Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church has a long history of censoring books deemed inappropriate for its followers. The Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or the Index of Prohibited Books, was a list of books banned for lay Roman Catholic readership. Established in 1559 by Pope Paul IV, the Index was decommissioned in 1966, and over the course of its existence, it flagged over 4,000 works as damaging to the faith or morals of Catholics. The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith still maintains the right to ban books deemed theologically erroneous, but how effective is this in the 21st century?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of books banned | 4,000 |
| Reasons for banning | Heresy, moral deficiency, sexual explicitness, etc. |
| Penalty | Excommunication |
| Time period | 1600-1966 |
| Current status | Abolished |
| Current authority to ban books | Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith |
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What You'll Learn
The Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or the Catholic Index of Forbidden Books
The Index was not simply a reactive work, and Roman Catholic authors had the opportunity to defend their writings and make corrections or deletions to avoid or limit a ban. Pre-publication censorship was encouraged, and printers and booksellers were forbidden from selling prohibited books without a permit. Bishops and inquisitors were urged to supervise printing and bookshops and inspect them. The punishment for reading or possessing forbidden heretical works was excommunication, and any person reading or keeping a book prohibited for other reasons was to be punished at the bishop's discretion.
The Index saw several editions over the centuries, with writings added and removed. For example, in 1758, the general prohibition against works advocating heliocentrism was removed, although specific bans on uncensored versions of Galileo's Dialogue and Copernicus's De Revolutionibus remained. In 1849, writings by Antonio Rosmini-Serbati were placed on the Index, but they were removed by 1855.
The Index was discontinued on June 14, 1966, by Pope Saint Paul VI, and it is now considered a historical document. While the Index no longer has official authority, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith still reserves the right to ban books it deems theologically erroneous.
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Reasons for banning books: heresy, moral deficiency, sexual explicitness, etc
The Catholic Church has a long history of banning books, with the Vatican's first Index of Prohibited Books being issued in 1559 by Pope Paul IV. This index censored the works of 550 authors and numerous publishers, and was considered excessive even within the church. The Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which was last published in 1948, contained 4000 titles banned for various reasons, including heresy, moral deficiency, and sexual explicitness.
Heresy has been a common reason for banning books, with the Catholic Church historically persecuting and executing those expressing views deemed heretical. The Inquisition, active in many countries, prosecuted and punished individuals for speaking or writing heresy. However, the church's history with censorship has shown that suppressed viewpoints often resurface and become fundamental to the church's self-understanding. For example, the church once condemned scientific theories such as cosmology and the theory of evolution, which are now accepted as facts.
Moral deficiency and concerns about protecting vulnerable groups, particularly children, have also been cited as reasons for banning books. Advocates for banning books argue that certain content is unsuitable for specific age groups and could negatively influence children's thoughts and behaviours. This includes content that expresses disrespect for parents and family, exalts evil, or includes offensive language and graphic violence.
Sexual explicitness has been a significant reason for book banning, with early challenges and bans focusing on obscenity and explicit sexuality. Books such as D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover" and James Joyce's "Ulysses" were targeted for their sexual content. More recently, there has been a surge in book bans in the United States, particularly in conservative states, targeting books that involve topics of sex, sexuality, and LGBTQ+ issues.
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The process of banning a book
The Catholic Church has a long history of banning books, with the practice dating back to the 16th century. While the Church no longer formally bans books, it still exerts influence over the publication of Catholic texts and has been known to condemn certain writings in recent years.
Identification of Heretical or Objectionable Content
The Church identified books that contained heretical ideas or content deemed contrary to Catholic doctrine and morals. This included writings by heresiarchs or heads of sects, as well as works by apostates, heretics, and schismatics that defended heresy or undermined the foundations of religion.
Submission to Local Ordinary for Judgment
According to Canon Law, works concerning sacred scripture, theology, canon law, church history, religion, or morals were to be submitted to the local ordinary (usually the bishop) for judgment. The local ordinary would then consult with someone competent to give a judgment.
Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur
If the consulted party gave a nihil obstat ('nothing forbids'), the local ordinary would grant the imprimatur ('let it be printed'), allowing the book to be published. Members of religious institutes publishing on matters of religion or morals required the imprimi potest ('it can be printed') from their major superior.
Inclusion on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum
If a book was deemed objectionable, it could be included in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, the Church's list of prohibited books. This index was enforced within the Papal States and in other regions if adopted by civil powers.
Censorship and Punishment
Printers and booksellers were forbidden from selling prohibited books. Bishops and inquisitors supervised printing and bookshops to ensure compliance. Punishments for reading or possessing forbidden books included excommunication and other penalties at the bishop's discretion.
Over time, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum underwent revisions, with books being added and removed. The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly known as the Holy Office, has historically been responsible for banning books deemed theologically erroneous. While the Index was formally abolished in 1966, the Vatican still reserves the right to condemn writings and ban authors from teaching as Catholic theologians.
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Punishment for reading banned books
The Catholic Church's Index Librorum Prohibitorum (English: Index of Forbidden Books) was a list of publications deemed heretical or contrary to Catholic morality. The Index was active from 1560 to 1966, and Catholics were forbidden from reading or possessing the books on the list, under penalty of excommunication. The Index was enforced within the Papal States, and elsewhere if adopted by civil powers.
The punishment for reading banned books in the Catholic Church was primarily excommunication. Excommunication is a form of censure in which a person is denied the sacraments and privileges of the Church. It is the most severe penalty that can be inflicted by the Church. In addition to excommunication, the reading or keeping of banned books was considered a grievous sin, and could be punished according to the bishop's discretion.
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith still reserves the right to ban books it deems theologically erroneous. However, it is unclear what, if any, punishments would be inflicted on Catholics who read such banned books today.
Historically, the punishment for reading banned books could be severe. In some cases, books deemed heretical were ordered to be burned, and the illegal preservation of such books was treated as a heinous criminal offense. In the case of the 16th-century Dominican friar Giordano Bruno, he was burned at the stake, in part for asserting that the sun was just one of many heavenly bodies.
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The history of the Catholic Church's censorship of books
The Catholic Church has a long history of censoring books, dating back to the Middle Ages. The Church's primary motivation for censoring books was to safeguard the faith and morals of Catholics and protect the purity of their religion.
In ancient times, information about objectionable books in both the East and West was sent to Rome, where they were examined and potentially forbidden by the Apostolic See. Popes, councils, bishops, and synods all considered it their sacred duty to protect the souls of the faithful by condemning and prohibiting dangerous books. During the Middle Ages, there was an increase in the number of prohibited books, often targeting the writings of medieval heretics.
The invention of the printing press in the 15th century by Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized book publishing, allowing for the mass production and widespread dissemination of information. This development led to attempts by both the Church and governments in most European countries to regulate and control printing, particularly during the Protestant Reformation when religious subject matter was heavily scrutinized. The first Roman Index, or Index of Prohibited Books, was issued in 1559 by Pope Paul IV, banning books deemed heretical, superstitious, immoral, or obscene. This index was revised over the years, with the last edition published in 1948, containing 4,000 titles censored for reasons such as heresy, moral deficiency, and sexual explicitness.
The Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or the Index of Prohibited Books, was not just a list of banned books but also included rules relating to the reading, selling, and preemptive censorship of books. It allowed Roman Catholic authors to defend their writings and make corrections or deletions to avoid or limit a ban. The Index was enforceable within the Papal States and could result in excommunication for those who read, published, sold, or possessed the prohibited books.
While the Index was formally abolished in 1966 by Pope Paul VI, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith still maintains the right to ban books deemed theologically erroneous. In recent years, the Congregation has condemned books that draw comparisons between Christianity and Eastern religions.
The Catholic Church's history with censorship has been controversial, with notable figures like Galileo falling victim to censorship and imprisonment. Despite the Church's efforts, censorship has often proven ineffective in suppressing ideas and viewpoints, highlighting the need for hesitation and humility in determining what constitutes heresy.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Catholic Church has historically prohibited certain books from being read by its followers. The Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or Index of Prohibited Books, was a list of books banned for lay Roman Catholic readership. The Index was abolished in 1966, but the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly known as the Sacred Congregation of the Inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church) still reserves the right to ban books it deems theologically erroneous.
The Catholic Church banned books that were deemed heretical, superstitious, and immoral or obscene. Books that fell into these categories included those that defended heresy or schism, undermined the foundations of religion, falsified the notion of "Inspiration of Holy Scripture", or promoted sorcery, magic, duelling, suicide, divorce, or Freemasonry.
The punishment for reading banned books included excommunication and other forms of punishment at the bishop's discretion. In addition, the illegal preservation of banned books was treated as a heinous criminal offense.
