Folia Theologica 17. (2006)
Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi: The importance of the councils of Toledo of the 6th-8th centuries in the Spanish and in the universal canonical discipline of the Church
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COUNCILS OF TOLEDO 235 lates the aptitude for the clerical degrees, priestly ordination, episcopal election and episcopal consecration. These themes are supplemented with canon 20, about the particular ages for each succeeding clerical degree (25 for deacons; 30 for priests and bishops).29 There are other rules concerning the knowledge of the applicant for priestly ordination: he has to know the Bible from its frequent reading, and he also has to be experienced in the canonical material, i. e. in the ecclesiastical discipline.30 Canon 33 repeats one basic principle of the universal law about ecclesiastical property, which has to be administered by the competent bishop, who is responsible for its wealth. Canon 34 fixes the period of the prescription, which is 30 years. Canon 41 is significant, which gives regulation for the children of Jewish families, and establishes that has no obligatory effect on their juridical status if their converted parents eventually turn back from the accepted Christianity. This canon cites the Holy Scripture: "Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris".31 IV The influence of the Spanish ecclesiastical discipline on the universal canon law The above explained canonical material took its place in various canon law collections, which facilitated the structuralized activity of the ecclesiastical institutional system. We can find among these collections the Liber Complutensis (first part of the 6th century); the 29 C. 20: In ueteri lege ab anno uicesimo et quinto Leuitae tabernaculo sentire iubentur, cuius auctoritatem in canonibus et sancti Patres secuti sunt. Nos et diuinae legis, et praeceptorum canonum inmemores, infantes et pueros Leui- tas facimus ante legitimam etatem, aut experientiam uitae; ideoquc ne ulterius fiat a nobis, et diuina lege, et canonicis ammonemur sententiis, sed a uicesimo quinto anno etates suae Leuitae consecrentur, et tricesimo presbiteri ordinentur. HINSCHIUS 368. 30 C. 25: Ignorantia mater cunctorum errorum maxime in sacerdotibus Dei ui- tanda est, qui docendi offitium in populo Dei susceperunt. Sacerdotes enim legere sanctas scripturas admonentur, Paulo apostolo dicente ad Timotheum: Adtende lectioni, exhortationi, doctrinae, et: semper perma in his. Sciant ergo sacerdotes scripturas sacras et canones, et omne opus eorum in predicatione et doctrina consistat, atque edificent cunctos tam fidei scientia quam operum disciplina. HINSCHIUS 368. Cf. D. 38 c. 1. 31 C. 41: Iudei baptizati, si postea preuaricantes in Christum qualibet pena dampnati extiterint, a rebus eorum fideles filios excludi non oportebit, quia scriptum est: “Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris.” HINSCHIUS 370.
