The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

III. Admissions of Papal Enemies as to Their Claim to Antiquity

1. AN INQUISITOR OF PASSAU

In the middle of the thirteenth century, in Austria, this Anonymous of Passau wrote of the various ancient heretics, all of whom had been destroyed except the Manichaeans, Arians, Runcarians, and Leonists. Reporting on the origin of the Leonists—though writing to discredit them—he confesses to their claim of antiquity: PFF1 939.8

“Among all these sects, which either still exist or which have formerly existed, there is not one more pernicious to the Church than that of the Leonists: and this, for three reasons. The first reason is; because It has been of longer continuance: for some say, that it has lasted from the time of Sylvester; others, from the time of the Apostles. The second reason is; because, It is more general: for there is scarcely any land, in which this sect exists not. The third reason is; because, While all other sects, through the immanity of their blasphemies against God, strike horror into the hearers, this of the Leonists has a great semblance of piety; inasmuch as they live justly before men, and believe, together with all the Articles contained in the Creed, every point well respecting the Deity: only they blaspheme the Roman Church and Clergy; to which the multitude of the Laity are ready enough to give credence.” ¹² PFF1 939.9

That the Leonists of the time of this writer were Waldenses is shown, not only by his own further statement identifying the Poor Men of Lyons as Leonists, ¹³ but by another selection from the same work of the Passau Inquisitor, ¹⁴ which identifies the Poor Men of Lyons as Waldenses, as well as by other Latin source references. ¹⁵ PFF1 940.1

2. IMPLIED BY MONETA AND SALVUS BURCE

Even before this the Waldensians’ claim to antiquity is implied, although not positively stated, by both Salvus Burce (1235) and Moneta of Cremona (c. 1240), who contend against the Waldensians and use the argument of newness against the authority of their teachings. ¹⁶ PFF1 940.2

3. CONTROVERTED BY PILICHDORF AND OTHERS

The Waldensian tradition of their descent from the time of Sylvester, when the Roman church departed from the faith by receiving possessions, is attacked by Peter of Pilichdorf, who contends that Waldo was the source, and the same argument is made by his continuator. ¹⁷ In the sixteenth century Seyssel attacks a variant form of the same tradition in which the founder is called Leo. ¹⁸ PFF1 940.3

4. THE CHRONICLE OF URSPERG

Burchard the chronicler included in the entry for 1212, in a reference to the papal approval of two orders, the statement that the Poor Men of Lyons originated in Italy. PFF1 940.4

“Long ago two sects arose in Italy and continue to the present time, some of whom called themselves Humiliati, others the Poor Men of Lyons, whom Pope Lucius once listed among the heretics.” ¹⁹ PFF1 940.5

5. PETER THE INQUISITOR

This monk of the Celestine order says of the Waldenses of Austria, in 1398: “They believe themselves the vicars and legitimate successors of the Apostles of Christ.” ²⁰ He adds that the Waldenses condemn the Roman church because she accepted and sought possessions from the time of Sylvester, and they believe the Waldensian sect to be the only Christian faith. ²¹ PFF1 940.6