Folia Theologica 16. (2005)
Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi: The rules concerning bishops in the Decretales. Pseudo-Isidorianae, especially the regulation on the death of bishops
146 SZ. A. SZUROMI The following titles contain most of chapters concerning the bishops: 1 (Dc primatu Romanae ecclesiae); 10 (De iudicio et examinatione episcoporum); 11 (Dc episcopis sine Romana auctoritate depositis); 18 (Dc consecratione episcoporum et archicpiscoporum); 25 (Dc episcoporum mutatione); 27 (Dc uana corcpiscoporum superstitione); 29 (Quod non debeat missa celebrari nisi in sacratis ab episcopo locis); and finally 74 (De pastoribus iniustc subditos excommunicantibus), but some texts concerning bishops can be found under other titles. 2. We can classify the chapters by their content into four groups: Causes, which belong to the competency of the pope and Apostolic See;14 episcopal election;15 duties and rights of a bishop; the conditions for the accusation of bishops.16 We can distinguish the following themes in the third group: chapters about the see;17 the administering of sacraments and the authority of bishops;18 the qualities of bishops.19 This classification can be compared with the content of the Collectio Canonum Ansclmi Lucensis (1081-1083), which is the next Gregorian canon law collection in chronological order. Its main source is the 74 Title Digest. The themes are very similar, but in Anselm's Collection we can classify independent groups of canons which deal with the sphere of a bishop's action and the different degrees of Holy Orders. Although the 74 Title Digest speaks about these questions, Anselm stresses them more strongly. Moreover, Anselm's description of the differences of the degrees of Holy Orders is much clearer than the description in the 74 Title Digest, because Anselm used for his purposes some fundamental patristic canons.20 Anselm speaks extensively about the qualities of an applicant to episcopacy and about the consecration of bishops. These subjects are mentioned only in a few chapters of the 74 Title Di14 Capp. 3, 12, 83, 85. 87. 88. 90. 91, 93. 94. 160, 175, 176, 179, 191. 15 Capp. 113, 117. 118. 119, 123. 125. 161, 162. 16 Capp. 67, 72. 73, 79. 81, 84, 89, 95, 96, 97, 169. 17 Capp. 65, 167, 168. 197. 224, 225. 18 Capp. 135, 138. 166, 198, 203, 206. 209, 2 14, 215. 217. 23 1. 240, 267. 19 Capp. 40. 82, 105, 111. 126. 129, 157, 158. 172. 173, 186. 187. 188, 190, 192. 194, 195. 229. 230, 235. 20 Cf. SZUROMI, Sz.A.. „Die patristische Wurzel der bischöflichen Kirchendisziplin in der «Collectio Anselmi Lucensis»” in Rivista Internazionale di diritlo comune 12 (2001) 249-263.
