Thursday Scholarly Notes
7/24/25
Kelly, J.N.D. (1978). "Chapter 15: Christ's Mystical Body." (pp. 401-421). Harper: San Francisco. (Personal Library)
Kelly briefly engages the question of the church in the East failing to mature in its theological statements after the Nicene council of 325 (Kelly 1978, p. 401). Kelly's analysis does find that in the East there is little or no discussion of hierarchy or of the relationship of the churchly society and individual Christian conviction (Kelly 1978, p. 402). However, Kelly considers the theology in the East to have been more complex and developed than the articulations of it would indicate. Expressions of ecclesiology were not of primary importance in the East (Kelly 1978, p. 403). The unity of Christians was of great importance, and was understood to be rooted in Christ. Kelly identifies the importance of this mystical union of Christians in Jesus in some depth.
During the fourth and fifth centuries, the rise of "the great patriarchates" became more self-conscious (Kelly 1978, p. 406). The major cities rose to prominence as places of influence. As time went by, Kelly finds a greater comfort with an acceptance of the bishop of Rome serving as the primary bishop (Kelly 1978, p. 408).
Kelly finds that in Western theology it was considered necessary to find points of unity which would gather Christians together (Kelly 1978, p. 409). The unity, as we saw in the East, is an incorporation with Christ's body (Kelly 1978, p. 410). The Donatist controversy, then, rose to a critical level of importance. Among the Donatists, there was suspicion or rejection of those who may have been considered unworthy. A reaction against the Donatists observed that even those who have wavered in their faith may have administered the Sacraments rightly, so their acts would be received (Kelly 1978, p. 411).
Augustine developed the Western explanations of the Donatist situation in greater depth than Western thinkers before him (Kelly 1978, p. 412). he argued that the schismatics still had the sacraments, though they did not personally benefit from them. As Christ is the head of the body, the whole body of Christ is one unit (Kelly 1978, p. 413). The essence of the Donatist schism, in Augustine's opinion, was their departure from the love of God in Christ. They kept the forms of the sacraments and engaged in holy living but without Christian charity (Kelly 1978, p. 415). Augustine further postulated a distinction between an "essential Church, composed of those who genuinely belong to Christ, and the outward or empirical Church" (Kelly 1978, p. 415). To him, again, the sign of genuine Christian faith could be seen in charity.
By the mid fifth century, the Roman church had effectively established its primacy in the West and asserted its primacy in the East (Kelly 1978, p. 417). Kelly sees this move activated by the history of Rome and the representative role of popes in doctrinal and political matters. The nature of authority which may have been inherited from Peter was less clear, but gradually came to be seen as normative (Kelly 1978, pp. 418-419). Doctrinal statements tended to follow after an acceptance of the de facto papal primacy (Kelly 1978, p. 420).
7/24/25
Kelly, J.N.D. (1978). "Chapter 15: Christ's Mystical Body." (pp. 401-421). Harper: San Francisco. (Personal Library)
Kelly briefly engages the question of the church in the East failing to mature in its theological statements after the Nicene council of 325 (Kelly 1978, p. 401). Kelly's analysis does find that in the East there is little or no discussion of hierarchy or of the relationship of the churchly society and individual Christian conviction (Kelly 1978, p. 402). However, Kelly considers the theology in the East to have been more complex and developed than the articulations of it would indicate. Expressions of ecclesiology were not of primary importance in the East (Kelly 1978, p. 403). The unity of Christians was of great importance, and was understood to be rooted in Christ. Kelly identifies the importance of this mystical union of Christians in Jesus in some depth.
During the fourth and fifth centuries, the rise of "the great patriarchates" became more self-conscious (Kelly 1978, p. 406). The major cities rose to prominence as places of influence. As time went by, Kelly finds a greater comfort with an acceptance of the bishop of Rome serving as the primary bishop (Kelly 1978, p. 408).
Kelly finds that in Western theology it was considered necessary to find points of unity which would gather Christians together (Kelly 1978, p. 409). The unity, as we saw in the East, is an incorporation with Christ's body (Kelly 1978, p. 410). The Donatist controversy, then, rose to a critical level of importance. Among the Donatists, there was suspicion or rejection of those who may have been considered unworthy. A reaction against the Donatists observed that even those who have wavered in their faith may have administered the Sacraments rightly, so their acts would be received (Kelly 1978, p. 411).
Augustine developed the Western explanations of the Donatist situation in greater depth than Western thinkers before him (Kelly 1978, p. 412). he argued that the schismatics still had the sacraments, though they did not personally benefit from them. As Christ is the head of the body, the whole body of Christ is one unit (Kelly 1978, p. 413). The essence of the Donatist schism, in Augustine's opinion, was their departure from the love of God in Christ. They kept the forms of the sacraments and engaged in holy living but without Christian charity (Kelly 1978, p. 415). Augustine further postulated a distinction between an "essential Church, composed of those who genuinely belong to Christ, and the outward or empirical Church" (Kelly 1978, p. 415). To him, again, the sign of genuine Christian faith could be seen in charity.
By the mid fifth century, the Roman church had effectively established its primacy in the West and asserted its primacy in the East (Kelly 1978, p. 417). Kelly sees this move activated by the history of Rome and the representative role of popes in doctrinal and political matters. The nature of authority which may have been inherited from Peter was less clear, but gradually came to be seen as normative (Kelly 1978, pp. 418-419). Doctrinal statements tended to follow after an acceptance of the de facto papal primacy (Kelly 1978, p. 420).
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