11th November.

 

The Papal Archbasilica of St John Lateran  - of which the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, is ex officio the "first and only honorary canon" of the basilica, a title inherited from the Kings of France, who have held it since Henry IV.

Now I could go on about St Martin of Tours (who influenced Scotland's St Ninian) or Remembrance Day, but it is also the 296th anniversary of the 4th Lateran Council (12th Ecumenical and it was binding on the medieval church in Scotland). Amongst other things it passed the following Canons:

Canon 1: Transubstantiation rules OK. (Good-ish)

Canon 4: An exhortation to the Greeks to reunite with the Roman Church and accept its teaching, so that, according to the Gospel, there may be only one fold and only one shepherd. (Not welcome at Constantinople I'm sure.)

Canon 5: Proclaimed the Papal primacy. After the Pope, primacy is attributed to the patriarchs in the following order: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem. (But not Canterbury - sorry ++Rowan!)

Canon 6: Provincial councils must be held annually for the reform of morals, especially those of the clergy. (So That's what General Synod's really for!)

Canon 13 forbids the establishment of new religious orders, lest too great diversity bring confusion into the Church. ( Franciscans founded 1209, Dominicans 1216 so it was pretty much ignored soon after!)

Canons 14-17: Against the irregularities of the clergy — e.g., incontinence, drunkenness, attendance at farces and histrionic exhibitions (so we can avoid General Synod?).

Canon 21, the famous "Omnis utriusque sexus", which commands every Christian who has reached the years of discretion to confess all his, or her, sins at least once a year to his, or her, own (i.e. parish) priest. This canon did no more than confirm earlier legislation and custom, and has been often but wrongly, quoted as commanding for the first time the use of sacramental confession. (Anti-mendicant order really!)

Canons 78 & 79: Jews and Moslems shall wear a special dress to enable them to be distinguished from Christians. Christian princes must take measures to prevent blasphemies against Jesus Christ. (Oh well, every Ecclesiastical gathering makes horrible mistakes I suppose - but ain't it funny/ironic that nowadays it's the Right (Theological) wing of both Judaism and Islam who want the right to dress distinctively, rather than see it as a form of persecution or discrimination which it originally was?)

Ah, the joys of Church History!

Fathers and Heretics

I spent the early part of today in the Diocesan Office doing a little voluntary work sorting out the diocesan theological library. My teen years as a pupil librarian came back very quickly indeed, although the advent of the internet allowing access to the British Library sure beats messing about with microfiche reader! There is a certain degree of fun in spotting famous names on old books (the bulk of the collection being what's left of retirede or dead clerics libraries. One delight was an ordination present to a newbie priest signed "+ Thomas Ergadien et Sodor". That was the style adopted by Thomas Hannay, sometime Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and the only Scottish Bishop who was also a monk (well, in the 20th century anyway). He was a member of the Community of the Resurrection (the Mirfield Fathers) and had been Principal of their theological college. Those were the days! Well, aprt from the war and the rationing. And the coal fies.. well, maybe there are things to be said in favour of the modern age!

You’re St. Justin Martyr!

You have a positive and hopeful attitude toward the world. You think that nature, history, and even the pagan philosophers were often guided by God in preparation for the Advent of the Christ. You find “seeds of the Word” in unexpected places. You’re patient and willing to explain the faith to unbelievers.Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

I was rather amused at this discovery! At least I'm not St Jerome! Miserable old boot! On the heresy front, I gather than the so-called Anglicans of Sydney have actually permitted deacons to "preside" at the eucharist. And why is Rowan Williams not threatening them as he is the US Church? Really, I'm almost past caring about all the silliness and have the strangest desire to nip off and venerate the bones of the Little Flower of Lisieux!