The abstract theory posits that ecclesial governance functions through a dynamic equilibrium between hierarchical authority and collegial structures (synods), where secular political contexts historically mediated the scope of papal power until Vatican I disrupted this balance by centralizing authority in the Pope, thereby suppressing local autonomy. The concept relies on formal definitions of synodality as decision-making bodies distinct from consultative functions, asserting that historical contingency reveals the necessity of restoring collegial participation to achieve a mature understanding of church tradition. This theoretical framework situates Catholic governance within the broader discipline of ecclesiology and historiography by treating past council dynamics not merely as normative documents but as contingent social mechanisms whose reinterpretation offers liberation for present institutional decision-making.
The abstract theory posits that ecclesial governance functions through a dynamic equilibrium between hierarchical authority and collegial structures (synods), where secular political contexts histori…