The Forbidden Pages of the Catholic Church

If there were ever a famous “do not read” list, the Catholic Church’s Index Librorum Prohibitorum would undoubtedly be the most notorious. The Church mission was to protect the faithful from what it deemed heretical and immoral ideas. So, the Church banned a wide array of books, creating a fascinating historical portrayal of religious censorship.

The Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or the List of Prohibited Books, came into being in the 16th century, during the Protestant Reformation. The Catholic Church was battling against the spreading Protestant ideologies. In response, the Church established the Index, a catalog of publications that Catholics were explicitly forbidden to read.

The Index contained various types of books, such as heretical theological works, immoral or indecent literature, and scientific texts that contradicted Church doctrine. These included works by celebrated authors and thinkers, such as Martin Luther, and John Calvin.  Later it even included scientists like Galileo Galilei and Rene Descartes. For the Church, the banning of these texts was a way to maintain religious orthodoxy and moral purity among its followers.

Reading a book from the Index was considered a sin, and the consequences could be severe, including excommunication. However, the Church did grant some exceptions. Scholars could request permission to read banned books if their studies required it. This was rare and the Church tightly regulated it.