Why did the Church support trial by fire during the Dark Ages when Jesus told people not to expect miracles?

The practice of trial by fire, also known as ordeal by fire, was a method of trial commonly used during the Dark Ages, particularly in medieval Europe. This practice involved the accused being forced to undergo a physical trial, such as walking over hot coals or holding a red-hot iron, with the belief that divine intervention would protect the innocent and punish the guilty. The Church's support of trial by fire during this time raises questions about its alignment with the teachings of Jesus, who cautioned against expecting miracles to prove one's faith or innocence.

One of the fundamental principles of Christianity is the belief in the power of faith and the acceptance of God's will. Jesus himself emphasized the importance of faith and warned against seeking miraculous signs as a way to validate one's beliefs. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus responds to those who demand a sign from him by saying, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah" (Matthew 12:39). This indicates that faith should not be based on the expectation of miracles or extraordinary demonstrations of divine power.

Given this perspective, it is perplexing that the Church supported trial by fire, a practice that essentially relied on the expectation of a miraculous intervention to determine guilt or innocence. By subjecting individuals to physically dangerous ordeals in the name of divine judgment, the Church seemed to contradict the very teachings of Jesus that emphasized faith over the demand for supernatural proof.

However, it is important to consider the historical context in which trial by fire was endorsed by the Church. During the Dark Ages, Europe was characterized by widespread social and political instability, and the legal system was often primitive and arbitrary. In this context, trial by fire was seen as a way to appeal to divine justice and provide a semblance of order and fairness in the absence of a sophisticated legal framework. The Church's support of this practice may have been driven by a desire to establish a system of justice that, although flawed, offered some form of resolution and closure for the accused and the accuser.

Additionally, the Church's involvement in trial by fire may have been influenced by a genuine belief in the supernatural and a desire to demonstrate the power and presence of God in the affairs of humanity. In an age characterized by superstition and a deep-seated fear of divine retribution, the Church may have felt compelled to incorporate elements of the miraculous into the legal process as a way to affirm the authority of God in human affairs.