Parens scientiarum

The Papal Bull Parens scientiarum (Latin: Mother of Sciences) applies in the minds of the Paris Sorbonne University as the Magna Carta, which had in 1231 led to the termination of the teaching boycott. Pope Gregory IX. , Who had also studied at the University, set out by this legislation, adopted on 13 April 1231 bull the basis for new rules. He called the University of Paris as the "mother of the sciences."

Prehistory

In 1229 led in Paris, during the Carnival season, the wild carousing and a severe fight to violent confrontation between students and soldiers of the Podestà. This resulted in significant attacks on the accommodation of students to detention and mistreatment of teachers. These effects, which were understood as an attack on the university, eventually led to the lecture dispute and to the migration of faculty to other universities. This ongoing conflict and the lecture strike was finally ended with this bull, although the lecture operations began only two years later.

Papal protection

In the Papal bull of the Pope of the University admitted with a corporate law a broad powers to manage themselves, so the bull was understood as a template of the founding statutes of the university. He was concerned but also about the students a protection function to offer that would guarantee them more independence. The independence from the Parisian authorities and the worldly influences wanted Gregory IX. thereby prevent he set the University directly under his papal patronage and supervision transferred to the Bishop of Paris.

Provisions ( excerpts)

• The University Registrar shall be sworn in the presence of the Bishop of Paris to the canonical rights. The Chancellor has the right to issue of constitutions and instructions given herein the labor rights of professors and lecturers and the behavior of the students should be regulated. The expanded role of the Registrar also belonged, so specifies Gregory IX. determine the punishment and disciplinary punishment of disrespect and the admonition and instruction of the students.
• To protect the students, he orders that the event of unjustified treatment or detention immediately setting the lectures was possible. Furthermore, the Pope ordered that the university chancellor of supervision of the Bishop of Paris was subject.
• A vacation and absence rules stipulated that the holiday should not exceed the period of one month.
• For the students was banned carry weapons inside the city, they were also forbidden to interfere with other students in their courses of study or to harass them.
• For study purposes were only tested and approved books to use the vernacular had to take place in a dignified setting.
• In the final Exhortation he encouraged to comply with the legal provisions. He pointed out that failure, even in experiments, a significant punishment would entail.