Geoffrey Dunn: The Bishop of Rome in Late Antiquity

The Priscillianist crisis deeply divided the Hispanic churches in the late fourth century. The Synod of Toledo in 400 responded to the situation by demanding a greater adherence to the canons of the Council of Nicaea, particularly with regard to the qualifications for clerics and the regulation of their lives. Despite some limited success in reconciling some Priscillianists, the synod seems to have had even less impact on reforming clerical appointments and behaviour. The matter was brought to the attention of the Roman bishop, Innocent I, who responded with Epistula 3. This paper investigates that letter as an example of the way in which the Roman bishop related with his episcopal colleagues and argues that it is only when we read this letter in the context of Rome’s involvement with the Hispanic churches over the previous century that we can come to any conclusion about the ways in which both the Roman and Hispanic bishops understood their relationship. Innocent’s reluctance to become too directive in is response was because of his caution about the lack of confirmed information rather than regard to Hispanic ecclesiastical autonomy. This was a situation that would only be compounded with the Visigothic movement into Hispania several years later.