The Spanish Inquisition

by Helen Rawlings

This book challenges the reputation of the Spanish Inquisition as an instrument of religious persecution, torture and repressionand looks at its wider role as an educative force in society.

A reassessment of the history of the Spanish Inquisition. Challenges the reputation of the Inquisition as an instrument of religious persecution, torture and repression. Looks at the wider role of the Inquisition as an educative force in society. Draws on the findings of recent research by American, British and European scholars. Includes original documentary evidence in translation.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Spain

183 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2005

Reviews

[Christopher Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, the author mentioned dispassionately looking at the Inquisition throughout the book, while her ideology and biases were glaring. There are some great things in this very short book that are worth highlighting; first, the graphs and statistics are phenomenal and second, the use of translated documents from the Inquisition, many quoted from other books, some translated by the author. This is the extent of the worth of the book, it is a small treasure buried in nauseating refuse.

The author was clearly anti-Catholic, though much of her writing seemed to betray a Catholic background. Perhaps she attended a Catholic school, or her parents sent her to religious education. Regardless, she has openly embraced a Masonic mindset, with gushing endorsement of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, going so far as to call Spain and the Inquisition “backwards” for rejecting the vile poison of Voltaire and Rousseau.

The author often describes people of orthodoxy as fanatics and gets many facts wrong. For instance, she claims that the Catholic Church, and the Inquisition considered it heresy to believe Jesus is God. This is a Catholic dogma. To deny this is heresy. The Arian heretics forced the Church to define this dogma in the 4th century, at the Council of Nicaea-Constantinople, Jesus’ dual nature, fully God and fully man.

Other “heresies” in the author’s mind were belief in “liberty” and “equality.” Really? Really? It is noteworthy that in Pope Francis’ recent encyclical, he goes to pains to re-embrace the Catholic language of fraternity, liberty and equality that was so soiled by the filthy hands of the Masons during the French Revolution. This was Catholic language and these are Catholic ideals. I digress.

Rawlings goes on to say that the Council of Trent was “updating” Catholic doctrine. This is simply wrong. For those that are unfamiliar, when an Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church defines a dogma, it is in response to a heresy that has cropped up, denying a true doctrine that has not been defined dogmatically. Dogmas are only defined when the Christian doctrine is attacked, and clarification is necessary. It is not a change to teaching, or an update of outdated belief.

She also refers to Spain being an absolute monarchy a number of times. Spain was never an absolute monarchy. Stick with Kamen and Walsh if you want a good understanding of the Inquisition. If it were not for the good described at the outset of my review, these pages would be good for nothing but kindling.

[Eduardo Garcia-Gaspar · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro aprovecha la gran cantidad de información sobre el tema, especialmente datos relativamente nuevos sobre la institución. El resultado es una exposición ordenada, clara, comprensible y objetiva de la Inquisición Española. El efecto es un mejor entendimiento del tema y, por supuesto, el quitar de la mente las imágenes caricaturescas que de ella se tienen, quizá producto en mucho de películas y libros que prefieren el clisé a la realidad. En fin, una lectura en extremo recomendable que se lee como un análisis doctoral.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

An academic look at the Spanish Inquisition, complete with many, many, many statistics and charts. I wanted an "Introduction to the Spanish Inquisition", but unfortunately (for me) this book was very much written for the advanced student. Rawlings gives a thorough analysis of the Inquisition's organization, recruitment of new employees, division in the various territories of Spain, monetary resources, and so forth, whereas I was just looking for the basics. That said, the first chapter, on the historiography of the Inquisition, was fascinating. Much of the rest of the book I lacked the necessary background to asses.

This is very much "Spanish Inquisition: 450", which may be what you want to me! Me, I'm still searching for "Spanish Inquisition: 101".

[Desollado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although many Spain nationalists cite this kind of studies as quote mining for supporting the concept of the "black legend" the author does a good job of remaining objective. The overall balance ends up being less scandalous, but it isn't flattering either.

[Tomas]

Breve saggio che ripercorre la storia dell'inquisizione spagnola, con un'ottima bibliografia, una cronologia e un glossario.