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)

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SZ. A. SZUROMI

by the sacred power which springs from priestly ordination. Therefore, any type of simony is fundamentally against the universal mission of the Church.

The last canons of Lateran IV expressly deal with the presence of Israelites and Muslims in Christian society. These canons prohibit commerce with those Jews who were usurers.78 Moreover, canon 68 required Israelites and Saracens to wear distinctive clothing, and forbid them from going out in public during Holy Week. This particular prescription was probably intended to protect the Israelites and Saracens from violence against themselves. The Hungarian council of Esztergom (Esztergom I: 1100) had addressed the problems with Muslims79 and Israelites in various canons.80 These canons attempted to integrate Muslims into the Christian society. However, it forbade Israelites to hold authority over a Christian. Muslims were allowed to settle only in the diocesan capital, which was a common practice as we find from many other European councils around the same time. The Capitula de Iudeis, which is found among the laws of king Coloman, gave rules for loans between Christians and Jews, and prescribed in such cases that there be persons from both parties to witness the loan.81 Large loans had to be executed in written form. It is interesting to compare these canons with the Contract of Bereg, which was written in 1233, 18 years after Lateran IV. Present at the execution of this contract were a legate Jacob, and an Italian Bishop. This contract prohibited Israelites or Muslims from holding state offices.82 But we must emphasize that the contents of those regulations can only be correctly interpreted through an appreciation of the contemporary social circumstances and conditions. This is especially so with regard to the

78 Canon 67.

79 Capp. 46-49. ZÁVODSZKY, L., A Szent István, Szent László és Kálmán korabeli törvények és zsinati határozatok forrásai, Budapest 1904. 189-190.

80 Capp. 74-75. ZÁVODSZKY, L., A Szent István, Szent László és Kálmán korabeli törvények, 191-192.

81 Capp. 1-3. ZÁVODSZKY, L., A Szent István, Szent László és Kálmán korabeli törvények, 195.

82 WALDMÜLLER, L., Die Synoden in Dalmatien, Kroatien und Ungarn. Von der Völkerwanderung bis zum Ende Arpaden (1311) [Konzilengeschichte A], 176.