False Decretals of Isidore?

[kamikat]

What impact did they have on Christianity as a whole? At what point were they determined to be forgeries? Same with the "Donation of Constantine"?
kamikat

 

[BalaamsAss51]

Hello kamikat.

Sorry about this reply, but those are extensive subjects which a little post would have a hard time doing justice too. Really fast, they bolstered the authority of the Medieval church. Suggest you go to the library and take out some religious history books.

Pax

 

[Philip]

What impact did they have on Christianity as a whole?

Hard to say. I don't think they created any problems by themselves. Rather, they were used by some to exasterbate existing problems.

At what point were they determined to be forgeries?

I believe they were identified as forgeries near the beginning of the Renaissance. Possibly earilier.

Same with the "Donation of Constantine"?

Same answers.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Both were used as a basis to elevate the power of the papacy. Their influence is still felt today, as parts of Canon Law depend on derivitive works.

 

[daveleau]

The Donation of Constantine were used in the 8th century to establish the Papal states. Pepin, the emperor, was crowned by the Pope. Then this promotion from king to emperor and the Constitution of Constantine led Pepin to grant the Papacy the Papal States, dividing Italy in half from north to south.

The Donation of Constantine was written in the 8th century, with Constantine dying in the 4th century. The forgery was not discovered until the 16th century by an employee of the Vatican (Lorenzo Valla), and later by Reformers. When the Reformers discovered the forgery, the Papacy reported Valla's findings earlier.

The decretals of Isidore are more complicated, since there are several forged documents. These were not discovered to be forgeries until the 18th century. Many of the decretals of Isidore are very valuable. These are the ones actually collected by Isidore.

The forged documents also led to increased power of the Papacy and eventually helped with the corruptions like the economic corruptions of annates, collations, commendations, expectancies, Jus Spoliorum, Dispensations and Indulgences.

The power of the Papacy was good in that it helped keep the RCC afloat in troubling times, and spread Christianity. But, it also has caused theological problems and corruption.