Protestant attitudes to violence: the early Dutch Republic

This article examines the attitudes of Protestant moralists and Reformed synods toward interpersonal violence in the Dutch Republic from the 1580s to the early eighteenth century. Protestants saw violence as an integral part of a sinful life style and argued that every quarrel which might lead to homicide fell under the sixth commandment. While disciplining the - sometimes violent - first generation of members and ministers, the Reformed Church condemned the traditional procedure of reconciliation after a homicide, despite their preference for reconciliation in almost every other conflict. Wit... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Spierenburg, Pieter
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2010
Verlag/Hrsg.: Librairie Droz
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-29000132
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
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Link(s) : http://chs.revues.org/215

This article examines the attitudes of Protestant moralists and Reformed synods toward interpersonal violence in the Dutch Republic from the 1580s to the early eighteenth century. Protestants saw violence as an integral part of a sinful life style and argued that every quarrel which might lead to homicide fell under the sixth commandment. While disciplining the - sometimes violent - first generation of members and ministers, the Reformed Church condemned the traditional procedure of reconciliation after a homicide, despite their preference for reconciliation in almost every other conflict. With this, the Church contributed to the full criminalization of homicide. The moralists also condemned dueling and the honor code which underlay this custom. By the middle of the seventeenth century, when criminal trials for homicide had become the norm, the synods concentrated their efforts on combating the duel. ; Cet article examine les attitudes des moralistes protestants et des synodes réformés à l’égard de la violence interpersonnelle dans la République des Pays-Bas des années 1580 au début du XVIIIe siècle. Pour les Protestants, la violence relevait d’un style de vie peccamineux et ils arguaient que toute querelle pouvant conduire à un homicide relevait du 6e Commandement. Tout en disciplinant la première génération – parfois violente – des fidèles et des pasteurs, l’église Réformée condamnait la procédure de réconciliation traditionnelle en matière d’homicide, alors même quand celle-ci était préférée pour la plupart des autres conflits. Par là, l’Église contribua à la criminalisation complète de l’homicide. Les moralistes condamnaient également le duel et le code d’honneur qui l’inspirait. Vers le milieu du XVIIe siècle, les procès pour homicide étant devenus la norme, les synodes concentrèrent leurs efforts contre les duels.