The Conciliarism of John Mair: A Note on A Disputation on the Authority of a Council

Abstract

In his important and incisive essay ‘What was conciliarism? Conciliar theory in historical perspective’ Antony Black draws attention to the use made of biblical passages by conciliarist writers. He writes, ‘from Gerson onwards, and most markedly in Segovia, we hear the rebuke that the canonists have misunderstood the structure of ecclesiastical authority by introducing notions derived from secular, Roman law; we hear the call to return to scripture and patristic tradition.’ Among the passages used by them he cites ‘the dominical precept to “tell the community (die ecclesie)” if a brother errs persistently (Matthew 18.15-20)’. This appeal to the dominical precept in matters of community discipline was not new. Indeed, its use in this connection has a long and interesting history. One of its earliest appearances is in the Rule of St Benedict.