De canonibus conciliorum.
The Straight Rule
Hugh explains the Greek and Latin meaning of 'canon' as a rule that rightly guides, governs, and corrects crooked living.
Canon in Greek is called rule in Latin. It is called a rule because it leads rightly and never pulls you astray. Others have said that a rule is so called because it governs, or because it offers a standard for living rightly, or because it corrects what is warped and crooked.
Before Constantine
General councils could not flourish before Constantine because persecution prevented bishops from assembling and allowed heresies to multiply.
The canons of general councils began with the time of Constantine. In the years before, with persecution raging, there was hardly any opportunity to teach the common people. As a result, Christendom was torn into different heresies, because the bishops had no freedom to come together in one place except during the reign of the emperor I mentioned.
The Freedom to Gather
Constantine granted Christians freedom to assemble, enabling the Nicene fathers to hand down a creed faithful to Gospel and apostolic tradition.
He himself gave Christians the freedom to gather openly. Under him too, the holy fathers assembled at the council of Nicaea from across the whole world and handed down a creed in keeping with the faith of the Gospels and the apostles — a creed for the post-apostolic age.
Read the original Latin
Canon autem Graece, Latine regula nuncupatur. regula autem dicta, quod recte ducit, nec aliquando aliorsum trahit. alii dixerunt regulam dictam, vel quod regat, vel quod normam recte vivendi praebeat, vel quod distortum pravumque quid corrigat. canones autem generalium conciliorum a temporibus Constantini coeperunt. in praecedentibus namque annis, persecutione fervente, docendarum plebium minime dabatur facultas. inde christianitas in diversa haeresi scissa est, quia non erat licentia episcopis in unum convenire, nisi tempore supradicti imperatoris. ipse enim dedit facultatem Christianis libere congregari. sub hoc etiam sancti patres in concilio Nicaeno de omni orbe terrarum convenientes, iuxta fidem evangelicam et apostolicam, secundum, post apostolos, symbolum tradiderunt.
Didascalicon de Studio Legendi (On the Study of Reading) companion
Hugh said begin with small daily portions. Start tomorrow.
Chosen Portion serves one short, ordered devotional reading each day — the medieval lectio pattern, free on iOS.
Hugh taught that formation comes from ordered, incremental daily reading, and Chosen Portion is that ordered daily portion delivered to your phone.
- A curated daily portion in 2-3 minutes, no decision fatigue about what to read
- Progress through complete historic works in order, the way Hugh prescribed
- Free app plus a weekly email unpacking one reading in depth