Medieval Poor Law: A Sketch of Canonical Theory and Its Application in England

In Medieval Poor Law: A Sketch of Canonical Theory and Its Application in England, Brian Tierney provides an insightful and groundbreaking exploration of the Church’s pivotal role in the development of social services during the Middle Ages. Expanding on lectures delivered at UCLA, Tierney examines the canonical framework established by the Decretum of Gratian in 1140 and its evolution through subsequent centuries of ecclesiastical legislation and commentary. He reveals how the Church functioned as a governing body parallel to secular authorities, shaping laws, administering aid, and developing principles of public assistance that predate the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 by centuries. Tierney's engaging analysis bridges the gap between medieval ecclesiastical jurisprudence and contemporary social welfare, offering both medievalists and modern social scientists a nuanced understanding of the enduring relevance of these early systems of poverty relief.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1959.