Gothic Christianity
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Gothic Christianity refers to the Christian religious beliefs of the Eastern Germanic, or Gothic tribes that overran the Western Roman Empire in the Fifth Century. The tribes included the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Burgundians and Vandals. Gothic Christianity is also discussed as a type of Germanic Christianity.
While one might suppose that the "Gothic Churches" of Europe were built by the Goths, this is not the case. Few structures dating to the Gothic era still exist in Europe, and those don't conform to the style of Gothic architecture, which dates to the Twelfth Century. The term "Gothic architecture" was originally a derogatory term meaning something like "crude and barbaric" that did not really relate to the historical Goths.
The Gothic tribes were predominantly Christian for more than a century before they sacked Rome in the Fifth Century. Indeed, their attacks on Rome were in part a response to Catholic attacks which branded their faith heresy.
The Gothic Christians were followers of Arius, a Christian whose ideas were denounced by the Catholic Church as heretical early in the Fourth Century. Arius regarded Jesus as a prophet who was of a lesser creation than God. The Goths rejected the Holy Trinity. The theological differences are discussed under Arianism. Gothic Christianity was an inclusive religion that tolerated diverse beliefs. The Goths translated the Bible into the Gothic language. Portions of this translation survive.
After their conquest of Rome, the Goths replaced the Pope with a series of Arian Popes. The Goths moved on to occupy Spain, southern France and northwestern Africa. Although the Catholic Church soon regained control of Italy, the Gothic Church ruled in Spain and North Africa for some time. The Spanish Goths formally embraced the Catholicism at the Third Council of Toledo in 589.
Much of the nobility of Southern Europe was of Gothic origin. There are many suggestions that the nobility, while publicly Catholic, regarded itself as separate and above the Church, maintaining Gothic Christianity as a secret religion. This certainly was the accusation of the Church in the many Inquisitions of the Middle Ages. It may also explain in part why the nobility often protected heretical sects from the Church.
Many Jews entered Southern Europe with the Goths. These included Jews who had been expelled from the Roman Empire after the ascendency of Catholicism. There may also have been Asian Jews who had assimilated to the Goths during their long march, and also Goths who had converted to Judaism. The tolerance of Jews is consistent with their inclusive religion. Indeed, there is but a fine line between Gothic Christianity and the beliefs of many modern, non-orthodox Jews respecting Jesus. It is possible that these Jews formed the basis of part of the Jewish aristocracy that flourished in Europe, often in alliance with a Christian nobility, in spite of persecution by the Catholic Church.
In the Eighth Century, many African and Spanish Goths converted to Islam. This may have been in part because Islam was not really inconsistent with their faith: Islam added another prophet, while respecting the teachings of Jesus.
In the Twelfth Century an heretical movement called the Cathars or Albigensians emerged in Toulouse, a former Gothic kingdom in Southern France. Although their beliefs were very different from those of the Gothic Christians, it is possible that this movement arose out of that tradition. The nobility of Toulouse actively defended these heretics from persecution.
After the Catholic conquest of Spain in the Fifteenth Century, the Spanish Inquisition was directed not just at Jews and Muslims in Spain, but also at the remaining vestiges of Gothic Christianity.
The Protestant Reformation in some ways started as a restoration of Gothic Christianity. Eventually, however, all Protestant denominations accepted the Holy Trinity. The Arianism of Gothic Christianity survives today only in the Unitarian Church, and, to some extent, Jehovah's Witnesses.
