Final answer:
Excommunication, interdict, and the inquisition were methods used by the Catholic Church to enforce religious discipline and fight heresy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is d.) methods used by the Catholic Church to enforce religious discipline and fight heresy. Excommunication, interdiction, and inquisition were techniques used by the Catholic Church to maintain religious unity and combat any perceived heresy or dissent.
The Inquisition, established in the 13th century, was a tool used by the Church to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of heretical beliefs. It involved torture, execution, and the seizure of property to root out heresy and maintain religious homogeneity.
Excommunication, on the other hand, was the act of excluding someone from the Church community and sacraments as a form of punishment for disobedience or heresy. Interdict, similar to excommunication, was the suspension of religious services and sacraments in a particular region or community.