The Canons of the CCXVII Blessed Fathers who…

 The Canons of the CCXVII Blessed Fathers who assembled at Carthage.

 Introductory Note.

 An Ancient Introduction.

 The Canons of the 217 Blessed Fathers who…

 The Canons of the 217 Blessed Fathers who assembled at Carthage.

 Canon I.

 Canon II.

 Canon III.

 Canon IV.

 Canon V.

 Canon VI.

 Canon VII.

 Canon VIII.

 Canon IX.

 Canon X.

 Canon XI.

 Canon XII.

 Canon XIII.

 Canon XIV.

 Canon XV.

 Canon XVI.

 Canon XVII.

 If any cleric is ordained he ought to be admonished to observe the constitutions.

 That if any bishop is accused the cause should be brought before the primate of his own province.

 Canon XX. (Greek xxiii.)

 Canon XXI. (Greek xxiv.)

 Canon XXII. (Greek xxv.)

 Canon XXIII. (Greek xxvi.)

 Canon XXIV. (Greek xxvii.)

 Canon XXV. (Greek xxviii.)

 Canon XXVI. (Greek xxix.)

 Canon XXVII. (Greek xxx.)

 Canon XXVIII. (Greek xxxi.)

 Canon XXIX. (Greek xxxii.)

 Canon XXX. (Greek xxxiii.)

 Canon XXXI. (Greek xxxiv.)

 Canon XXXII. (Greek xxxv.)

 Canon XXXIII. (Greek xxxvi.)

 Canon XXXIV. (Greek xxxvii.)

 Canon XXXV. (Greek xxxviii.)

 Canon XXXVI. (Greek xxxix.)

 Canon XXXVII. (Greek xl.)

 Canon XXXVIII. (Greek xli.)

 Canon XXXIX. (Greek xlii.)

 Canon XL. (Greek xliii.)

 Canon XLI. (Greek xliv.)

 Canon XLII. (Greek xiv.)

 Canon XLIII. (Greek xlvi.)

 Canon XLIV. (Greek xlvii.)

 Canon XLV. (Greek xlviii.)

 Canon XLVI. (Greek l.)

 Canon XLVII. (Greek li.)

 Canon XLVIII. (Greek lii.)

 Canon XLIX. (Greek liii.)

 Canon L. (Greek liv.)

 Canon LI. (Greek lv.)

 Canon LII. (Greek lvi.)

 Canon LIII. (Greek lvii.)

 Canon LIV. (Greek lviii.)

 Canon LV. (Greek lix.)

 Canon LVI. (Greek lx.)

 Canon LVII. (Greek lxi.)

 Canon LVIII. (Greek lxii.)

 Canon LIX. (Greek lxiii.)

 Canon LX. (Greek lxiii.)

 Canon LXI. (Greek lxiv.)

 Canon LXII. (Greek lxv.)

 Canon LXIII. (Greek lxvi.)

 Canon LXIV. (Greek lxvii.)

 Canon LXV. (Greek lxviii.)

 Canon LXVI. (Greek lxix.)

 Canon LXVII. (Greek lxx.)

 Canon LXVIII. (Greek lxxi.)

 Canon LXIX. (Greek lxxii.)

 Canon LXX. (Greek lxxiii.)

 Canon LXXI. (Greek lxxiv.)

 Canon LXXII. (Greek lxxv.)

 Canon LXXIII. (Greek lxxvi.)

 Canon LXXIV. (Greek lxxvii.)

 Canon LXXV. (Greek lxxviii.)

 Canon LXXVI. (Greek lxxix.)

 Canon LXXVII. (Greek lxxx.)

 Canon LXXVIII. (Greek lxxxi.)

 Canon LXXIX. (Greek lxxxii.)

 Canon LXXX. (Greek lxxxiii.)

 Canon LXXXI. (Greek lxxxiv.)

 Canon LXXXII. (Greek lxxxv.)

 Canon LXXXIII. (Greek lxxxvi.)

 Canon LXXXIV. (Greek lxxxvii.)

 Canon LXXXV. (Greek lxxxviii.)

 Canon LXXXVI. (Greek lxxxix.)

 Canon LXXXVII. (Greek xc.)

 Canon LXXXVIII. (Greek xci.)

 Canon LXXXIX. (Greek xcii.)

 Canon XC. (Greek xciii.)

 Canon XCI. (Greek xciv.)

 Canon XCII. (Greek xcv.)

 Canon XCIII. (Greek xcvi.)

 Canon XCIV. (Greek xcvii.)

 Canon XCV. (Greek xcviii.)

 Canon XCVI. (Greek xcix.)

 Canon XCVII. (Greek c.)

 Canon XCVIII. (Greek cii.)

 Canon XCIX. (Greek ciii.)

 Canon C. (Greek civ.)

 Of making peace between the Churches of Rome and Alexandria.

 Canon CII. (Greek cv.)

 Canon CIII. (Greek cvi.)

 Canon CIV. (Greek cvii.)

 Canon CV. (Greek cviii.)

 Canon CVI. (Greek cix.)

 Canon CVII. (Greek cx. continued.)

 Canon CVIII. (Greek cxii.)

 Canon CIX. (Greek cxij. continued.)

 That infants are baptized for the remission of sins.

 Canon CXI. (Greek cxiij.)

 Canon CXII. (Greek cxiij. continued.)

 Canon CXIII. (Greek cxiiii.)

 Canon CXIV. (Greek cxv.)

 Canon CXV. (Greek cxvi.)

 Canon CXVI. (Greek cxvii.)

 Canon CXVII. (Greek cxviii.)

 Canon CXVIII. (Greek cxix.)

 Canon CXIX. (Greek cxx.)

 Canon CXX. (Greek cxxi.)

 Canon CXXI. (Greek cxxii.)

 Canon CXXII. (Greek cxxiii.)

 Canon CXXIII. (Greek cxxiv.)

 Canon CXXIV. (Greek cxxv.)

 Canon CXXV. (Greek cxxvi.)

 Canon CXXVI. (Greek cxxvii.)

 Canon CXXVII. (Greek cxxviii.)

 Canon CXXVIII. (Greek cxxix.)

 Canon CXXIX. (Greek cxxx.)

 Canon CXXX. (Greek cxxxi.)

 Canon CXXXI. (Greek CXXXII.)

 Canon CXXXII. (Greek cxxxiii.)

 Canon CXXXIII. (Greek cxxxiv.)

 Canon CXXXIV. (Continuation of cxxxv. in the Greek.)

 Canon CXXXV. (Not numbered in the Greek.)

 Canon CXXXVI. (Not numbered in the Greek but with a new heading.)

 Canon CXXXVII. (Continuation of the last in the Greek.)

 Canon CXXXVIII. (Not numbered in the Greek.)

Canon XV.

Of the divers orders who serve the Church, that if any one fall into a criminal business and refused to be tried by the ecclesiastical court, he ought to be in danger therefor; and that the sons of bishops (sacerdotum) are not to attend worldly shows.

Moreover it seemed good that if any bishop, presbyter, or deacon, who had a criminal charge brought against him or who had a civil cause, refused to be tried by the ecclesiastical tribunal, but wished to be judged by the secular courts, even if he won his suit, nevertheless he should lose his office.

This is the law in a criminal suit; but in a civil suit he shall lose that for the recovery of which he instituted the proceedings, if he wishes to retain his office.

This also seemed good, that if from some ecclesiastical judges an appeal was taken to other ecclesiastical judges who had a superior jurisdiction, this should in no way injure the reputation of those from whom the appeal was taken, unless it could be shown that they had given sentence moved by hatred or some other mental bias, or that they had been in some way corrupted. But if by the consent of both parties judges had been chosen, even if they were fewer in number than is specified, no appeal can be taken.

And [it seemed good] that the sons of bishops should not take part in nor witness secular spectacles. For this has always been forbidden to all Christians, so let them abstain from them, that they may not go where cursing and blasphemy are to be found.

Notes.

Ancient Epitome of Canon XV.

A bishop or cleric who has a criminal suit brought against him, if he leaves the Church and betakes himself to secular judges even if he had been unjustly used, shall lose his rank. And if he was successful in his political affairs, if he follows this, he shall lose his own grade. No appeal can be taken from the ecclesiastical judges, except they be proved to have given their decision beforehand moved thereto by a bribe or by hatred. No appeal can be taken from the decision of judges chosen by each side.

This canon is made up of Canons ix., x., and xj. of the Council of Hippo, a.d. 393.

Johnson.

In this canon the African bishops made bold with the Civil Courts. To lay such restraints on bishops and clergymen is, I am sure, very proper, to say no more.