Oxford history of the christian church

Collections of sources.

Two of the main collections of sources for Church history are found in J. P. Migne, Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Series Graeco-Latina (Paris, 1857-66) and the Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae (Bonn, 1828-97). These are being gradually superseded by new editions, chiefly in the Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae. The older collection of the councils is J. D. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et Amplissima Collectio (Florence and Venice, 1759-98). See also Conciliorum Oecumenicorum Decreta, ed. J. Alberigo et al. (Freiburg, 1962) and P. P. Joannou, Discipline générale antique, I, Les Canons des pères grecs(Pont. Comm. per la redaz. del Cod. di diritto can. orient. Fonti, fasc. 9, Grottaferrata, 1962). Some of the canons which concern the Orthodox Church are given with translation and commentary by H. J. Schroeder, Disciplinary Decrees of the General Councils (St Louis, Mo., and London, 1937) and there are translations by H. R. Percival, A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 2nd ser., 14 (Oxford and New York, 1900). C. J. Hefele-H. Leclercq, Histoire des conciles (Paris, 1907-) contains some texts and comments but needs revision.

Patriarchal activities and the canonists are included in F. Miklosich and J. Müller, Acta et Diplomata Graeca Medii Aevi, 6 vols. (Vienna, 1860-90), and G. A. Rhalles and M. Potles, Σύvταγμα τω+̑v θείωv καì ἱες9+̑ν κανóνων, 6 vols. (Athens, 1852-9). Miklosich-Müller is in part superseded by H. Hunger and O. Kresten (ed.), Das Register des Patriarchats von Konstantinopel (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae XIX, Vienna 1981) giving text and translation covering the period 1315-31.

For hagiographical material see the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum (Brussels, 1643) and other publications of this Society. The writings of many Orthodox churchmen and monks can be found in the series Sources Chrétiennes (text and translation).