Folia Theologica 14. (2003)
Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi: A Turning Point in the History of the General Councils of the West in the 13th Century (A Critical Summary on the Importance of the Constitutions of the Fourth Lateran Council [1215] According to its Theological, Canonical and Historical Aspect)
A TURNING POINT 167 according to the decisions of the local rulers or bishops.26 The council expressly condemned the errors of the Cistercian Abbot Joachim Fiore (d.1202) concerning the Holy Trinity. These errors had been opposed to certain opinions of Peter Lombard, the famed "Master of the Sentences." The assertions of Amalric de Bene (d. 1200) were also condemned by the council.27 If we consider the canons promulgated by the council more particularly, we find that the first canons lay the foundations of an internal reform of the Church. Canons 6-13 treat disciplinary questions. Among these is the fundamental canon 6 which orders the yearly convocation of diocesan councils. The effect of this prescription is important not only for particular conciliar legislation, but also for canonical terminology: for it distinguishes precisely between the concilium (council) and the synodus (synod), which are both types of meetings involving bishops.28 The synod is a meeting which promulgates legislation that depends upon the authority of the diocesan bishop. Also notable is canon 13 which rigorously prohibits the foundation of new religious orders in accordance with the already existing legislation of Lateran III. This canon mandates the yearly organizing of a chapter council as well as introducing the custom of a general chapter for all religious orders after the model of the Cistercian general chapter. It is very possible that the root cause of the prohibition of new religious orders was the multiplication of smaller religious groups which had ignored the authority of the local bishops. Found also in this canon is legislation concerning the pastoral activity of religious. The council invests the diocesan bishop with supervisory authority over the orders within his territory regarding their pastoral activity within his diocese. This authority extends even to exempt monasteries.29 This problem was truly remarkable at that time, and it is further addressed in nine canons under independent title in the Decretales Gregorii IX (1234)30 which dealt with the authority of bishops over religious houses.31 Several decrees of Lateran IV concern moral requirements for the clergy (canons 14-22). These canons emphasize obedience, abstinence and self-denial.32 Clerics were required to observe these norms not only in general behavior33 (such as in their dress34 and 26 Canon 3.
