Legal Reflections of the Ancient Concept of ἐκκλησία in the System of Early Catholic Church Cover Image

Právne reflexie antického pojmu ἐκκλησία v zriadení ranej Katolíckej cirkvi
Legal Reflections of the Ancient Concept of ἐκκλησία in the System of Early Catholic Church

Author(s): Vojtech Vladár
Subject(s): History of Law
Published by: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Nakladatelství Karolinum
Keywords: Catholic Church; legal aspects; social structure; Greek-Roman realia; ἐκκλησία; pneumatic democracy; monarchic episcopacy; influences

Summary/Abstract: It is evident that despite the originality of the institution of the Catholic Church even its representatives had to reflect in some way then realia and exerted traditions of the antic world. This fact found its reflection also in the area of law when not only the original reception and incorporation of several legal institutions occurred, but also the inspiration by Greek-Roman institutes and the ways of its functioning. Therefore some monarchic, aristocratic and democratic elements reasserted soon in the organization of Catholic Church, which were reflected during the process of establishing of early Christian communities by the Apostles, by their direct successors respectively, whereupon, are respected until nowadays. The main goal of the article is to point out the mentioned facts within the context of antic term ἐκκλησία (ecclesia) that presumably influenced the legal institution of primary Church, namely in the period of pneumatic democracy, partly also in monarchic episcopacy.

  • Issue Year: 49/2019
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 88-111
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Slovak
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