RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Decalogue
Declaration of Indulg:ence
Bibliography: The subject is treated in most of the critical works on the history of Israel and the introduction to the 0. T. Consult: A. Kuenen, Origin and Composition of the Hexateuch, London, 1886; R. Kittel, Geschichte der Hebraer, 2 vols., Gotha, 1888-92, Eng. transl., London, 1895-96; B. Bantsch, Das Bundesbuch, Halle, 1892; H. Schultz, AUtestamentliche Theologie, 2 vols., Gottingen, 1896, Eng. transl., London, 1892; E. Konig, Einleitung in das A. T., Bonn, 1893; A. Dillmann, AUtestamentliche Theologie, Leipsic, 1895; W H. Green, Higher Criticism of the Pentateuch, New York, 1895; C. A. Briggs, Higher Criticism of the Pentateuch, pp. 242 sqq.. New York, 1897; C. H. Cornill, Einleitung in das A. T., Tiibingen, 1905, Eng. transl., Lond., 1907; H. L. Strack, Einleitung in das A. T., Munich, 1898; C. Caverno, The Ten Words, Boston, 1899; R. Smend, AUtestamentliche Religionsgeschichte, Freiburg, 1899; J. Wellhausen, Composition des Hexateuchs, Berlin, 1899; J. E. Carpenter and G. Harford-Battersby, The Hexateuch, 2 vols., London, 1900; S. A. Cook, in The Guardian, Dec. 17, 1902 (on a new papyrus with early text); DB, i. 580-582; EB, i. 1049-51; JE, iv. 492-498. Earlier homiletical literature is given in J. F. Hurst, Literature of Theology, pp. 149, 164, 392, 528, New York, 1896. Consult also L. Lemme, Die religionsgeschichtliche Bedeutung des Dekalogs, Breslau, 1880.
DECIUS, di'shi-us, CAIUS MESSIUS QUINTUS TRA JANUS: Roman emperor 249-251; b. near Sirmium about 200, of a Roman or Romanized family; d. in the marshes of Dobrudja, Rumania, in the summer or autumn of 25L He began his career in the army, became governor of Dacia and Moesia under Philippus Arabs, and was placed in command of the forces sent to crush the Gothic invasion. Discouraged by its defeats, the Danubian army proclaimed him Augustus in 249, and his victory at Verona, in which the emperor Philippus fell, won him the throne in the same year. Decius was essentially a soldier, also eager to revive and strengthen the moral and religious forces which still existed, but he lacked political insight, and was unable to secure permanent results during his brief reign. A new inroad of the Goths soon recalled him from Italy and Rome to the Danubian countries, where he fell after a series of disastrous battles.
In the course of his turbulent reign Decius began a persecution of the Christians, which endangered the Church more than any which had preceded it. The religious policy of Philippus, who had favored the Christians, may have made the new emperor regard them as his opponents, but a stronger motive was his personal anti-Christian bias, based on his adherence to the ancient faith, and directed primarily against the clergy. It is also probable that the censor Valerian, who later became emperor, and was in high favor with Decius, was active in this persecution, and as chief civil magistrate was required to carry it through. It is with justice, therefore, that Christian tradition combines the name of the emperor with that of his chief officer. It is even possible that Valerian was the real leader. The repression, which seems to have begun about the end of 249, and which lasted, at least in part, until Decius fell, was premeditated from the very first, while the uniformity of its execution is shown by the reports from North Africa, Rome, Egypt, and Asia Minor. All, without exception, were commanded to offer sacrifice. In case of refusal, however, further proceedings were left to the discretion of the judge, and the penalties which were inflicted III.— 25
ranged from light punishment to death, sometimes in such cruel forms as starvation, burning, and stoning. The only uniformity observed was the desire to kill the chief clergy, and many bishops, as at Rome, Antioch, and Jerusalem, suffered martyrdom, while others saved themselves by flight. The attitude of the laity was, on the whole, a feeble one. Origen was tortured, and the general picture of devastation is described by the Roman presbyters with the words (Cyprian, Epist, xxx. 5): " Look upon almost the whole world devastated, and observe that the remains and the ruins of the fallen are lying about on every side." These conditions gave rise to the difficult problem of the attitude of the Church toward the lapsed, among whom the so-called lihellatici now appeared for the first time in the history of the persecution of the Christians (see Lapsed); yet beside those who wavered the Church could also point to many courageous, steadfast souls.
In view of its destructive effect the Decian persecution has always been regarded as one of extraordinary severity. Nevertheless, this persecution was not general in scope, although it was intended to be so. In many places the imperial edicts were disregarded, and in others executed only formally. The turbulent political conditions of the period forbade strenuous and uniform action, and the Decian persecution was, consequently, merely transitory. Victor Schultze.
Bibliography: The sources are, from the Roman side, Prosopographia imperii romani scec. i.-iii., part ii., ed. H. Dessau, p. 368, Berlin, 1897; from the Christian side, Cyprian, De lapsis. Eng. transl., in ANF, v. 437-447; and Eusebius, Hist, eccl., vi. 40-42, Eng. transl., in NPNF. 2d series, i. 281-286. Consult: L. S. le N. de Tillemont, Memoires . ecclesiastiques, iii. 2, pp. 123 sqq., Brussels, 1695; E. G. Hardy, Christianity and the Roman Government, London, 1894; H. Schiller, Geschichte der romischen Kaiserzeit, i. 2, pp. 804 sqq., Gotha, 1883; J. A. F. Gregg, The Decian Persecution, Edinburgh, 1897; L. PuUan, Church of the Fathers, pp. 156 sqq.. New York, 1905; Neander, Christian Church, i. 130-136; Schaff, Christian Church, ii. 60-63; Gibbon, Decline and Fall, ii. 113-114.
DECIUS, NIKOLAUS: According to P. J. Rehtmeyer — Kirchengeschichte der Stadt Braunschweig (5 vols., Brunswick, 1707-15), iii. 19 — translator or adapter of the Gloria in excelsis, the Sanctus, and the Agnus into Low German verse; d. Mar. 21, 1541 (?). About 1519 he was provost in Steterburg, near Wolfenbuttel ; after his conversion to Lutheranism, 1522, teacher in Brunswick; and finally preacher in Stettin. Attempts to identify him with a Nicolaus a Curia who was preacher in Stettin about 1523 and with others are not convincing. (Ferdinand Cohrs.)
DECLARATION OF INDULGENCE: An act of
Charles II. of England, whereby he suspended all penal laws against both Roman Catholics and dissenters, Mar. 15, 1672. A royal proclamation _ of the same king, issued ten years earlier, promising modification of the severity of the Act of Uniformity (q.v.), is sometimes called the First Declaration of Indulgence. The king's motive in both cases was believed to be a desire to favor Roman Catholics and revive the royal prerogative of dispensing with the execution of laws, and opposition arose
Decree ^ , _ THE NEW SCHA FF-HERZOG
Defilement and Purification
even among Protestant dissenters. Strong antagonism developed in parliament, the legality of the king's action was questioned, and the declaration was recalled Mar. 8, 1673. Another declaration of indulgence was issued by James II., Apr. 4, 1687, granting full religious liberty to all his subjects. The same opposition developed, and the king failed to obtain parliamentary sanction oven from a packed parliament. The king reissued the declaration Apr. 22, 1688, and ordered all clergy to read the declaration in their pulpits. But the order was generally disobeyed and called forth a protest written by Archbishop Bancroft (q.v.) and signed by himself and sLx other bishops, for which they were committed to the Tower (June 8); they were acquitted by jury when brought to trial at the end of the month. On the same day the invitation was despatched to William of Orange to become king of England.
Bibliography: The Declaration of James II. is reproduced in Gee and Hardy, Documents, pp. 641-644. Consult: T. B. Howell, Complete Collection of State Trials, vol. xii., London, 1809-28; G. D'Oyly, Life of William Sancroft, ib. 1840; W. H. Hutton, The English Church, 1626- 1714, pp. 184-227, ib. 1903; Robinson, European History, ii. 256-259.
DECREE, DECRETAL: In the canonical sense the latter is an authoritative rescript of a pope in
reply to some question. The original name was decretale constitutum or decretalis epistola ; afterward decretalis. A decree is a papal ordinance enacted with the advice of the cardinals, but not as response to an inquiry.
DECRETUM GRATIANI. See Canon Law.
DEFENDER OF THE FAITH (Dejensor fidei): A title borne by English sovereigns. It was first conferred by Leo X. on Henry VIII., as a reward for his Assertio septem sacramentorum, in the bull Ex supernw dispositionis (Oct. 11, 1521), and confirmed by Clement VII. on Mar. 5, 1523. After the breach with Rome it was recognized by Parliament in " An Act for the Ratification of the King's Majesty's Stile," 35 Henr. VIII. (A. Hauck.)
DEFENDER OF THE MARRIAGE-TIE (Defensor matrimonii): An official in every diocese in the Roman Catholic Church deputed, according to the bull Dei miseratione of Benedict XIV- (Nov. 3, 1741), to prevent by all proper means the dissolution of the marriage-tie where proceedings to that end have been begun. The office was instituted in America by the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884.