|
||
Definition:
Liber Pontificalis means "Book of the Popes" and has long been an important source
of information of popes up through the ninth century, including birth, parentage, programs,
emperors, years of service, ordinations, pronouncements, burial, etc. However, because the
book was produced by officials at the papal court, the information contained in it cannot and
is not treated uncritically. For centuries scholars have sifted through it, looking for signs of
redaction and bias - and quite a lot has been found.
None of this, however, completely invalidates it as a genuine source of information about the earliest popes and, in particular, what people in the fifth century thought about the Church during the previous four. After the fifth century, however, the material becomes more reliable.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
