled of their own or ecclesiastical property, and others confined in prison and workhouse, they were compelled to return to the unity of the Catholic faith. (Question I.) Here it is asked first whether military service is a sin. (Question II.) Second, what war is just, and how just wars were waged by the children of Israel. (Question III.) Third, whether an injury to associates is to be repelled by arms. (Question IV.) Fourth, whether vengeance is to be inflicted. (Question V.) Fifth, whether it is a sin for a judge or minister to kill the guilty. (Question VI.) Sixth, whether the evil are to be compelled to good. (Question VII.) Seventh, whether heretics are to be despoiled of their own and the church’s property, and whether one who possesses things taken from heretics is said to possess another’s property. (Question VIII.) Eighth, whether bishops or any clerics may, by their own authority or by command of the Apostolic or the emperor, take up arms.