Charles River Editors - The Jesuits: The History and Legacy of the Catholic Church’s Society of Jesus

Johann Christoph Handkes fresco depicting the approval of the bylaws of Society of Jesus, with Ignatius of Loyola receiving papal bull Regimini militantis Ecclesiae from Pope Paul III, in the Church of Our Lady Of the Snow in Olomouc

The Jesuits

Ite, inflammate omnia. (Go, set the world on fire. St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Middle Ages remains one of the most defining eras of human civilization. It is an era characterized by illustrious monarchs, valiant knights in shining armor, and magnificent Gothic architecture. It is also an era characterized by fervent friction, brutish barbarism, frequent famines, pestilent plagues, and of course, death. Some say the mortality rate in medieval times was like no other; with about a third of all children dying before the age of 5, it was nearly miraculous for one to live past their 40s.

As a result, medieval people spent their entire lives preparing for the inevitability of death and the afterlife, hoping to one day make their way into the kingdom of Heaven. The Catholic Church did little to alleviate the fear of Hell, a common theme in the sermons delivered by stern priests across Europe. The only surefire way into Heaven, they preached, was for one to pledge their undying love and support to God, with extra points available for the sums and contributions one was willing to gift to the church.

Naturally, the outraged public began to condemn the Catholic Church for its longstanding corruption, and chaos ensued. It was during this period of tempestuous tension that a legendary religious order would emerge.

Of all of the important Catholic men and women who have been venerated over the last 2,000 years, one of the faiths most popular and influential men also lived one of the most unique lives. Like Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) found God about as far away from church as possible; it was during military service that he underwent a remarkable conversion. A Spanish knight who hailed from a noble Basque family, Ignatius seemed destined for military glory until he was badly wounded in 1521 during the Battle of Pamplona. While convalescing, Ignatius began reading De Vita Christi by Ludolph of Saxony, after which he began a tireless career in service of the Catholic Church.

After spending several years studying the faith, Ignatius formed the Society of Jesus in 1539, and as its Superior General, he sent followers as missionaries across Europe to create schools, colleges, and seminaries. On September 27, 1540, Pope Paul issued a Papal Bull recognizing the churchs newest religious order not as the Company of Jesus but as the Society of Jesus. It is still a bit unclear why he chose to change the name. However, there are several possibilities.

First, Pope Paul may have wanted to separate the group, and by extension the Church, from still burning memories of the Crusades. One of the attacks leveled at the Catholic Church by the Protestants was that they had financed the very expensive attempts to reclaim the Holy Land for the Christians by over-taxing the laity, especially through the practice of selling indulgences. It would not do to create a religious order whose name reminded anyone of the Churchs checkered military past.

Another reason for the name change may have been Paul IIIs desired to see the members focus more on theological study and Biblical doctrine than going out into the world to make converts. He was facing threats of serious heresy at home, and had in his midst 10 very intelligent, well-educated men who had all the tools at their disposal to launch a well thought out defense of traditional church teaching. That was what he needed them to focus their energy on.

Finally, he may have seen changing their name as a subtle reminder to Ignatius and the others of who they actually worked for. Even though they had pledged undying loyalty to him and his successors, he was still aware the he lived in a time when many were forgetting their vows and pursuing more appealing doctrines. Better, he may have thought, to make sure everyone knew from the start who was in charge.

The one thing that is clear is that neither Pope Paul, nor Ignatius, ever intended for members of the order to be known as the Jesuits. This term was initially given to them by their critics and was a derogatory term applied to those who spent too much time, in the opinion of those coining the phrase, speaking of Jesus in their conversations. It was only years later that the term became a popular and acceptable nickname for the Society of Jesus, and the Jesuits remain active across the world nearly 500 years later.

The Jesuits: The History and Legacy of the Catholic Churchs Society of Jesus examines the life of the groups legendary founder and the order's rise to prominence, its stumbles along the way, as well as the cloud of scandal and conspiracy that continues to hover over the society to this very day. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Jesuits like never before.