Folia Theologica 3. (1992)

Charles Duggan: Decretal letters to Hungary

12

C. DUGGAN

respondere.” The archbishop is not a man of mediocre worth, but versed in the scriptures and learned in sacred and profane letters, a doctor of the Church — „ecclesie doctor.” He must set aside all doubts, and devote all his efforts to his pontifical office, so that he will in the end receive the commendation of Christ, the chief shepherd.

The evidence of the three letters is coherent. The prelate who evoked the papal response of mingled praise and reproach in Etsi questiones was clearly a man of exceptional scrupulosity, who finally exhausted the popes patience. The nature of the queries in Amara nimis and Porro licet is entirely consistent with his character. Moreover, as the pope acknowledged, Lucas was a learned man, respected in the schools of France and the Rhineland for his character and learning. He was precisely the sort of prelate to have cited scriptural and canonical authorities in a letter to the pope, in respect of his scruples, as had the recipient of Alexander’s reply in Porro licet. It is much more probable that Lucas received in sequence Amara nimis (1162), Porro licet (1167-68) and Etsi questiones (20 Sep. 1167-19 Sept. 1168), than that he was immediately followed in 1181 by an archbishop who exemplified identical traits of character. But it is unlikely that he raised similar questions with Alexander after receiving the pope’s reply in 1167-68.

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Amara nimis: WH 87, JL - , 1159-81; conieci 1162. Cott. 4.82, Pet. 3.86. Pd Decretales ineditae 169-71 no. 96.

Porro licet: WH 730, JL - , 1159-81; conieci 1167-68. Cott. 5.26, Pet. 4.36. Pd Decretales ineditae 160-63 no. 91. 71181.

Etsi questiones: WH 387, JL 11308, Benevento 20 Sept. 1167-19 Sept. 1168. App.Cr. 50.1 (i-vii). Pet. 4.5(i-ix), Bamb.O 57.7 (iii-ix), 1 Rot. 14.3(i-vi, ix), 1 Comp. 5.2.20 (i-v), Sang. 4.2.2(i) + 2.1.6(ii-v), X 5.3.18(i-iii,v; cf. QF 30 (1941) 21-3 and 38-9. Pd App.Cr.; crit. edit. HOLTZMANN, Századok 93 (1959) 408-9 no. 1, with scriptural allusions: Ps. 13.5, Isai. 33.15 and Matth. 25.23.