The Liber Gratissimus ( Most Gratuitous Book ) is a treatise by Peter Damian on simony . Written in 1052, it has been described as "one of the finest theological works of the century."
41-397: Simony was extensively debated at the first synod of Pope Leo IX , with the pope contemplating annulling all ordinations that were a result of simony. At the urging of his contemporaries, Peter Damian wrote his first treatise on simony and sacramental theology in the summer of 1052. It was dedicated to Henry, the archbishop of Ravenna , about whom next to nothing is known. The title of
82-493: A secular priest , or to confinement in a stricter monastery if a regular . No distinction seems to have been drawn between the sale of an immediate and of a reversionary interest. The innocent simoniace promotus was, apart from dispensation, liable to the same penalties as though he were guilty. In 1494, a member of the Carmelite order, Adam of Genoa, was found murdered in his bed with twenty wounds after preaching against
123-524: A cleric who had obtained their office through simony was validly ordained. The Corpus Juris Canonici , the Decretum and the Decretals of Gregory IX all dealt with the subject. The offender, whether simoniacus (the perpetrator of a simoniacal transaction) or simoniace promotus (the beneficiary of a simoniacal transaction), was liable to deprivation of his benefice and deposition from orders if
164-422: A licence to preach, by money or corrupt practices" or, more narrowly, "the corrupt presentation of any one to an ecclesiastical benefice for gift or reward". While English law recognized simony as an offence, it treated it as merely an ecclesiastical matter, rather than a crime, for which the punishment was forfeiture of the office or any advantage from the offence and severance of any patronage relationship with
205-506: A term. Important in popularizing the word 'Simony' was Pope Gregory I (590–604), who called such exchanges the "simoniac heresy". Although considered a serious offense against canon law , simony is thought to have become widespread in the Catholic Church during the 9th and 10th centuries. In the eleventh century, it was the focus of a great deal of debate. Central to this debate was the validity of simoniacal orders: that is, whether
246-672: A world power to their collective piety ( pietas ) in maintaining good relations with the gods . The Romans were known for the great number of deities that they honored. The presence of Greeks on the Italian peninsula introduced some religious practices such as the cult of Apollo . The Romans looked for common ground between their major gods and those of the Greeks, adapting Greek myths and iconography for Latin literature and Roman art . According to legends , most of Rome's religious institutions could be traced to its founders ; this archaic religion
287-569: Is a "request that the Christians, who have long been disloyal and still persist in the same mischievous intent, should at last be put down and not be suffered by any absurd novelty to offend against the honour due to the gods." The edict is popularly thought to concern only Christianity and even to make it the official religion of the Empire (which did not occur until the Edict of Thessalonica in 380) . Indeed,
328-551: Is a sin worse than adultery and murder, the religious acts of simoniacal bishops are still valid, since the validity of sacraments such as baptism and ordination does not come from the bishop, but from the Holy Spirit . He cites the example of Rainaldus, the simoniacal bishop of Fiesole through whom God nonetheless worked miracles. Damian also refers to the Church Fathers ; Jerome , for instance, had claimed that "God's blessing
369-568: Is attached to the dignity of the office and not to the value of the man." Damian also adopts a more liberal definition of simony in several chapters of the Liber Gratissimus . For example, he considers the money changers outside the Second Temple (as depicted in the " Cleansing of the Temple " gospel narrative) to be simoniacs, simply because they represent the "intrusion of worldly values into
410-586: Is described in the Acts of the Apostles as having offered two disciples of Jesus payment in exchange for their empowering him to impart the power of the Holy Spirit to anyone on whom he would place his hands . The term extends to other forms of trafficking for money in "spiritual things". The earliest church legislation against simony may be that of the forty-eighth canon of the Synod of Elvira ( c. 305 ), against
451-470: The Clergy Discipline Act 1892 ( 55 & 56 Vict. c. 32). An innocent clerk is under no disability, as he might be by the canon law. Simony may be committed in three ways – in promotion to orders, in presentation to a benefice, and in resignation of a benefice. The common law (with which the canon law is incorporated, as far as it is not contrary to the common or statute law or the prerogative of
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#1732852726958492-796: The Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 (No. 3). Attribution: Edict of Milan The Edict of Milan ( Latin : Edictum Mediolanense ; Greek : Διάταγμα τῶν Μεδιολάνων , Diatagma tōn Mediolanōn ) was the February, AD 313 agreement to treat Christians benevolently within the Roman Empire. Western Roman Emperor Constantine I and Emperor Licinius , who controlled the Balkans , met in Mediolanum (modern-day Milan ) and, among other things, agreed to change policies towards Christians following
533-408: The Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception." The exhortation to right historic wrongs may also reflect the leaders' desires to avoid unfavourable consequences such as social unrest and further conquests. Koszarycz says that Constantine was superstitious and believed in the existence of the non-Christian gods enough that they did not want to offset
574-781: The Church with marked divergences between the two. Whether or not there was a formal 'Edict of Milan' is no longer really debated among scholars, who generally reject the story as it has come down in church history. The version found in Lactantius is not in the form of an edict. It is a letter from Licinius to the governors of the provinces in the Eastern Empire that he had just conquered by defeating Maximinus later that same year and issued in Nicomedia . The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious and attributed their success as
615-550: The Church ( Historia Ecclesiastica ). His version of the letter of Licinius must derive from a copy posted in the province of Palaestina Prima (probably at its capital, Caesarea ) in the late summer or early autumn of 313, but the origin of his copy of Galerius's edict of 311 is unknown since that does not seem to have been promulgated in Caesarea. In his description of the events in Milan in his Life of Constantine , Eusebius eliminated
656-530: The Crown ) has been considerably modified by statute. Where no statute applies to the case, the doctrines of the canon law may still be of authority. As of 2011 , simony remains an offence. An unlawfully bestowed office can be declared void by the Crown, and the offender can be disabled from making future appointments and fined up to £1,000. Clergy are no longer required to make a declaration as to simony on ordination , but offences are now likely to be dealt with under
697-508: The Edict of Milan is commonly presented as Constantine's first great act as a Christian emperor, it is disputed whether the Edict of Milan was an act of genuine faith. The document could be seen as Constantine's first step in creating an alliance with the Christian God, whom he considered the strongest deity. At that time, he was concerned about social stability and the protection of the empire from
738-602: The accession of Gallienus (r. 253–268), the Church enjoyed a period of nearly 40 years with no official sanctions against Christians, which Eusebius described as the "little" peace of the Church . In 311, Galerius published an edict from Nicomedia that officially ended the persecutions. Since the fall of the Severan dynasty in AD 235, rivals for the imperial throne had bid for support by either favouring or persecuting Christians . The Edict of Toleration by Galerius had been issued by
779-840: The affairs of the Church." According to David Rollo, the Liber Gratissimus is one of the two works that Peter Damian is best known for (the other being the Liber Gomorrhianus ). Colin Morris called the Liber Gratissimus "one of the finest theological works of the century." Simony Jus novum ( c. 1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c. 1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of
820-527: The balance of good and evil. It was believed that the sooner that balance was restored by the Romans establishing a state of justice with the Christians, the sooner the state would become stable. The term "Peace of the Church" has sometimes been applied in Great Britain and Ireland to the ending of persecution that followed Catholic emancipation between 1778 and 1926. In Germany , it can refer to life after
861-654: The commonwealth may continue uninjured on every side, and that they may be able to live securely in their homes. The actual letters have never been retrieved. However, they are quoted at length in Lactantius 's On the Deaths of the Persecutors ( De mortibus persecutorum ), which gives the Latin text of both Galerius's edict of toleration as posted at Nicomedia on 30 April 311 and of Licinius's letter of toleration and restitution addressed to
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#1732852726958902-429: The edict expressly grants religious liberty to Christians, who had been the object of special persecution, but also goes even further and grants liberty to all other religions: When you see that this has been granted to [Christians] by us, your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have
943-559: The edict of toleration issued by Emperor Galerius two years earlier in Serdica . The Edict of Milan gave Christianity legal status and a reprieve from persecution but did not make it the state church of the Roman Empire , which occurred in AD 380 with the Edict of Thessalonica , when Nicene Christianity received normative status. The document is found in Lactantius 's De mortibus persecutorum and in Eusebius of Caesarea 's History of
984-399: The emperor Galerius from Serdica and was posted at Nicomedia on 30 April 311. By its provisions, Christians who had "followed such a caprice and had fallen into such a folly that they would not obey the institutes of antiquity" were granted an indulgence. Wherefore, for this our indulgence, they ought to pray to their God for our safety, for that of the republic, and for their own, that
1025-467: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life Simony ( / ˈ s ɪ m ə n i / ) is the act of selling church offices and roles or sacred things. It is named after Simon Magus , who
1066-547: The free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation is made that we may not seem to detract from any dignity of any religion. Since Licinius composed the edict with the intent of publishing it in the east upon his hoped-for victory over Maximinus, it expresses the religious policy accepted by Licinius, a pagan, rather than that of Constantine, who was already a Christian. Constantine's own policy went beyond merely tolerating Christianity. He tolerated paganism and other religions but actively promoted Christianity. Although
1107-614: The governor of Bithynia and posted at Nicomedia on 13 June 313. The latter states: When we, Constantine Augustus and Licinius Augustus, met so happily at Milan, and considered together all that concerned the interest and security of the State, we decided ... to grant to Christians and to everybody the free power to follow the religion of their choice, in order that all that is divine in the heavens may be favorable and propitious towards all who are placed under our authority. Eusebius of Caesarea translated both documents into Greek in his History of
1148-556: The liturgy in its fullness and to attempt seriously and earnestly to mould the life of the empire according to Christian ideals and standards. The joy of the Christians at this change in their public status is expressed by Eusebius in his "Church History" (X, ii). This period of Church history is also known as the "Peace of the Church" . Eusebius says that it stated that "it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever." The edict further demanded that individual Romans right any wrongs towards Christians: "...the same shall be restored to
1189-517: The mines, as Constantine and Licinius had both done in the West. After Galerius's death, Maximinus was no longer constrained and enthusiastically took up renewed persecutions in the eastern territories under his control, encouraging petitions against Christians. One of those petitions, addressed not only to Maximinus but also to Constantine and Licinius, is preserved in a stone inscription at Arycanda in Lycia, and
1230-550: The person who bestowed the office. Both Edward VI and Elizabeth I promulgated statutes against simony, in the latter case through the Simony Act 1588 ( 31 Eliz. 1 . c. 6). The cases of Bishop of St. David's Thomas Watson in 1699 and of Dean of York William Cockburn in 1841 were particularly notable. By the Benefices Act 1892 , a person guilty of simony is guilty of an offence for which he may be proceeded against under
1271-407: The practice of making a donation following a baptism. Following the Edict of Milan (313), the increased power and wealth of the church hierarchy attracted simony. There are several accusations of simony (not by that name) against Arians , from Athanasius of Alexandria , Hilary of Poitiers , Pope Liberius and Gregory of Nazianzus . Many Church Fathers, such as Ambrose , spoke out against
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1312-403: The practice of simony. In the 14th century, Dante Alighieri depicted the punishment of many "clergymen, and popes and cardinals" in hell for being avaricious or miserly. He also criticised certain popes and other simoniacs: Rapacious ones, who take the things of God, that ought to be the brides of Righteousness, and make them fornicate for gold and silver! The time has come to let
1353-452: The provincial magistrates to execute the order at once with all energy so that public order may be restored and the continuance of divine favour may "preserve and prosper our successes together with the good of the state." Constantine ordered for the restitution to be at the expense of the state. For Christians, the immunities and guaranties contained in the act had most important results. For the first time, it became possible to observe publicly
1394-453: The rest of his reign. Galerius's earlier edict did nothing to restore the confiscated property of Christians. That was left to the Edict of Milan. Instructions were given for Christians' meeting places and other properties to be returned and compensation to be paid by the state to the current owners: the same shall be restored to the Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception. It directed
1435-515: The role of Licinius, whom he portrayed as the evil foil to his hero Constantine. The Edict of Milan was in effect directed against Maximinus Daza , the Caesar in the East who styled himself as Augustus. Having received Emperor Galerius's instruction to repeal the persecution in 311, Maximinus had instructed his subordinates to desist, but he had not released Christians from prisons or virtual death sentences in
1476-576: The selling of ministries. Anti-simony provisions in Church Council canons (and papal bulls ) became common: the First Council of Nicaea , the Synod of Antioch (341) , and the Councils of Serdica (343–344), Chalcedon , and Orléans (533) , etc. The purchase or sale of ecclesiastical office was associated with the figure of Simon Magus in the Acts of the Apostles and his name came into use as
1517-484: The system. Their scruples prevented them swearing loyalty oaths directed at the emperor's divinity . More particularly, the refusal of Christians to pay the Jewish tax was perceived as a threat not just to the state cult but to the state itself. That led to various forms of persecution . Emperor Decius (r. 249–251) issued edicts that imposed hard restrictions on Christians, a policy continued by his successor Valerian. With
1558-515: The trumpet sound for you; ... Simony remains prohibited in Roman Catholic canon law. In the Code of Canon Law, Canon 149.3 notes that "Provision of an office made as a result of simony is invalid by the law itself." The Church of England struggled with the practice after its separation from Rome. For the purposes of English law , simony is defined by William Blackstone as "obtain[ing] orders, or
1599-455: The work, Liber Gratissimus or Most Gratuitous Book , "because it was written about those who had been ordained gratis by simonists", is given by Damian himself in one of his subsequent letters. Peter Damian distinguishes between someone who is "institutionally" holy on the basis of his religious office and someone who is "personally" holy on the basis of his deeds. Echoing Augustine in his Commentary on John , he argues that although simony
1640-474: The wrath of the Christian God: in this view, the edict could be a pragmatic political decision rather than a religious shift. However, the majority of historians believe that Constantine's adoption of Christianity was genuine, and that the Edict of Milan was merely the first official act of Constantine as a dedicated Christian. This view is supported by Constantine's ongoing favors on behalf of Christianity during
1681-559: Was the foundation of the mos maiorum , "the way of the ancestors" or simply "tradition", viewed as central to Roman identity. Through interpretatio graeca and interpretatio romana , the religions of other peoples incorporated into the Roman Empire co-existed within the Roman theological hierarchy. The Judeo-Christian insistence on their god being the only God and in believing all other gods were false gods could not be fitted into