Forced baptism

Wednesday, June 28, 2006
FORCED BAPTISMS
Ever since Christianity became the state religion under Constantine in the 4th century, Jewish communities were often
persecuted by means of expulsion, the burning of synagogues and forced baptisms, with the aim of forcibly supressing
Judaism.


In spite of the clear decree issued by the emperor forbidding forced baptisms and declaring freedom of religion, including Judaism, Jews were repeatedly attacked. In areas around the Rhone river in southern France, Jewish children were forcibly
baptized until the year 950.

Constantine protected the Jews and meted out severe punishment for practices such as the “abduction of Jewish children.”
Nevertheless, the crusaders often forced the Jews to choose between “baptism or death.”

From the 12th century on, as introduced by Innocence III, popes regarded any agreement to be baptized, even if it was
obtained under torture, as a voluntary and thus irreversible conversion. Under papal decrees known as the Sicut Iudaeis
(Constitution of the Jews), forced converts who recanted were considered heretics and could be burned at the stake. The
severe consequences of these measures were felt by the Jews in Spain in 1492 and in Portugal in 1497 during the Spanish
Inquisition. Forced baptisms took place until the 19th century, in Italy, Galicia (Spain) and Poland.


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