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

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riors of cathedral chapters and superiors of the new religious and knightly orders (e.g., Cistercians, Premonstratensians, Johannitan and Templars) were in attendance.

4. Among the invited nobles were Emperor Frederick II, the envoys of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, France, Aragon, England, Sicily, Hungary, Cyprus and Jerusalem. Also in attendance were numerous princes, barons, delegates of cities and other political communities. Regrettably, no representatives from the Orthodox churches accepted the invitation to the council. Therefore, the attempts to resolve the theological differences between the Romans and Orthodox, as proposed in 1199, were never realized. Nonetheless, the council dealt with the Eastern rites among their first questions. Their ancient customs and ceremonies were accepted, but the council objected to those practices which expressly dissolved the unity of the Church.15 Canon 5, for example, acknowledged the traditional authority of the patriarchal sees; however, it also strengthened the primacy of the Roman See over the others.16

6. The council, which contained three sessions, (November 11, 20, 30, 1215), was opened by the Pope on November 11, 1215.17 It attempted to find an immediate solution for the two most important crises facing the Church at the time: namely, the situation in the Holy Land, and the growing threat of the Albigensians in the south of France. The council members proposed effective steps to deal with both issues. On the one hand, the Pope personally announced that a 5th crusade would be launched on June 1st, 1217 (this was done in the last session of November 30, after the canons of the council had been ratified). Financial support for the new crusade was promised by the ecclesiastical and secular nobility.18 On the other hand, the council resolved to take measures to prevent the spreading of the Albigensian and Waldensian heresies. The Albigensians had already been condemned by the council of

15 Canon 4 cf. CONDORELLI, O., Unum corpus, diversa capita, 19-24.

16 DARROUZÈS, J., “Les documents byzantins du XIIe siècle sur la primauté Romaine” in Revue des Études byzantines 23 (1965) 42-88.

17HEFELE, Ch.J.-LECLERCQ, H., Histoire des conciles, V/2. Paris 1913.. 1321-1322. Edition: Conciliorum oecumenicorum decreta, Bologna 1973.J (Hereafter COD) 230-271.

18 Canon [71.]