Canon XV.
No
others shall sing in the
Church, save only the canonical singers, who go up into the ambo and
sing from a book.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon XV.
No one should ascend the ambon unless he is
tonsured.
Hefele.
The only question [presented by this canon] is whether
this synod forbade the laity to take any part in the Church music, as
Binius and others have understood the words of the text, or whether it
only intended to forbid those who were not cantors taking the
lead. Van Espen and Neander in particular were in favour of the
latter meaning, pointing to the fact that certainly in the Greek Church
after the Synod of Laodicea the people were accustomed to join in the
singing, as Chrysostom and Basil the Great sufficiently testify.
Bingham propounded a peculiar opinion, namely,
that this Synod did indeed forbid the laity to
sing in the church, or even to join in the singing, but this only
temporarily, for certain reasons. I have no doubt, however, that
Van Espen and Neander take the truer view.