Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/Additional Canons 3/The Canons of Carthage/Canons/Canon CVII

Canon CVII.&#160; (Greek cx. continued.)

A Council concerning a bishop taking cognizance.

the consulate of the most glorious Emperors Honorius for the $th$ time and Theodosius for the IIId, Augusti, xvii. Calends of July, a synod was held at Carthage in the basilica of the second region.&#160; In this council it seemed good that no one bishop should claim the right to take cognizance of a cause.&#160; The acts of this council I have not here written down, because it was only provincial and not general.

One bishop shall not claim for himself to take cognizance of a cause alone.

(Greek cxi.)

Synod against the Donatists.

After the consulate of the most illustrious Emperors Honorius for the $th$ time and Theodosius for the $th$ time, Augusti, xviii. Calends of July, at Carthage in the basilica of the second region.&#160; In this council the bishops, Florentius, Possidius, Pr&#230;sidius and Benenatus received legation against the Donatists, at that time at which a law was given that anyone might practice the Christian worship at his own will.

Notes.

Let each one receive the practice of piety of his own free will.

The two first introductions belong respectively to the Synods of Carthage of June 16 and of October 13, 408.

Canon cvij. of the African code and that which follows it are the introductions to the Synods of Carthage of June 15, 409, and of June 14, 410.

See can. 10, 11, 12, 28 (31), 79 (80).&#160; Recognises, a law of the Empire, that everyone receive christianity at his own free choice.