The Early Development of Canon Law and the Council of Serdica

Hamilton Hess is Professor Emeritus, Department of Theology, University of San Francisco

• 1. The Conciliar Movement ; 2. The Emergence of Canonical Legislation ; 3. The Development of an Ecclesiastical Rule of Law ; 4. THE COUNCIL AT SERDICA ; 5. Historical and Textual Problems ; 6. Early Textual Transmission and Development ; 7. THE APPOINTMENT OF BISHOPS ; 8. The Translation of Bishops and Other Clergy ; 9. The Appeal Canons ; 10. Episcopal Visits to the Imperial Court ; THE NUMBERING SYSTEMS OF THE SERDICAN CANONS ; TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS OF THE SERDICAN CANONS

The first edition of this book rapidly established itself as the definitive analysis of a crucial moment in the emergence of canon law. By revising and augmenting it as he has, Hess has placed his establishment of the canonical texts and exegesis of their contents within the wider context of conciliar activity and collective rule-making in the early Church. It is a worthwhile and stimulating revision, which will fittingly take the place of its valued predecessor.