Usury and Restitution in Late Medieval Episcopal Statutes: A Case Study in the Local Reception of Conciliar Decrees (original) (raw)
This article explores how late medieval bishops invoked, transformed, or ignored the Lyonese anti-usury decree "Quamquam usurarii" in their diocesan statutes and provincial canons, revealing the uneven dissemination of its provisions and the regional variation in its reception. Beyond providing insights into the development and dissemination of the medieval church’s economic teachings, this article aims to demonstrate the importance of systematic comparison in exploring the relationship between the universal and the particular in late medieval canon law. It is likewise meant to reveal the value of local ecclesiastical legislation as a locus for studying contemporary interpretations of conciliar decrees. Just as the writings of canonists reveal controversies among those chiefly responsible for interpreting these new laws, so do the editorial choices of bishops reveal the concerns―and responses―of those chiefly responsible for enforcing them.
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