That legislation, traditional in spirit and content, was inspired by a conviction that the norms required to correct the deficiencies besetting Christian life in the 8th century had already been defined by Scripture and by earlier church councils and ecclesiastical authorities. The enactments of the councils were given the force of law in royal capitularies, which all royal officials, but especially bishops, were expected to enforce.
His program for meeting his royal religious responsibilities was formulated in a series of synods made up of both clerics and laymen summoned by royal order to consider an agenda set by the royal court. In essence, Charlemagne’s response to the growing urge in his world to deepen spiritual life was to make that objective a prime concern of public policy and royal governance. With considerable enthusiasm he expanded and intensified the reform program rather haltingly instituted in the 740s by his father, Pippin, and his uncle, Carloman. His religious policy reflected his capacity to respond positively to forces of change working in his world.
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