the Decrees of the Council of Toulouse

The Decrees of the Council of Toulouse were established in 1229 by the Catholic Church in response to the Albigensian heresy in southern France. The council aimed to combat heretical beliefs and strengthen church authority. Key decrees included the prohibition of the possession of the Bible in the vernacular (local languages) by laypeople, limiting scriptural access to clergy only. This was intended to prevent misinterpretation of the Scriptures and ensure that the church maintained control over religious teachings, reflecting the broader struggle between orthodoxy and heresy during that period.