Horst Fuhrmann and Detlev Jasper. Papal Letters in the Early Middle Ages. History of Medieval Canon Law. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2001. Pp. 225. $40.60 (Cloth).

Abstract

"This second volume in the History of Medieval Canon Law series brings together two essays on the late antique and early medieval papal decretals. Detlev Jasper's contribution, which comprises approximately two thirds of the book, is a study of the transmission and reception of the collections of papal letters from the late Roman pope Siricius (384-399) to Stephen V (885-891) at the end of the Carolingian period. Although shorter, Horst Fuhrmann's essay on the Pseudo-Isidorian corpus is no less important: it provides the first synthesis in English of his research on the complex issues surrounding this collection of forged papal epistles. [2] Three themes govern Jasper's essay, and the first is the theme of origins. Those unfamiliar with the technical aspects of papal letters will appreciate his initial discussion of the origin and stylistic characteristics of these texts. He explains, for example, the shift in the bishop of Rome's epistolary style in the late fourth century from a fraternal and collegial tone that relied on persuasion and brotherly affection to the aloof and commanding style of imperial rescripts. Jasper is convinced that the oldest extant papal decretal is the letter of Siricius to Himerius of Tarragona. He acknowledges, however, that there has been some debate over the putative letters of Damasus preserved in the Canones synodi Romanorum ad Gallos episcopos. [3] A second theme is the complexity of the avenues of transmission of these letters. Readers will not be surprised to learn that the two best known late antique popes, Leo I and Gregory I, also have the most extensive collection of extant letters and thus the most complex lines of transmission. Furthermore, the letters of some popes would experience cycles of popularity that depended on their contents rather than the popularity of the author. Thus, canonists initially preserved the decretals of Nicholas I (858-867) that treated penitential practice and discipline. During the period of Gregory VII and his reforms, however, there was a renewed interest in the letters, particularly epistle 88, in which he developed his theory of papal supremacy. [4] The final theme is a corollary to the second theme: the haphazard nature of the preservation of decretals. Thus, while the sixth century prior to Gregory I had no outstanding popes, and Pelagius I was not outstanding even among this group, a significant number of his letters were preserved in the canons because eleventh century canonists preserved the register of the last year of Pelagius's reign. Similarly, the letters of Martin I survive because medieval copyists believed that he was the author of the popular capitula Martini, the work of Martin of Braga and not pope Martin I."(pg 1)