Penitentials
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Penitentials
A penitential is a book or set of church rules concerning the Christian sacrament of penance, used for regular private confession with a confessor-priest, a "new manner of reconciliation with God" that was promoted by Celtic monks in Ireland in the sixth century AD, under the Egyptian monastic influence of St John Cassian. It consisted of a list of sins and the appropriate penances prescribed for them, and served as a type of manual for confessors. Origin The earliest important penitentials were those by the Irish abbots Cummean (who based his work on a sixth-century Celtic monastic text known as the ''Paenitentiale Ambrosianum'') and Columbanus, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus. Most later penitentials are based on theirs, rather than on earlier Roman texts. The number of Irish penitentials and their importance is cited as evidence of the particular strictness of the Irish spirituality of the seventh century. Walter J. Woods holds that "over time the peniten ...
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Penitential Of Finnian
The ''Penitential of Finnian'' is a sixth-century penitential believed to have been written by either Finnian of Clonard or Finnian of Movilla. It contains fifty canons that apply to both the clergy and the laity, but with stricter penances for the former. Composition The identity of the titular author, "Uinniaus", is unclear, with the leading candidates being Finnian of Clonard and Finnian of Movilla, both of whom were Irish clergymen who lived in the sixth century. The contents of Finnian's penitential are mostly original, with some influence from Irish and Welsh sources in addition to the writings of Paul the Apostle, Jerome, and John Cassian. According to a letter from Columbanus to Pope Gregory I, the author of Finnian's penitential also consulted Gildas about ecclesiastical discipline. Thomas Charles-Edwards surmises that the author wrote the penitential some time before 591 and was likely to have been Columbanus's mentor, since the ''Penitential of Finnian'' is one of the ...
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Penitential Of Cummean
The ''Penitential of Cummean'' is an Irish penitential, presumably composed c. 650 by an Irish monk named Cummean (or Cominianus). It served as a type of handbook for confessors. Manuscripts Of the remaining manuscript versions, notable are Codex Vat. Pal. Lat. 485, written in the ninth century in Irish-influenced Lorsch Abbey (in modern-day Germany), and Codex Vat. 1349. Although Codex Vat. Pal. Lat. 485 was written in Lorsch, J. Zettinger believed that the book was compiled about the middle of the seventh century in either Scotland or Ireland.Mc Neill, J., ''Medieval Handbooks of Penance: A Translation of the Principal Libri Poenitentiales and Selections from Related Documents'', Chapter 1, “Early Irish Penitentials,”, ser: Records of Civilization Sources and Studies, no. 29 (Columbia University Press, New York, 1938) The precise identification of Cummean is fraught with difficulties. The prologue of Codex Vat. 1349 shows an ascription to “Cumianus Longus” (Cummean Fad ...
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Excarpsus Cummeani
The ''Excarpsus Cummeani'', also called the ''Pseudo-Cummeani'', is an eighth-century penitential, probably written in the north of the Frankish Empire in Corbie Abbey. Twenty-six copies of the manuscript survive; six of those were copied before 800 CE. It is possible that the penitential, which extends its scope beyond monasticism to include clerics and lay people, has a connection to Saint Boniface and his efforts to reform the Frankish church in the first half of the eighth century. Geographic spread by the end of the eighth century and continued copying of the manuscript into the 9th and 10th centuries have been interpreted to mean the work was considered "by the Christian authorities" a canonical text. It was used as late as the eleventh century, "as the main source of the ''P. Parisiense compositum''. Genesis and authorship A penitential is a set of church rules concerning the Christian sacrament of penance; such sets were first developed by Celtic monks in Ireland in the s ...
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Paenitentiale Bedae
The ''Paenitentiale Bedae'' (also known as the ''Paenitentiale Pseudo-Bedae'', or more commonly as either Bede's penitential or the Bedan penitential) is an early medieval penitential handbook composed around 730, possibly by the Anglo-Saxon monk Bede. Background Authorship Sources Manuscripts and transmission There are four extant manuscripts that contain the ''Paenitentiale Bedae'', all dating to the ninth century, ranging geographically from northeastern France to the Main river region. The sigla given below (W9, Z2, etc.) are those introduced by Reinhard Haggenmüller. Haggenmüller divided the four main surviving witnesses of the ''Paenitentiale Bedae'' into two groups, based broadly on the regions in which they were produced, the nature and arrangement of their accompanying texts, and shared readings in the ''Paenitentiale Bedae'' itself.:Haggenmüller, ''Überlieferung'', 129–49. the 'Rhine-Main river' group consists of the oldest manuscripts (W9 and Se1), while t ...
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Paenitentiale Ecgberhti
The ''Paenitentiale Ecgberhti'' (also known as the ''Paenitentiale Pseudo-Ecgberhti'', or more commonly as either Ecgberht's penitential or the Ecgberhtine penitential) is an early medieval penitential handbook composed around 740, possibly by Archbishop Ecgberht of York. This work should not be confused with the vernacular works known as the '' Old English Penitential'' (formerly the ''Paenitentiale Pseudo-Ecgberhti'') and the '' Scriftboc'' (formerly the ''Confessionale Pseudo-Ecgberhti''). Background Authorship Sources Manuscripts and Transmission There are eleven extant manuscripts that contain the ''Paenitentiale Ecgberhti'', dating from as early as the end of the eighth century to as late as the thirteenth, ranging geographically from southern Germany to Brittany to England. The sigla given below (V6, O1, etc.) are based on those established by the Körntgen–Kottje Editionsprojekt for the ''Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina'', vol. 156, a project whose goal is t ...
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John Cassian
John Cassian, also known as John the Ascetic and John Cassian the Roman (, ''Ioannes Cassianus'', or ''Ioannes Massiliensis''; Greek: Ίωάννης Κασσιανός ό Ερημίτης; – ), was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern churches for his mystical writings. Cassian is noted for his role in bringing the ideas and practices of early Christian monasticism to the medieval West. Biography Cassian was born around 360, most likely in the region of Scythia Minor (now Dobruja, a historical region shared today by Romania and Bulgaria), although some scholars assume a Gallic origin. The son of wealthy parents, he received a good education: his writings show the influence of Cicero and Persius. He was bilingual in Latin and Greek. Cassian mentions having a sister in his first work, the ''Institutes'', with whom he corresponded in his monastic life; she may have ended up with him in Marseille. As a young adult he traveled to Palestin ...
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Gildas
Gildas (English pronunciation: , Breton language, Breton: ''Gweltaz''; ) — also known as Gildas Badonicus, Gildas fab Caw (in Middle Welsh texts and antiquarian works) and ''Gildas Sapiens'' (Gildas the Wise) — was a 6th-century Britons (historic), British monk best known for his religious polemic , which recounts the history of the Britons before and during Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, the coming of the Saxons. He is one of the best-documented figures of the Christian church in the British Isles during the Sub-Roman Britain, sub-Roman period, and was renowned for his Biblical knowledge and literary style. In his later life, he emigrated to Brittany, where he founded a monastery known as Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys. Hagiography Birthplace Differing versions of the ''Life of Saint Gildas'' exist, but both agree that he was born at a place called ''Arecluta'' which is described by the author as taking its name from a "certain river called the Clut, by which that district is, ...
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Paenitentiale Theodori
The ''Paenitentiale Theodori'' (also known as the ''Iudicia Theodori'' or ''Canones Theodori'') is an early medieval penitential handbook based on the judgements of Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury. It exists in multiple versions, the fullest and historically most important of which is the ''U'' or ''Discipulus Umbrensium'' version (hereafter the ''Paenitentiale Umbrense''), composed (probably) in Northumbria within approximately a decade or two after Theodore's death. Other early though far less popular versions are those known today as the ''Capitula Dacheriana'', the ''Canones Gregorii'', the ''Canones Basilienses'', and the ''Canones Cottoniani'', all of which were compiled before the ''Paenitentiale Umbrense'' probably in either Ireland and/or England during or shortly after Theodore's lifetime. Background It is generally accepted by scholars today that Theodore himself is not responsible for any of the penitential works ascribed to him. Rather, a certain associate of Theo ...
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Adomnán
Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (; , ''Adomnanus''; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and Christian saint, saint. He was the author of the ''Life of Columba'' (), probably written between 697 and 700. This biography is by far the most important surviving work written in early-medieval Scotland, and is a vital source for our knowledge of the Picts, and an insight into the life of Iona and the early-medieval Gaels, Gaelic monk. Adomnán promulgated the Cáin Adomnáin, Law of Adomnán or "Law of Innocents" (). He also wrote the treatise ('On Holy Places'), an account of the great Christian holy places and centres of pilgrimage. Adomnán got much of his information from a Franks, Frankish bishop called Arculf, who had personally visited Egypt, Rome, Constantinople and the Holy Land, and visited Iona afterwards. Life Adomnán was born about 624, a relative on his father's side of Col ...
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Canon Law
Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. Canon law includes the internal ecclesiastical law, or operational policy, governing the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches), the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodox churches, and the individual national churches within the Anglican Communion. The way that such church law is legislative power, legislated, interpreted and at times court, adjudicated varies widely among these four bodies of churches. In all three traditions, a canon (canon law), canon was originally a rule adopted by a church council; these canons formed the foundation of canon law. Etymology Greek language, Greek / , Arabic language, Arabic / , Hebrew language, Hebrew / , 'straigh ...
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Alain De Lille
Alain de Lille (Alan of Lille; Latin: ''Alanus ab Insulis''; 11281202/1203) was a French theologian and poet. He was born in Lille some time before 1128. His exact date of death remains unclear as well, with most research pointing toward it being between 14 April 1202 and 5 April 1203. He is known for writing a number of works based upon the teachings of the liberal arts, with one of his most renowned poems, ''De planctu Naturae'' ("The Complaint of Nature"), focusing on sexual conduct among humans. Although Alain was widely known during his lifetime, little is known about his personal life. As a theologian, Alain de Lille opposed scholasticism in the second half of the 12th century. His philosophy is characterized by rationalism and mysticism. Alain claimed that reason, guided by prudence, could discover most truths about the physical order without help; but in order to understand religious truth and to know God, the wise must be believers. Life Little is known of his life. Ala ...
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Book Burning
Book burning is the deliberate destruction by fire of books or other written materials, usually carried out in a public context. The burning of books represents an element of censorship and usually proceeds from a cultural, religious, or political opposition to the materials in question. Book burning can be an act of contempt for the book's contents or author, intended to draw wider public attention to this opposition, or conceal the information contained in the text from being made public, such as diaries or ledgers. Burning and other methods of destruction are together known as biblioclasm or libricide. In some cases, the destroyed works are irreplaceable and their burning constitutes a severe loss to cultural heritage. Examples include the burning of books and burying of scholars under China's Qin dynasty (213–210 BCE), the destruction of the House of Wisdom during the Mongol Empire, Mongol Siege of Baghdad (1258), siege of Baghdad (1258), the destruction of Aztec codices by ...
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