The Church of the Ancient Councils: The Disciplinary Work of the First Four Ecumenical Councils Peter L'Huillier

BYU Studies Quarterly Volume 39 | Issue 3 Article 13 7-1-2000 The Church of the Ancient Councils: The Disciplinary Work of the First Four Ecumenical Councils Peter L'Huillier Carl W. Griffin Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq Recommended Citation Griffin, Carl W. (2000) "The Church of the Ancient Councils: The Disciplinary Work of the First Four Ecumenical Councils Peter L'Huillier," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 39 : Iss. 3 , Article 13. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol39/iss3/13 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the All Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in BYU Studies Quarterly by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact , . Griffin: <em>The Church of the Ancient Councils: The Disciplinary Work of VHUILLIER the church ofthe fhe ancient councils the disciplinary PETER LHUILLIER of the odthe work odthe of the first four ecumenical councils Cr estwood NY st vladimir s ofthe pp index paperback 19.95 seminary press 1996 xii 340 ap 1995 reviewedd by cari carl revie crl W griffin cri following apostolic precedent acts 15 christian leaders from early times convened local councils and synods to discuss and resolve ecclesiastical problems when christianity became the state religion of the roman ofstate of state empire in the fourth century ecclesiastical issues became problems lofstate that could affect the peace of the entire empire the emperor constantine convened the first ecumenical or universal council to address one such set of problems and succeeding emperors would do the same to resolve other problems the first four ecumenical councils came to have a particular authority nicea AD 325 constantinople 381 ephesus 431 and chalcedony Chalcedon chalcedon 451 the work of the councils was twofold matters of faith and doctrine were always of predominant concern and doctrinal definitions were issued as creeds or symbols of faith but the councils also discussed issues of church discipline and organization judgments on which were issued as canons or rules of conduct collections of these canons such as the roman catholic church s code of canon law are analogous to the LDS church s church handbook of instructions though much larger and broader in scope most of the very numerous scholarly works on the first four ecumenical councils focus on their theological projects and the con troversies trover sies surrounding them this book departs from the norm by focusing instead on their canonical legislation peter lhuillier is archbishop of the new york and new jersey diocese of the orthodox church of america and adjunct professor of canon law at st vladimir s theological seminary he originally composed this work in french some twenty years ago and translated it into russian for submission as a doctoral thesis in canon law at the theological academy of moscow this second translation into english is substantially unrevised in content following a brief introduction the author treats the four councils in chronological order first discussing the history and circumstances of their convocations then providing an english translation of and commentary illier as an orthodox canonist is naturally on each of the canons Mu lhuillier interested in the interpretation of the conciliar legislation within eastern orthodox canon law his introduction provides a historical conspectus of the subject and his commentary when it deals with the broader history of interpretation is largely confined to the orthodox tradition such discussion is valuable and interesting and rare in an english language 194 Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 2000 studies 39 no BYU stubles byustudies39 n033 2000 1 BYU Studies Quarterly, Vol. 39, Iss. 3 [2000], Art. 13 review of the church of the ancient councils 195 publication though perhaps not of general interest but the author s primary aim is to provide a careful grammatical and historical exegesis of the texts focusing on the life situation sitz im leben and intentions ofthe odthe of the original legislators this he accomplishes admirably such analysis is valuable to church historians because canonical legislation is a critical source of information on ecclesiology church discipline and even social life by way of example the third canon of nicea absolutely forbids any odthe of the clergy to have a woman bishop priest deacon or any other member ofthe living with him unless she is a mother a sister an aunt or any other woman completely above suspicion 34 this canon is directed towards the practice of clergy cohabiting chastely with virgins these women were taken in thus their latin epithet subintroductae for their work as housekeepers as well as for their own maintenance and protection since the church was obliged to provide for a large number of widows and consecrated virgins in some cases the union was maintained to challenge ascetic virtue opponents charged that the motivation was often in fact carnal even if not adulterous and that in any case the practice gave cause for suspicion lhuillier vhuillier thuillier notes both previous and subsequent legislation on the practice indicating that it was persistent and also argues that this legislation in no way implies mandatory clerical celibacy as some would apparently read into the omission of a wife as a licit female companion his concern on this point perhaps betrays his own confessional stance with which latter day saints would agree but his assessment is doubtless correct chalcedony Chal cedon also addresses clerical regulation and ofchalcedon chai chalcedon the second canon of reform in this case the sale of church offices this canon was enacted at the odthe the emperor marcian a relevant detail lhuillier omits to comof request ofthe bat what had for some time been a widespread abuse while one certainly might profit from office in one of the wealthier sees many men would purchase a clerical appointment either to avoid military service which was hereditary or to escape the heavy taxation and compulsory community bene factions service that was the onus of landowners As one of his first benefactions upon conversion constantine granted clerics and their families exemptions from such but alarmed at the response he attempted and failed to stem the flood of soldiers and landowners fleeing into holy orders by the cedon the problem was critical while natuChal time of the council of chalcedony chalcedon rally silent about the west pope gregory the great died 604 would quip in the churches of the east no one attains holy orders except through bribery 217 reviewers translation 12 lhuillier Huillier briefly documents the persi stence of ofsimony sistence simony or the purchase or sale of ofreligious religious offices up to the present as revealed particularly in the repeated enactment of this canon however useful his contribution towards such lhuillier has not attempted (...truncated)