Page 222 - Microsoft Word - Belicena respaldo
P. 222
Domini Canis even more fearsome than the three defunct: Guillaume de Nogaret, Enguerrand
de Marigny and Guillaume de Plaisan.
During the Council, no resolution was taken against Philip IV due to, as in the fable, no
mouse would exist disposed to put the sleighbell to the cat. Nevertheless, the fury of Boniface
has no limits when he knew that in France has been confiscated the goods of the present
Bishops and a judgment of high treason has been promoted to them. Thus, in November 18, he
published the bull Unam Sanctam¸ which would be considered as the most complete juridical
exposition ever realized in favor of the papal and priestly absolutism. Incapable to take other
more effective measures against Philip the Fair, the Golems tried to initiate a juridical polemic
about the matter of the «spiritual power» and the «temporal power»; for this reason Boniface
insists once again with the analogy of the Two Swords: the tactic consists into obtain to be
accepted, as a syllogism, the truth is that the spiritual Sword is above the temporal Sword; once
admitted it, it is continued with the identification of the Pope with the spiritual Power and of
the King with the temporal Sword: the conclusion, evident and logic, is that the King must
submit to the Pope because in this manner is accomplished «the Will of God». The idea was not
new, but now was elevated as the official Dogma of the Church and its explicit rejection would
imply the sin of heresy.
Let’s remember, Dr. Siegnagel, the main conclusions of the bull. In first place, it affirms
the existence of just one Church, denying the recent accusation of the Domini Canis
consisting that, inside of the Golem Church, heretic and satanic, from which Boniface would be
one of the chiefs; thence the name of the bull: Unam Sanctam Ecclesiam… in this unique
Church, «we are obeyed to believe because out of it there is no salvation nor
forgiveness for the sins». And this unique Church is analogous to an organic body, in which
the head represents Jesus Christ and, also, the Pope, the vicarious of Jesus Christ: «therefore,
in this lonely and unique Church there’s just one body, only one head, and not two
heads as the monster has; it means: Jesus Christ and the vicarious of Jesus Christ,
Peter and the successors of Peter, are the head of the Church». «For these reasons, the
temporal and spiritual Swords are subjected to the power of the Church; the second
must be used for the Church, and the first by the Church; the first, by the Priest; the
second, by the hands of the Kings and Knights, but to the will and conformity to the
Priest». «A Sword, however, must be subjected to the other, and the temporal
authority to the temporal power». The King mustn’t interfere in the issues of the Church,
either in what treats about its rents, due to if he do such thing commits a great mistake, he
interferes with the «spiritual power», and the Pope is obeyed to judge him and to call him to the
order, but without, on the contrary, exists anyone over the Earth that can judge the Pope: «We
see it clearly in the contribution of tithes, either in the glorification as in the
sanctification, in the reception of such power and in the government of the things.
Because, as the truth testifies, the spiritual power must institute and judge the
earthly power, if this is not correctly exerted». «Thus, if the earthly power errs, it can
be judged by the superior power; but if the supreme power really errs, this can be only
judged by God, not by any man».
It means that all the accusations of Boniface VIII exposed during the Assembly of the
General States, and transcribed in the letters to the Cardinals, lack of value due to they come
222