Biblical Connotations By The Ille Humani Generis Decretal...

The 1231 Ille Humani Generis Decretal of Pope Gregory IX produced a reinvigoration of the heretic by way of introducing diabolism to the popular narrative . In short, what did it mean to be a heretic in Medieval Christendom during the period of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries? Here, the pontificate of Pope Gregory IX and his ecclesiastical sheep of Church officials, made sure to provide a worthy Christian response in an attempt to combat the surge in popular movements of dissidence rampant in locations such as Southern France. The Decretal itself utilises metaphors and language in such a way that emphasises the biblical connotations, a purposeful mastering of understanding the public perception of biblical scripture and canon authority. Although the Ille Humani Generis expresses the distressing characteristics of heretics as the â€Å"inveterate enemy of the human race,† it is the way in which heresy was described as a â€Å"deadly poison†¦attempting to destroy th e vineyard of the Lord†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . It specifically highlights the employment of active metaphors through biblical symbolism to better attest to ecclesiastical concern of the threat to Christendom. The metaphorical language characteristic of Papal documents concerning heresy has its linguistic basis on the biblical narrative. There are countless biblical occurrences portraying the symbolic value of fire and its relationship with God. Fire therefore, became a symbol of God’s omniscience and thus a fundamental instrument of