Letter 6

From: Leander of Seville, bishop To: The Visigothic Court Date: ~590 AD Context: Leander writes to the court on matters of church governance in the newly unified Catholic kingdom, advising on the structure of episcopal authority and the relationship between church and crown. To the court of King Reccared, from Leander, bishop of Seville, servant of God, The year since Toledo has been one of consolidation and, I think it is fair to say, of genuine progress. The conversion was real; it is taking hold; the people of the Gothic kingdom are learning what it means to be Catholic in ways that go beyond the formal declaration of faith. There are, however, several matters of church governance that require attention and on which I write to advise the court. The first is the status of the former Arian bishops who have been received into the Catholic episcopate. The canonical situation here is not entirely clear, and the decisions made now will set precedents that will be difficult to undo. My recommendation is that each case be handled individually by the relevant metropolitan [the senior bishop of a region], applying consistent standards, rather than by a blanket policy that may produce inconsistent results. The second matter is the question of the church councils. The Third Council of Toledo established a model for the relationship between royal authority and church governance that I believe is healthy: the king summons the council, sets the agenda in part, and promulgates the canons as law; the bishops deliberate and decide on matters of faith and discipline. This division of responsibilities serves both the crown and the church well, and I urge the court to maintain it. Your servant in Christ, Leander