Index of Forbidden Books (English: The Index of Forbidden Books)

A list of banned books that the Church deemed to be of serious danger to the faith and morals of Catholics. Usually called the Index. There had been books that had been condemned since ancient times, but at the Council of Trent in 1564, a special committee was established, and in 1571, the well-organized Index of Prohibited Books that we know today was created and published. This prohibition extended not only to reading, but also to authors, publishers, sales, translations, and library collections, and serious violations were punished by excommunication. However, in reality, not all anti-Catholic books were included in the Index. As the list was reviewed and significantly reduced, new and revised editions were published later. As of 1948, the number of books that had been condemned since the 17th century was 4,126, of which 255 were from the 20th century. The condemnations were mainly directed at theological or philosophical works, and there were few literary works.

After the Second Vatican Council recognized the harmful effects of the Index, the 1966 Index was completely abolished.

[Echizen Kiroku]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

カトリック信者の信仰と道徳に重大な支障を招くおそれがあると教会当局から判定された禁読図書の目録。普通、インデックスIndexとよばれる。昔から断罪された図書はあったが、1564年のトリエント公会議のとき特別委員会が置かれ、71年今日知られるような整備された禁書目録が作成・公刊された。この禁止は読書だけでなく、著者、出版、販売、翻訳、蔵書にも及び、重大な違反は破門の罰を受けた。しかし、実際には反カトリック図書が全部禁書目録に入っていたわけではない。目録は、禁書の見直しや大幅削減が行われるにつれて、のち新版や改訂版が出された。1948年の時点で、17世紀以来断罪された図書数は4126冊で、そのうち255冊が20世紀に入ってからのものである。断罪の対象はおもに神学的または思想的な著作に向けられ、文学的作品は少なかった。

　禁書目録の弊害が認められた第二バチカン公会議のあと、1966年禁書目録は完全に廃止された。

［越前喜六］

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