Council of Paderborn
Encyclopedia
The Council of Paderborn
of 785
, debating the matter of the Christianization of the Saxons, resolved to make punishable by law all sorts of idolatry
, as well as the belief in the existence of witchcraft
. It ordered the death penalty for self-appointed witch-hunters who had caused the death of persons accused of witchcraft.
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
of 785
785
Year 785 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The article denomination 785 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years...
, debating the matter of the Christianization of the Saxons, resolved to make punishable by law all sorts of idolatry
Idolatry
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
, as well as the belief in the existence of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
. It ordered the death penalty for self-appointed witch-hunters who had caused the death of persons accused of witchcraft.