What should we do, as Christians, when we are faced with a challenge to our faith? How should we react when members of a religious cult knock on our door? What is the best method of winning souls to a saving faith in Jesus Christ? These are questions that we face today in the year 2000, and these are the same questions that faced Dominic Guzman 800 years ago.
In the midst of Christendom in about the year 1200, a cult sprang up in the south of France. This heresy retained some trappings of Christianity but was essentially an offshoot of an oriental religion called Manichaeism. The "Albigenses", as they were called, believed in a dualistic universe and a transmigration of souls, but rejected the resurrection of the dead. To combat this heresy Pope Innocent III sent a crusade of monks to persuade the Albigenses back to the faith. They entered upon their work with considerable pomp attended by a host of servants. They provided well for their own comforts of life. In contrast to this display of worldliness the leaders of the heretics lived in rigid asceticism which commanded the respect and admiration of their followers. It is not surprising that these Cisterian monks made little headway against the heretics. Later, the pope sent forward a Catholic army lead by Simon de Montfort to subjugate the heretics. This crusade destroyed many lives, but did not reform many souls. The Albigenses continued to spread, moving into the Lombardy region of northern Italy. All of Christendom was in danger. At this point, stepped in Dominic Guzman, known to history as Saint Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers. A revival began.
Dominic was born in Old Castile in about 1170. His parents belonged to the nobility of Spain but not the reigning house. His father Felix was an able leader and his mother, Joanna of Aza, was an extraordinary woman of faith. His two brothers went on to distinguish themselves in the service of God. Dominic entered the university of Palencia in 1184 and was held in admiration as an ideal student. On one occasion he sold his books, annotated with his own hand, to relieve the starving poor of Palencia. He twice tried to sell himself into slavery to obtain money for the liberation of those who were held in captivity by the Moors. His saintliness and his abilities were recognized by the Bishop of Osma who appointed Dominic as his assistant.
In 1203 Dominic accompanied his bishop on an official mission to Denmark. It was at this point that Dominic first encountered the Albigenses. Passing through Toulouse, he beheld with amazement and sorrow the work of spiritual ruin wrought by this heresy. It was in the contemplation of this scene that Dominic first conceived the idea of founding an order for the purpose of combating heresy and spreading the light of the Gospel by preaching to the ends of the world. At the conclusion of his mission, Dominic went to Rome and petitioned the pope to permit a project of preaching to the Albigenses. The pope refused this request and instead sent Dominic to assist the monks already in place. Dominic saw that the failure of the worldly monks to convert the heretics was due to their indulgent habits. He prevailed upon them to adopt a more austere manner of life. The result was at once apparent in a greatly increased number of converts. Dominic also noted that theological disputations played a prominent part in the debate with the Albigenses. Therefore he lost no time in engaging his opponents in this kind of theological exposition. Whenever the opportunity offered, Dominic accepted the battle of debate. Unable to refute his arguments or counteract the influence of his preaching, the heretic leaders began to insult him and threaten him with physical violence.
Dominic also realized the necessity of an institution for the protection of women once they converted from heresy. He recognized that their homes were not safe from evil influence. He assisted groups of women in erecting convents for their own protection. Later, children of nobility were sent to these convents to receive an orthodox education. Saint Dominic established his first convent at Prouille in 1206. This convent marks the beginning of the Dominican nuns.
After several unsuccessful attempts to establish a preaching order, Dominic appeared again before the pope in 1216. This time his order of preachers was confirmed and Dominic set out to convert the world. In August of 1217, he gathered his brethren about him to deliberate on the affairs of the new order. He had determined upon an heroic plan to disperse his little band of seventeen followers over all Europe. The result proved the wisdom of an act which seemed little short of suicidal. Dominic with his band of followers journeyed from place to place praying and preaching almost uninterruptedly for two years. The Dominican order spread across Europe with considerable speed. A revival was underway. In one case Dominic, with a little band of his own brethren, threw himself into a preaching Crusade in Lombardy. It is said that 100,000 unbelievers were converted by his preaching. Shortly after his crusade in Lombardy, Dominic died in Bologna in 1221. Only 13 years later, Dominic was recognized as a saint of the Catholic Church.
What can Christians of all stripes and at the dawn the 21st century learn from the life of this medieval Catholic preacher? Plenty. The life of Saint Dominic provides a template for effective witnessing, preaching and converting. Let us briefly consider five points that made Dominic the most effective preacher of his era.
First, Dominic witnessed with humility and not with pomp. Whereas the monks appeared among the Albigenses with fine clothes and indulgent lifestyles, Dominicans displayed simplicity without the distraction of pomp. As we witness at home and in foreign lands, we must not let our lifestyle appear indulgent. We must not allow the unconverted to admire our possessions more than our message. Saint Dominic recognized this truth and kept his appearance as simple as his preaching. He kept in mind the word of Jesus when he told his disciples "provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. (Matthew 10 : 9-10)"
Second, we must resist the temptation to use force in conversion. The world of medieval Europe certainly demonstrated a mixed record on this score. This history of the church is marred with forced conversions, inquisitions, tortures, burnings and armed crusades. In this context, Saint Dominic shines even brighter. He was consistently a man of mercy, showing compassion toward the sinner even while preaching against the sin. He understood that one cannot compel belief. It is a fact of history that the sword of iron wielded by Simon de Monfort against the Albigenses led to a temporary victory over the heretics but that the sword of preaching voiced by Saint Dominic led to its eventual eradication. The word in the Epistle to the Hebrews rings true: "The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12)"
Third, our responsibility toward new converts does not end with their confession of faith. Just as we cannot give birth to a baby and then abandon it to the elements, neither can we abandon a new babe in Christ to the evils of this world. We must encourage our converts and follow through with nurturing oversight. In extreme situations we must physically protect recent converts. This is especially true in cultures where conversion to Christ leads to expulsion from family. Dominic recognized all this and further recognized that women were especially vulnerable to cultural pressure. He was wise in establishing convents or safe-houses for women. There is currently a missionary effort in Africa that employs women in the sewing trade. All these women are recent converts who have been expelled from their families. They would be either destitute or lapsed except for support from the church. Preaching and maintaining relationships; this is the spirit of Dominic.
Fourth, when laboring among non-believers, we must make it a priority to educate the young in Christ. Saint Dominic recognized that children were the future. As he arrived on the scene in Southern France, children of believers had no place to learn except in the schools of heretics. Each church and each convent that he established not only served as a refuge from heresy, but also as a school of truth for the next generation of leaders. This tradition continues. In today's world many leaders in third-world countries from Asia to Africa began their education in a missionary school.
Fifth, our focus must be on the quality of preaching not the number of preachers. Jesus trained only 12 disciples and sent them out into the world. Dominic began his revival with only 17 brethren. Many movements and revivals begin with the force of one person. Numbers don't matter. Truth and a willingness to serve is what matters. Remember that "God plus one equals a majority". As Christians, we must hone our skills, prepare our hearts, train our bodies, and discipline our minds. We must go out into the world, do what God has called us to do and let God sweat the numbers. Keep in mind the words of Paul when he said "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6)"
Saint Dominic is gone from the earth and the Albigenses heresy is long perished. Now a new assortment of heresies and threats to faith are in the world. Followers of cults knock on our doors. We see false teaching on every television channel. We overhear conversations of spiritual misdirection and hatred toward God everyday. Where are the preachers? Where are those who like Dominic, are committed to combating heresy and spreading the light of the Gospel by preaching to the ends of the world? All Christians who a called by His name can take a lesson from Dominic. We can follow the words Paul: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." This was the way of Dominic.
Bibliography
McBrien, Richard P. Catholicism. Harper, San Francisco, CA, 1994.
Vicaire, M. H. Saint Dominic and His Times. McGraw Hill, NY, 1964.
Mandonnet, Pierre. St. Dominic and His Work. B. Herder Book Co., London, 1948.
Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity I. Harper, San Francisco, CA, 1984.
The Catholic Encyclopedia on line at "http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/"
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