El ministerio judicial del Obispo hasta el surgimiento de la Lex Christiana (SS. I-IV)

Abstract

The bishops, first clandestineness and then openly, are called upon to resolve disputes that have arisen among the faithful, until the time in which the Empire recognized them the capacity to be official judges. However, that bishops should be official judges, although it was given them legal protection and allowed to meet the biblical claims that every cause among believers were not known by pagans, also created certain problems. In fact, there are many bishops who regret having to officially accomplish this task because was taken them time to carry out other functions and put them in a situation complicated with respect to the faithful. Our work focuses on three aspects around this institution: firstly, the theological of the administration of Justice, both biblical and Patristic Foundation, to understand how must be exercised a mission that must be carried out without forgetting the purpose of salvation; Secondly, the process of episcopalis audientia in Constantinian legislation and the first limit of jurisdiction and, finally, the way of exercise of the offcium iudiciorum by bishops and the problem arising from this.