The Albigensian Crusade
Cathar Doctrine and Practice
The heretics did not think of themselves as heretics, of course. They called themselves Christians, arguing that they were the only true practitioners of the faith and that it was the Roman Catholic Church that was the false church. They were known as Cathars (though they did not call themselves this), a word whose origin is not clear. The crusade against them is called the Albigensian because the town of Albi was one of the centers of the movement.
Characteristics of the Cathars
We have to be cautious when speaking of the beliefs of the Cathars because none of their records survive. We know of them only indirectly, through chronicles and through information from the Inquisition. None of our sources are sympathetic. Nevertheless, some statements can be made with a reasonable degree of confidence.
Dualist
Cathars were often called Manichees by their contemporaries because they talked about not one God but two, not one world but two.
The spiritual realm was the realm of heaven, the realm of God. The temporal realm was the realm of Satan and the flesh. Catholics saw things in much the same way, but for the Cathars Satan and God were both gods, co-equal and
The Cathars had their own churches, with their own bishops and deacons, though it's likely that in many cases this was more a matter of local Catholic officials becoming Cathars, openly or secretly. The Cathar Church also had its own liturgy.
Church members were divided into two groups. The larger group was the credentes—the Believers, who still lived in the world of the flesh. A much smaller group was the perfecti—the Perfected, who were spiritually pure and on their way to Heaven. These formed the true authorities within the Cathar community.
Spiritual power was conferred by the consolamentum—the laying on of hands. The Cathars also had itinerant preachers who preached in "safe homes," since it was usually dangerous to try to preach at a Catholic church.
Development of the Church
The early history of the Cathars is very hazy, because the records were suppressed. We know that somehow or other it took hold in the 11th century in southern France, though why just there and then is not at all clear. It spread vigorously in the 12th century and became a real threat by the later decades of that century. The Cathars were anathematized at the Third Lateran Council, 1179.
Anti-clerical Denied the priesthood Denied the sacraments Denied the Nicene trinity. They believed that God created Christ and the Holy Ghost, and that Jesus was never truly man. Believed in the possibility of personal salvation Apostolic poverty no oaths simplicity of life No resurrection No Purgatory Prayer was ineffective and the veneration of images was useless One of the worst sins was to perpetuate the world of the flesh Abstain from sex Refrain from eating sexually produced foods -- meat