An Annotated Bibliography of Printed and Online Primary Sources for the Middle Ages
Somerville, Robert, ed., trans.; Brasington, Bruce, C., ed., trans., Prefaces to Canon Law Books in Latin Christianity Selected Translations, 500-1245 (New Haven: Yale UP, 1998).
Text name(s):
Number of pages of primary source text: 120
Medieval Author(s): Abbo of Fleury Alger of Liège Bernard of Pavia Burchard of Worms Deusdedit Dionysius Exiguus Gregory of San Chrisogono Halitgar Isaac of Langres Ivo of Chartres Martin of Braga Paucapalea Peter of Benevento Rainier of Pomposa Raymond of Peñafort Regino of Prüm Siricius Stephen of Tournai
Dates: 500 - 1245
Archival Reference:
Original Language(s): Latin;
Translation: English translation.
Translation Comments:
Geopolitical Region(s): Europe;
County/Region:
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Record Type(s): Law - Canon Law |
Subject Heading(s): Church Fathers Clergy - Priests, Bishops, Canons Education / Universities Law - Canon Papacy Philosophy / Theology Religion - Institutional Church |
Apparatus: Index Bibliography Introduction
Comments:
Canon law, or the law of the Church, was under constant evolution throughout the Middle Ages. Compiled from the enactments of church councils, from papal acts and letters, and from opinions of the church fathers, the law was collected into compilations of various organizations, making them easier to use for different purposes, whether for pastors in the course of confession, or canon lawyers involved in legal disputes. This volume preserves prefaces to such canon law books produced between 500 and 1245. The different types of prefaces highlight both the way in which the organization of information changed, as well as the way in which canonists resolved difficulties of varying opinion among their comparably authoritative sources.
Introduction Summary:
The editors brief (19 pp) introduction discusses the sources of medieval canon law: decisions of church councils, papal acts and letters, and opinions of the church fathers. They consider changing way in which canon law was collected over the course of their period, discussing the concept of authority and the tension between the various sources which occasionally could contain conflicting opinions. Additionally, each chronological section is preceded by its own introduction which provides the reader with a brief overview of the sections contents, as well as brief remarks on the way in which the organization of knowledge and the priorities of canonists changed over time.
Cataloger: MCB