Meaning of secular arm | Babel Free

Definitions

The lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment (particularly capital punishment) of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court.

historical

Equivalents

Examples

“The secular arm as a means by which lay power intervenes in ecclesiastical cases had two types: sought and unsought by the Church.”

“Then there's no more to be done, but to deliuer them vp to the ſecular arme of the olde vvife, and do not demaund the reaſon, for that vvere neuer to make an end.”

“The firſt Inſtance of the Imploying the Secular Arm againſt Hereticks, that vvas ſet on by any of the Orthodox, vvas under the Reign of that bloody Tyrant [Magnus] Maximus, and it vvas managed by tvvo ſuch ſcandalous Biſhops, that their ill Lives is no ſmall Prejudice againſt every thing that vvas carried on by ſuch Inſtruments.”

“The Secular Arm is the Lay or Temporal Authority of a ſecular Judge; to vvhich Recourſe is had for the Execution of the Sentences paſs'd by Eccleſiaſtical Judges. […] The Church ſheds no Blood: Even the Inquiſition, after they have found the Perſon guilty, ſurrenders him to the ſecular Arm.”

“And vvhether the former [the corrupted clergy] did not abuſe the Povver of the Magiſtracy, in bringing over the Secular Arms for the Support of their VVickedneſs, excluding the vvhole Community from inſpecting and deciding the Matter?”

“[W]e not only exhort you to expiate by a penitence proportionate to the enormity of such a crime, but also order you to quit the territories of the church vvithin three days, under pain of being given up to the secular arms, and the rigour of the flames.”

“These doctrines are false; […] Yet all who reject them are by the Council of Trent and the Papal Church pronounced accursed heretics and excommunicated, and therefore to be given over to the secular arm, as we have just seen that millions have been, to be destroyed or burned; […]”

“And as many of this devoted people as they could get into their hands, were delivered over to the secular arms; scarcely was there a city or town throughout Piedmont, in which some of these martyrs were not sacrificed by the devouring superstition of the priests dominant.”

“We also understand that when the secular arm has the power it is requirable by the Church to execute those who entertain views opposed to the Papacy; and that the only reason why the Church does not now require it is that the secular arm is not at the Pope's command.”

“In the Middle Ages, however, sometimes the assistance of the secular arm was sought, especially in trials for heresy or grave immorality when Church officials felt that sterner punishment was deserved than they could administer.”

CEFR level