ABSTRACT

In the Decretum's, Preface, Burchard identified a number of problems in the existing books of Church law. He complained that the canons were not supported by authority, and he worried about the conflicts between canons. This chapter demonstrates Burchard's interest in including in the Decretum canons which stated general principles. He chose carefully from among the available Libri duo canons and included in his own work canons containing such principles. The chapter discusses the changes which Burchard made to the texts of canons describing general principles, changes that clarified the principles and/or ensured that they would effectively explain specific rulings found in other canons. The chapter examines how Burchard selected from the extant canons ones with specific rulings that demonstrated how the principles were to be implemented. Burchard apparently thought that general scriptural principles underpinned the authoritative canonical tradition.