States in the Mystical Body of Christ based on John Torquemadaʼs “Summa de Ecclesia”

Abstract

The article analyses John Torquemadaʼs doctrine as expressed in the Summa de Ecclesia concerning the relationship between laity and clergy in the Church. In it, there is no opposition between the two groups thanks to the preservation of the classical corporate conception of the Church. Torquemada enriches it with developed theological and spiritual elements in which Christ as head of the Church plays an important role, which is crucial for unity among the members themselves. Particularly original and interesting is this theologianʼs attempt to point out groups of believers in symbolic relation to indicated members of the human body, such as eyes, ears, legs, etc. On the basis of these remarks, the states of the Church, the offices and ranks are analysed, and everything will be crowned with a teaching on authority in the Church.