Canon law in post-Imperial Gaul
This dissertation traces the transition of âcanon lawâ, the episcopateâs own legislation on matters of ecclesiastical organisation, clerical discipline and select aspects of lay religious activity, from the context of a functioning Roman Empire and into the successor kingdoms, which dominated Gaul in the fifth and sixth centuries. Ecclesiastical canons developed in the early fourth century from the âinternalâ rules of minority Christian communities, and by the fifth had matured into organisational and disciplinary norms deeply intertwined with Empireâs own institutions and legal system. This dissertation examines the effect the âendingâ of the imperial system had upon canon law in Gaul. It seeks to reintegrate canon law into the extensive historiographical debates over the utility of Late-Antique normative legislation, as a source capable of illuminating the myriad social, economic and institutional transformations underway in Gallic society. It will attempt to highlight and above all to explain changes in the form, content and application of conciliar canons, the key component of canon law in this context, in terms which emphasize the shifting institutional and legal-cultural landscape. In
Griffith, Patrick Joseph Edward
Canon law in post-Imperial Gaul. This dissertation traces the transition of âcanon lawâ, the episcopateâs own legislation on matters of ecclesiastical organisation, clerical discipline and select aspects of lay religious activity, from the context of a functioning Roman Empire and into the successor kingdoms, which dominated Gaul in the fifth and sixth centuries. Ecclesiastical canons developed in the early fourth century from the âinternalâ rules of minority Christian communities, and by the fifth had matured into organisational and disciplinary norms deeply intertwined with Empireâs own institutions and legal system. This dissertation examines the effect the âendingâ of the imperial system had upon canon law in Gaul. It seeks to reintegrate canon law into the extensive historiographical debates over the utility of Late-Antique normative legislation, as a source capable of illuminating the myriad social, economic and institutional transformations underway in Gallic society. It will attempt to highlight and above all to explain changes in the form, content and application of conciliar canons, the key component of canon law in this context, in terms which emphasize the shifting institutional and legal-cultural landscape. In
canon law post imperial gaul trace transition canon law episcopate legislation matter ecclesiastical organisation clerical discipline select_aspect lay religious activity context functioning roman_empire successor kingdom dominate gaul ecclesiastical canon develop internal rule minority christian_community fifth mature organisational disciplinary norm deeply intertwined empire institution legal_system examines_effect end imperial system upon canon law gaul seek canon law extensive historiographical_debate utility late_antique normative legislation source capable illuminate myriad social_economic institutional transformation underway gallic society attempt highlight explain change form_content application conciliar canon key_component canon law context term emphasize shift institutional legal cultural_landscape