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Antisemitism In Medieval Europe

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Antisemitism In Medieval Europe
Antisemitism in Medieval Europe

The history of antisemitism in medieval is full of examples of mans inhumanity to man and the way in which a positive religious message can be lost to intolerance. Antisemitism in Europe has roots deep into history, but seems to accelerate with the arrival of Christianity. The Catholic Church and later Protestant Churches openly oppressed Jews throughout the middle ages. The rulers of Europe also frequently enforced or supported antisemitic laws and decrees. The history of antisemitism in medieval Europe has direct links to the antisemitism of the 20th century, that has killed millions.
The Early Christian church began to separate itself from Judaism almost immediately, this separation was necessary because
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[...] Jews lost many rights with this edict. They were no longer permitted to live in Jerusalem, or to proselytize. (religioustolerance.org)
325AD: The Council of Nicea decided to separate the celebration of Easter from the Jewish Passover. They stated: "For it is unbecoming beyond measure that on this holiest of festivals we should follow the customs of the Jews. Henceforth let us have nothing in common with this odious people...We ought not, therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews...our worship follows a...more convenient course...we desire dearest brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jews...How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are almost certainly blinded."(religioustolerance.org)
337AD: Christian Emperor Constantius created a law which made the marriage of a Jewish man to a Christian punishable by death.(religioustolerance.org)
339AD: Converting to Judaism became a criminal offence.(religioustolerance.org)
367 - 376AD: St. Hilary of Poitiers referred to Jews as a perverse people who God has cursed forever. St. Ephroem refers to synagogues as
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Augustine wrote "The true image of the Hebrew is Judas Iscariot, who sells the Lord for silver. The Jew can never understand the Scriptures and forever will bear the guilt for the death of Jesus."(religioustolerance.org)
418AD: St. Jerome, who created the Vulgate translation of the Bible wrote of a synagogue: "If you call it a brothel, a den of vice, the Devil's refuge, Satan's fortress, a place to deprave the soul, an abyss of every conceivable disaster or whatever you will, you are still saying less than it

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