Letter 45

From: The Austrasian Court To: [Church official] Date: ~588 AD Context: Austrasian letter 45; royal communication to ecclesiastical officials on the governance of the church during a period of royal minority and political instability. To our faithful bishops assembled in the Frankish church, We are aware that the current period of uncertainty in the royal house has created concerns among the clergy about the stability of the arrangements on which the church depends. We want to address those concerns directly. The commitments made by the Frankish kings to the church — the protection of church property, the support of church governance, the recognition of episcopal authority in its proper sphere — are commitments of the kingdom, not merely of an individual king. They will be honored regardless of the outcome of the current dynastic situation. We also want to say something about the role we believe the church should play in the current situation. The bishops of Austrasia are among the most trusted and respected leaders in this kingdom, and their voice in the resolution of political disputes has authority that the disputants themselves lack, precisely because they are not directly parties to those disputes. We encourage you to use that authority in the service of peace. If the bishops can bring the factions together for mediated discussion, we believe a peaceful resolution is possible. We ask you to try. With respect and with the hope that God's wisdom will prevail, From the Austrasian court