According to you what part did they play? Though to be clear, that best answered after the phrase "the church" is defined, perhaps. After which, be specific, and inclusive enough to be honest; first--with yourself) concerning it, while not limiting this only to the Spanish Inquisition, perhaps.
Were they like hall monitors? One could only run to participate or celebrate in the killing of theological dissidents, if there had been official approval for such activities?
Llorente gave the world an overview (chapter 1, pages 1 thru 12, or so) which extended back to the first recorded uses of force (in context of the Christian Church) to compel persons to some level of compliance or another, on strictly theological grounds, with this force coming in conjunction with secular powers, which as Llorente further in his book outlined and gave example for, included how the Roman Catholic Church in particular, eventually turned towards more fully compelling secular powers to do "the dirty work", when they did not do so more directly using their own hands to strangle, or light a fire to burn the bodies (even at times --- those bodies still alive) of those whom dared openly oppose themselves. Dependent upon definition of "the church", of course.
Each and every time I see some Romanist say "but the church didn't do it" I have to check myself from slapping them for their speciousness, with this much tempered by realization that most of them either don't really themselves know, or have had the truth of the matter badly misrepresented to them by various RC ecclesiastical community apologists who at times (even on the pages of FR) can be seen to themselves specialize in those efforts.
Meanwhile, regardless of all the lawyer-ing, the word games (by which I mean --- the self-justification and seeking for escape valves to lead away from acceptance of culpability) the Lord Himself sees all, and is fooled by none of it, although He can forgive nonetheless.
Excellent posts.....
Amen and thank God He does,He isn't and He does!
All things are open and naked before Him,He knows every thought and intent behind every single word posted here,even if we don't.Our own "desperately wicked and deceitfull above all things" heart is not fully knowable to us but it is to Him.Which goes a long way in explaining why He is so good at what He does.The fight is allowing God to reside in our heart and be Lord instead of our own wicked heart remaining lord over our minds.The result of which is sometimes all over the RF like a rash.