Miracles at the Jesus Oak: Histories of the Supernatural in Reformation Europe

by Craig Harline

Such a plan, undertaken without the least bit of consultation, was sure to offend the archbishop. He assumed, by virtue of his supreme ecclesiastical authority, that any designation of spiritual jurisdiction he made—temporary or permanent—would be respected by boundary-drawing civil courts (not to mention his parish clergy). Hence, since he had already declared Tervuren to be temporarily in charge of the Jesus Oak, he expected courts to postpone any adjustment of boundaries until his decision was final. And if he should decide to make Tervuren’s jurisdiction over the Oak final, then he had good reason to expect courts to redraw that parish’s boundaries accordingly. In other words, the civil court should follow the archbishop’s decision, and not, as Overijse wanted, the other way around.