The Emperor’s New Clothes – Remarks on Krzysztof Burczak’s Book Cover Image

Nowe szaty króla – uwagi nad książką Krzysztofa Burczaka
The Emperor’s New Clothes – Remarks on Krzysztof Burczak’s Book

Author(s): Piotr Alexandrowicz
Subject(s): History of Law, Canon Law / Church Law
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: legal history; canon law; decretals; pope; university;

Summary/Abstract: The review essay of the book on quinque compilationes antiquae by Krzysztof Burczak offers a cri- tique of the scope and method applied to the research on the sources of medieval canon law within this monograph. The two objectives or hypotheses of the book are too broad and were not properly justi- fied. The research was based on limited and outdated methods. The approach to the sources of quinque compilationes did not take into account the complicated history of the transmission of canon law texts. The author overlooked the relevance of the science of canon law (e.g., glosses) and application of com- pilations in courts which were crucial for defending his claims. Unfortunately, the book proves that the state and quality of the history of universal canon law in Poland resembles the emperor’s new clothes.

  • Issue Year: 16/2023
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 533 - 558
  • Page Count: 26
  • Language: Polish