Expert: Sal - 12/7/2004

Question
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Followup To
Question -
The Catholic Church teaches and has taught for centuries that death can be the punishment for unrepentant heretics. This is well documented in a series of publications sanctioned by and approved by the papacy - the names of which I would be happy to provide. For example, in 'The Institutes of Public Ecclesiastical Law' (1901) by Fr. Marianus de Luca, Jesuit Order, former Professor of the Decretals in the Georgian University of Rome (this work containing a letter of approval for its content from Pope Leo X111). Again, in 'De stabilitate et progressu Dogmatis' by Fr Alexius M. Lepicier, Ord. Serv, BMV - former Professor of Sacred Theology to the Pontifical College De Propaganda Fide - again endorsed by the papacy and approved for publication. Both works approve of the death penalty for unrepentant heresy.

In view of this fact please confirm that this is Catholic doctrine and is, in fact, the same doctrine held by your church since the time of Thomas Aquinas.

Robert Newman

Answer -
Dear Mr. Newman:

Heretics have been put to death throughout history. This is hardly limited to the Catholic Church, however. That heretics may be executed does not mean that they must be executed. The main penalty for heresy imposed by the Catholic Church has always been excommunication.

Thanks for the question.

God Bless Yoy,
Sal

Dear Sal,

Thank you for your letter. Unfortunately, you did not confirm the point that I was hoping for. Please tell me whether it remains Catholic doctrine today that an unrepentant heretic of the Roman Catholic Church MAY be put to death with the approval of the Roman Catholic Church. For there is a mountain of modern published evidence from Catholic sources that this IS the case.

You say that heretics have been executed througout history. Yes, but the Catholic Church is the only church today who still teaches this. Surely this is barbaric and is completely contrary to the Christian gospel. Your Church may murder a person for his heresy. The fact that it often chooses to excommunicate is not the issue. It reserves the right (and actually teaches) that it can sanction the death of that person.

For this to be Catholic doctrine in the 21st century is astounding. But if it is not Catholic doctrine please tell me in your reply.

Thank you

Robert Newman


Answer
Dear Mr. Newman:

I must ask if “there is a mountain of modern published evidence” showing that the Catholic Church teaches that heretics may be executed, why do you even care what a Catholic layperson has to say about it? I ask this not to be argumentative, but because I deal with many Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses & Seventh-day Adventists. There are mountains of evidence against their unique teachings. I am not concerned whether a Mormon admits that his church teaches that man may become god or whether a Jehovah's Witness admits that his church teaches the Michael the Archangel is Jesus or whether a Seventh-day Adventist acknowledges that his church teaches that one must kept the 7th day Sabbath in order to be saved.  I could care less because I have a mountain of evidence showing these things to be true.

Now as to your question, I could not find any references to the Catholic Church stating in recent years that heretics could be rightly executed. I checked with the three most authoritative sources that I could think of: the Code of Canon Law, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the writings of Pope John Paul II. I could not find any references to allowing for the execution of heretics. I realize that that doesn't mean that it isn't there, just that I didn't see any such references. If you know of any references in any of those sources please let me know.

God Bless You,
Sal