Julius Excluded from Heaven
Encyclopedia
Julius Excluded from Heaven is a dialogue that was anonymously written in 1514. It is commonly attributed to the Dutch humanist and theologian Desiderius Erasmus
. It involves Pope Julius II
, who had recently died, trying to persuade Saint Peter
to allow him to enter heaven by using the same tactics he applied when alive. The dialogue is also supplemented by a "Genius" (his guardian angel
) who makes wry comments about the pope and his deeds.
s of excommunication
. Julius then goes into a lengthy explanation of his deeds, justifying his sins, ranging from simony
to pederasty
, with the fact that the pope has the authority to excuse any sin. Peter is disgusted by his description and turns him away. The dialogue ends with Julius planning to muster an army to create his own paradise and capture Heaven.
Erasmus is usually credited as the author of the dialogue. He sometimes implied that he did not write it, but modern scholarship generally overrides this with internal evidence, lack of a credible alternative author, and several cautious statements in a later correspondence. It is thought that Erasmus made such comments to avoid losing allies and to avoid retribution from his enemies and the Inquisition
. A more logical conclusion, however, is that he denied authorship because it would be equated to a slap in the face to his patron Pope Leo X
, who legitimized Erasmus's birth by means of papal dispensation in 1517. Still, the dialogue was very popular and was reprinted many times in pamphlet
s. It was praised by Martin Luther
to be "so learned, and so ingenious, that is, so entirely Erastian, that it makes the reader laugh at the vices of the church, over which every true Christian ought rather to groan." (Theosophy San Diego, online paper, p. 6).
It is very apparent, however, that Erasmus highly disliked Julius II because he felt he did not embody the characteristics of a vicar of Christ. He was shocked by Julius II's personal leadership of armies in full armour and what he felt was the work of a worldly, unscrupulous and ambitious man. These thoughts were clearly implied in his more famous satirical work, The Praise of Folly
.
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
. It involves Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
, who had recently died, trying to persuade Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
to allow him to enter heaven by using the same tactics he applied when alive. The dialogue is also supplemented by a "Genius" (his guardian angel
Guardian angel
A guardian angel is an angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity...
) who makes wry comments about the pope and his deeds.
Plot
The dialogue begins with a drunken Pope Julius II trying to open the gate of heaven with the key to his secret money-chest. He is accompanied by his Genius, his guardian angel. Behind him are the soldiers who died in his military campaigns, who he promised would go to heaven regardless of deeds. Peter denies him passage and questions him about his deeds on Earth, even when Julius threatens him with his army and papal bullPapal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
s of excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. Julius then goes into a lengthy explanation of his deeds, justifying his sins, ranging from simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
to pederasty
Pederasty
Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and...
, with the fact that the pope has the authority to excuse any sin. Peter is disgusted by his description and turns him away. The dialogue ends with Julius planning to muster an army to create his own paradise and capture Heaven.
An excerpt: PETER: Immortal God, what a sewer I smell here! Who are you?
JULIUS: So you know what sort of a prince you’re insulting, listen a bit …The Venetians, previously not conquered by anyone, I crushed in battle…I drove the French, who were then the terror of the whole world, completely out of Italy…when I died I left five million ducats…
PETER: Madman! All I hear about is a leader not of the church but of this world, more wicked than the pagans…
JULIUS: You would say otherwise if you had witnessed even one of my triumphs…the horses, the parades of armed soldiers…the lavishness of the displays, the triumphs, the booty…myself carried aloft like some divine thing…So you won’t open?
PETER: To any, sooner than to such a pestilence; you yourself are a great builder: build yourself a new paradise.
Authorship
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
. A more logical conclusion, however, is that he denied authorship because it would be equated to a slap in the face to his patron Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
, who legitimized Erasmus's birth by means of papal dispensation in 1517. Still, the dialogue was very popular and was reprinted many times in pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
s. It was praised by Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
to be "so learned, and so ingenious, that is, so entirely Erastian, that it makes the reader laugh at the vices of the church, over which every true Christian ought rather to groan." (Theosophy San Diego, online paper, p. 6).
It is very apparent, however, that Erasmus highly disliked Julius II because he felt he did not embody the characteristics of a vicar of Christ. He was shocked by Julius II's personal leadership of armies in full armour and what he felt was the work of a worldly, unscrupulous and ambitious man. These thoughts were clearly implied in his more famous satirical work, The Praise of Folly
The Praise of Folly
In Praise of Folly is an essay written in 1509 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam and first printed in 1511...
.