Folia Theologica et Canonica 6. 28/20 (2017)
RECENSIONS
276 RECENSIONS in the field of institutional history of the Church, in Hungarian, English, and in Italian. However, this particular new volume is not a collection of articles, moreover, its structure and proportion much more clear-out. crystalized, and harmonious than the eleven year earlier edited work. The author was able to integrate into this handbook not only the most recent - as rich as possible - international results from handbooks, lexicons, monographs and reviews, but he also corrected and supplemented the volume based on the recensions and new questions which have arisen regarding his earlier work during the last decade. The chronological order is not broken by any theme within this book, therefore every epoch is an independent complete unit. The single parts, chapters, sub-chapters and themes follow the same order within the explanation of every single epoch. I must dedicate some sentences particularly to Part Four, the Modern Age of the Church (16'h-2T‘ century). This title - as it was mentioned - follows the French historical chronology. Nevertheless, by this decision the author undertakes an almost impossible task, because this epoch covers the legislation of the Council of Trient (1545-1563), the Council of Vatican I (1869-1870), and of the Council of Vatican II (1962-1965); moreover the following legislation of the Church since that, including the processes of codifications, the canonical regulations and statements by Blessed Paul VI, Saint lohn Paul II. Benedict XVI, and by Pope Francis regarding the organization and work of the ecclesiastical institutes. Anzelm Sz. Szuromi has been able to arrange into the same structure this very complex epoch, like within the former parts of his book. Thanks to the consequent methodology and organization of the entire volume, this particular part can give a precise overview in logical harmony on the listed councils and legislations, which appears in the description of every institute. Through this indicated part, the author could clearly express the constant doctrinal and disciplinary unity which is always present in the Church. The volume concludes with ten - original ecclesiastical documents from different epochs - appendices (pp. 341-368); moreover - with intention to completeness - updated international bibliography by chapters (pp. 269^426); and an index which facilitate to use the handbook (pp. 427—432). Sum up I can express, that Professor Anzelm Szabolcs Szuromi’s new, unique - even within the international scientific literature - handbook, thanks to the consequently applied metodological principles, the crystal clear terminology, the harmonious descriptive style which interprets in unity the doctrin and discipline of the Church, and to the constant referring to the teaching of lesus Christ, decisively promotes the understanding of the institutionalized life of the Catholic Church, the recognition the unique role of the sacraments and sacra- mentals within this day-to-day life, and realizing the indispensable - unsepa- rable from the doctrine - function of the discipline of the Church. I only hope, that this volume can be accessable soon not only to the Hungarian readers, but also to English readers too, be conducive the clear thought on the ecclesiastical
