RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Herder
Heretic Baptism
by the constitution Apostolicce curce of 1869 is specially reserved to the pope; forfeiture of Christian burial; for clerics, deposition and degradation; for impenitent heretics, delivery to the secular arm for a variety of secular penalties. Theoretically, the Roman Catholic Church still holds to the old severe legislation, and as late as 1878 Leo XIII. confirmed a ruling of the cardinal vicar based on these principles in relation to those who attended Protestant services in Rome. But the altered position of the Church in modern times permits only the imposition of ecclesiastical penalties. A number of decisions of the Congregation of the Holy Office and of local councils, it is true, still forbid absolutely any communicatio in divinis with heretics, such as attendance at Protestant services (for the purpose of worship), and extend as far as possible even to the avoidance of sending children to Protestant schools.
In the Evangelical Churches not a few relics of the older attitude have continued, although Luther at first was unwilling to recognize heresy as an offense ; to say nothing of the burning of Servetus (q.v.), a number of the older Protestant constitutions regard heresy as a crime, with special reference to the Anabaptists, whose punishment by the severe measures of the secular government was applauded by the Reformers. But logically the Evangelical Church, which declines to force the consciences of its members, and appeals solely to Scripture for the confirmation of its doctrines, can only rebuke erroneous doctrines as erroneous, and commend to pastoral exhortation those who hold them. This does not prevent the disciplinary dismissal of a minister who in his teaching transgresses the bounds of Evangelical freedom; and on the part of a layman, a public attitude of hostility toward the Evangelical faith would properly subject him also to discipline, extending, in case of obstinate persistence, to formal exclusion from church fellowship, although in modern practise this is seldom employed. See Orthodoxy. (P. HiNscmusf.)
Bibliography: From the legal standpoint: B. Hobhouse, Treatise on Heresy as Cognizable by the Spiritual Courts, London, 1792, answered by F. Randolph, Scriptural Revision of Scriptural Arguments, ib. 1793; N. Miinchen, Das kanonische Gerichtsverfahren und Strafrecht, ii. 315, Cologne, 1865; E. Loning, Geschichte des deutschen Kirchenrechts, i. 95 sqq., Strasburg, 1878; J. Havet, L'Heresie et le bras seculier au moyen Age, Paris, 1881; P. Farinaccius, haw of the Church of Rome in Cases of Heresy, London, 1885; B. Guidonis, Practica inquisitionis heretice pravitatis, Paris, 1886; A. L. Richter, Lehrbuch des . . Kirchenrechts, ed. W. Kahl, p. 229, Leipsic, 1886; P. Hinschius, Kirchenrecht . . in Deutschland, iv. 790, 844, 847, v. 157, 378, 679, vi. 186, 189, Berlin, 1886-97.
On the historical side consult: G. Arnold, Unparteiische Kirchen- und Ketzerhistorie, Schaffhausen, 1740; C W. F. Walch, Entwurf einer vollstandigen Historie der Ketzereien, 11 vols., Leipsic, 1762-85; N. Lardner, Hist, of the Heretics of the First Two Centuries, London, 1780; E. Burton, The Heresies of the Apostolic Age, Oxford, 1829; C. U. Hahn, Ketzer im Mittelalter, 3 vols., Stuttgart, 1846-50; J. H. Blunt, Dictionary of Sects, Heresies, Ecclesiastical Parties and Schools of Religious Thought, Philadelphia, 1874; M. Menendez y Pelayo, Historia de hs heterodoxos Espanoles, 3 vols., Madrid, 1881; H. H. Wyatt, Principal Heresies Relating to our Lord's Incarnation, London, 1881; A. Hilgenfeld, Die Ketzergeschichte des Urchristenthums, Leipsic, 1884; F. Tocco, L'Eresia nel medio evo, Florence, 1884; S. E. Herrick, Some Heretics of Yesterday, Boston, 1885; P. Pierini, La Genesi del
Liberalismo, Prato, 1889; TJ. Robert, Les Signes d'infamie au moyen age. Heretiques, Paris, 1889; J. J. I. von Dollinger, Beitrage zur Sektengeschichte des Mittelalters, 2 vols., Munich, 1890; C. Heuner, Beitrage zur Organisation der papstlichen Ketzergerichte, Leipsic, 1890; A D. White, Hist, of the Warfare of Science with Theology, New York, 1896; H. C. Hiller, Heresies, 5 vols., London, 1899-1902. A history of the attitude of the English law is given in J. H. Blunt, Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology, pp. 306-311, Philadelphia, 1870. Consult also the literature under Aeianism, Donatism, Eutychianism, Gnosticism, Inquisition, Montanism, Pelagianism, etc., and consult also the works on the history of the Christian Church; DCB, ii. 907-911; DCA, i. 766-769.