Nomocanon

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A Nomocanon (Greek, νοµοκανων—from νοµος, meaning law, and κανων, meaning rule) is a collection of ecclesiastical law, containing both canon law proper and civil legislation impacting the Church. Often, commentary is included.

In 577 AD, Patriarch John III Scholasticus was responible for the first collection of Canon Law, the Nomocanon , of the Orthodox Church.

During the reign of emperor Heraclius, the Nomocanon was consolidated, being the earliest extant form of this collection. Its two sections include the ecclesiastical canons and the imperial laws, the latter in fourteen titles. This collection was long held in esteem and passed into the Russian Church.


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Further reading

"The first detailed survey in any language to cover the history of canon law in Eastern Christianity. This newest volume in the History of Medieval Canon Law series surveys the history of Byzantine and Eastern canon law. Beginning in the Patristic Age, Susan Wessel outlines the evolution of ecclesiastical law before the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.). She covers the earliest documents and councils in the Christian tradition, and concludes that the councils replaced other sources of authority as bishops moved to a more democratic model of church organization. Heinz Ohme then offers a detailed analysis of the Greek councils and the writings of the Greek Fathers. He treats the sources of canonical material of Byzantine canon law down to the Quinisext Council (Trullanum, 692). Spyros Troianos presents a comprehensive survey of the Greek canonical collections and their compilers from the fourth to the eleventh century. In extending his coverage to 1500, Troianos provides bibliographical and biographical information about the most important Byzantine canonists who remain virtually unknown in English language literature: John Zonaras, Alexios Aristenos, and the Byzantine Gratian, Theodore Balsamon. With Hubert Kaufhold's contribution, the book also explores the wide range and variety of law in Eastern Christian communities, including Western Syrians (Jacobites), the Copts, Ethiopians, Armenians, Georgians, Nestorians, and Maronites."

See also

Wikipedia