[annalex]

Why, you read from the Encyclopedia already. Out focus should really be the Canons, and not the entire 8 books, since that is what I used to illustrate sovereignty of bishoprics. Here is the more relevant article, which begins:

A collection of ancient ecclesiastical decrees (eighty-five in the Eastern, fifty in the Western Church) concerning the government and discipline of the Christian Church, incorporated with the Apostolic Constitutions (VIII, 47). They deal mostly with the office and duties of a Christian bishop, the qualifications and conduct of the clergy, the religious life of the Christian flock (abstinence, fasting), its external administration (excommunucation, synods, relations with pagans and Jews), the sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Marriage); in a word, they are a handy summary of the statutory legislation of the primitive Church.

Apostolic Canons

You seem to be confusing the authorship of the books -- unknown, -- with whether they reflect the legal environment of the Early Church, -- they do.

[OLD REGGIE]

Why, you read from the Encyclopedia already. Out focus should really be the Canons, and not the entire 8 books, since that is what I used to illustrate sovereignty of bishoprics. Here is the more relevant article, which begins:

A collection of ancient ecclesiastical decrees (eighty-five in the Eastern, fifty in the Western Church) concerning the government and discipline of the Christian Church, incorporated with the Apostolic Constitutions (VIII, 47). They deal mostly with the office and duties of a Christian bishop, the qualifications and conduct of the clergy, the religious life of the Christian flock (abstinence, fasting), its external administration (excommunucation, synods, relations with pagans and Jews), the sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Marriage); in a word, they are a handy summary of the statutory legislation of the primitive Church.

Apostolic Canons

For the blind and deaf: From the same link. Please pay attention!

In the original Greek text they claim to be the very legislation of the Apostles themselves, at least as promulgated by their great disciple, Clement. Nevertheless, though a venerable mirror of ancient Christian life and blameless in doctrine, their claim to genuine Apostolic origin is quite false and untenable.

Apostolic Canons

If you have difficulty in understang the meaning of "false and untenable" I can't help you.

You seem to be confusing the authorship of the books -- unknown, -- with whether they reflect the legal environment of the Early Church, -- they do.

I am confusing nothing nor, I suspect, do you. If you wish to keep pushing a forgery as "truth" be my guest. Just don't push it off on me.