Scotus Academicus, Tomus septimus: De Incarnatione Verbi Divini

Note 1. It is outside controversy that Christ is Head of the Church by reason of Divinity, as also the two other divine persons; but it is doubtful whether precisely qua man he vindicates this dignity to himself; indeed not by usurping that particle qua reduplicatively, but only specificatively. For truly if it were taken reduplicatively, the sense would be that Christ would be called Head of the Church on account of his humanity, as if humanity were the formal reason why he should be called Head of the Church, which is openly false; otherwise by this very reason any man having true humanity would have to be deemed Head of the Church. But taking that particle, qua man, specificatively, the sense is that that character of Head of the Church befits Christ in such wise that through the humanity he fulfills the office and executes the function of Head toward the whole Church, not only militant on earth and triumphant in heaven, but also languishing and suffering in purgatory.

Note 2. Toward the character of moral and mystical head four conditions are chiefly desired, according to proportion and analogy to the natural head, to which in order to its members these four above all belong: The first is its highest conjunction with the members and whole body, which makes of both one thing. The second is its principality and eminence, whereby surpassing all, looking out upon them as from a certain citadel, it consults and moderates them. The third is vivifying power by reason of the internal senses and origin of spirits and nerves, through which mediately it grants life and motion to the other members. Finally the fourth is natural conformity which it has with the other members, with whom it is joined and associated in so great and so tight a compact that it receives as quasi-its-own the pleasure or pain of them all. But it is asked whether these four befit Christ through metaphor and analogy in such wise that he truly be deemed Head of the Church.

Note 3. That although all Theologians agree that Christ is truly Head of the Church, they nevertheless do not agree concerning the formal reason whereby this dignity befits him — whether namely through grace only of union, or habitual, or actual; or whether for constituting him formally in the character of head something else is needed, namely some dignity and power, which may be the formal reason of constituting him in the character of such head, just as e. g. beyond knowledge of laws and notice of constitutions, likewise good morals, there is need of authority of a judge, of committed power, in order that he be constituted formally in the character of judge.

Two things therefore must be determined in the present Question: First, whether Christ truly is called Head of the Church properly speaking. Second, whereby formally this dignity befits him — whether only through grace of union, or through sanctifying grace, or truly through some authority distinguished from either grace.

First Conclusion. — CHRIST TRULY AND PROPERLY IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH QUA MAN.

This truth stands from the texts of Scripture prefaced, whereby the Apostle most constantly calls Christ Head of the Church; which he surely would not do if he did not think Christ truly and properly to be called Head of the Church. It is proved further from the same teaching Rom. chapter 1. and 1. Cor. 12., that the Church is the mystical body of Christ; For as in one body we have many members, but all members have not the same act; so we being many are one body in Christ: but every body ought to consist not only of other members but also of a head; otherwise it would be monstrous and empty: therefore the Church necessarily ought to have some head: but it can have none other than Christ: therefore Christ is properly Head of the Church. — That however the Apostle speaks of Christ as man in all those texts whereby he predicates him Head of the Church, is gathered from the antecedent and consequent words; for in those texts always something precedes or follows that savors of Christ as man. Thus in first chapter to Ephesians the Apostle first says raising him from the dead etc. With which words, as appears, when he adds that Christ was constituted by the Father Head of the Church, he speaks of Christ as man. Reason also favors it; for he truly is the moral and mystical Head of the Church to whom the four conditions requisite for a mystical head belong: but those befit Christ qua man wonderfully. First indeed so close is the conjunction of Christ the Head with his own members that he makes one thing with them, as the Apostle teaches Rom. chapter 12. saying: For as the body is one, and hath many members; but all the members of the body whereas they are many are one body, so also is Christ. By which words he signifies so great conjunction of Christ with the Church that he does not doubt to call Christ truthfully the body of Christ himself, says St. Fulgentius book 2. to Monimus, chapter 9. Which St. Augustine also everywhere confirms with his testimony; as at

Psalm 127. etc. Many men are, he says, and one man. For many Christians, and one Christ. Not he alone one, and we many: but we also many in that One are one. Therefore one man is Christ Head, and body: which is his body, his Church, the Apostle saying, since we are members of his body: and, you also are the body of Christ, and members: let us understand therefore the voice of this man, in whose body we are one man.

— Secondly, Christ as placed as head in an eminent place and a certain citadel rules his body with peculiar providence, and governs the Church, and through prosperous and adverse things, with admirable wisdom, brings the faithful to the appointed end of eternal felicity: For he is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful, as the Apostle writes: who moreover adds this full of solace and confidence: But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. But what is more domestic and proper to the head than its own body; nay what is itself to itself? And it is, as has been demonstrated immediately before from Augustine, that one man is Christ head, and body. These are the faithful enrolled in the Church, who are domestics of God. But to linger longer in this argument is not of present institution. — The third mark of the head is that into the whole body and its members it diffuse a certain vivifying power and aids necessary for its conservation; for which cause indeed in the head as in fountain and treasure there ought to reside ample copiousness and a certain opulence of all things necessary for guarding, strengthening, and animating the body. Thus in the spiritual Head of the Church, Christ, dwells all plenitude; and in him are hidden all treasures of wisdom and science. Thence into the whole body and each member the juice of vital grace, and inexhaustible force and abundance of heavenly gifts and auxiliaries is poured forth. For no grace however tenuous and meager is sprinkled except through Christ, and from Christ, as unique and general principle: which elsewhere we approved more fully especially from the authority of Augustine. Hence Christ the Lord is wont to be called second Adam: because, as the former was head, that is author and sower of human propagation according to the flesh, so this latter succeeded as bestower and parent of another and far more excellent origin, that is of spiritual life. — Finally in Christ there is conformity of nature with the very members of the Church: for he has human nature of the same species with ours, and he willed in all things to be like the Fathers, in those things which are natural, that he might have closer commerce with men; whence it happens that by reason of this condition he is said above all to be Head of the Church qua man, and truly not qua God: although qua God he may be primary head, infusing life of grace and glory into the members of the Church.

Thence our Angelic notes above all q. 12. art. 1. that Head of the Church is said commonly and properly; commonly indeed the whole Trinity is deemed Head of the Church; for the whole Trinity, he says, moves and rules the Church, and infuses into her grace whereby she may sense through faith, and be moved through charity, whence he stands related to it in character of ruler and infuser. But according to humanity Christ is properly called head, because in this manner he stands related to the Church according to character of conformity with her through grace and nature: whence the Gloss on that text, he gave him head, etc., says: Therefore he is called head according to humanity, according to which the Church is joined to him, by nature and grace. He observes secondly,

that although the Holy Spirit be called principle and fountain inflowing and deriving into us all fullness of grace, and through him every motion and sense of spiritual life is had; nevertheless he cannot properly be called head of the Church, because, he says, someone can be called head of the Church either through character of influx only, or through character of influx and conformity of nature. In the first manner the Trinity is called Head of the Church; namely according to character of influx of sense of faith and motion of charity. In the second manner Christ is called Head of the Church according to humanity, because the Church is joined to him through nature and grace. In the first manner, qua God, he is called head less properly. In the second manner, namely with respect to humanity, he is called head more properly. Therefore to Christ alone belongs properly to be Head of the Church; that is, according to character of influx and conformity of nature, and this according to his humanity: but to the Trinity and to Christ according to Divinity it befits to be Head of the Church less properly: that is according to character of influx only: but to Father and Holy Spirit commonly, and also less properly.

These are Alexander's words. Whence the influx of the Holy Spirit is rather assimilated to the influx of the heart than of the head: because influx of the heart is invisible and hidden; but influx of the head visible and apparent by reason of the exterior senses existing in it and there performing their chief functions; and therefore Christ, inflowing into the members sensibly and apparently through death and sacraments, must be called Head of the Church; but the Holy Spirit, since he inflows invisibly and secretly, namely through interior inspirations, is more rightly compared to the heart than to the head.

Second Conclusion. — CHRIST IS NOT CONSTITUTED FORMALITER HEAD OF THE CHURCH THROUGH GRACE OF UNION, OR PERSONAL, NOR THROUGH HABITUAL AND SANCTIFYING GRACE DIVISIM OR CONIUNCTIM: BUT THROUGH THE DIGNITY OR POWER WHICH GOD BESTOWED UPON HIM OVER ALL ANGELS AND MEN. This Conclusion consists of two parts, whereof

The first is proved, namely that he is not head of the Church formaliter through personal or sanctifying grace: That whereby he obtains prefecture and dominion over all the members of the Church constitutes one formaliter head of the Church: but through neither grace does he obtain that: therefore, etc. The major stands, because to be formaliter head is to have power over others, both as to influx of grace and supernatural gifts, and as to direction, command, and governance. But the minor is proved: first of habitual grace, because habitual grace of Christ is of the same species with ours: therefore as our sanctifying has no other effect in us than to make us just and grateful to God and accepted by him for eternal inheritance — indeed it confers upon us no dominion or prefecture over others; so neither could Christ have prefecture over the other members of the Church by this reason. — The same appears also of grace of union, because this of itself confers only two things upon the assumed humanity, namely termination of its communicability and substantial sanctity: but neither that sanctity nor termination confer per se any dominion over the members of the Church: therefore, etc. — That those two graces coniunctim do not confer this stands evident: because even if the divine Word were separated from the humanity of Christ, and the hypostatic union dissolved, nevertheless Christ could remain head of the Church if, with habitual grace persevering within him, he had authority conceded to him by God over the other members of the Church.

The other part is also proved, namely that Christ is head of the Church through power divinely conceded to him over men as well as Angels. It is proved, I say, from that Ephes. 1. where the Apostle after saying of Christ that God subjected all things under his feet, immediately adds: And he gave him head over all the Church, etc.; likewise from that Heb. 5.: Neither doth any man take honour to himself, but he that is called by God as Aaron: so Christ did not glorify himself that he might become Pontiff, but he that spoke unto him: Thou art my Son, etc. From which places it may be gathered that the Apostle signifies that Christ had dignity and power of head and Pontiff peculiar to himself granted by the eternal Father, as something distinct from personal and sanctifying grace. — Nevertheless both these graces are required toward fulfilling the office of head no less than perfect knowledge of law and customs, probity of morals, and supreme erudition are desired in a judge; for as all those conditions and perfections render a man suitable that he be instituted Judge by a King, and duly fulfill the office of judge; so sanctifying and personal grace made Christ worthy that he be instituted by God head of men and Angels. And as those excellencies of a judge confer no authority of judge per se; so neither did personal and sanctifying grace confer dignity of head upon Christ. But as it is necessary that to a judge beyond eminent knowledge and probity of morals there be conferred by the King authority of judging: so it is necessary that also to Christ, beyond personal and sanctifying grace, there accrue to him authority of head granted by the eternal Father, whereby both men and Angels are themselves subjected, and from God, Ocean of all goods, every sense and motion of spiritual life be derived into men and Angels through Christ. Finally, as dignity of judge imports nothing physical, but only something moral, namely mere deputation by the King toward fulfilling that office; so neither does dignity of head imprint anything physical upon Christ, but signifies mere deputation of Christ by God; which he can exercise in act and formaliter toward Angels and men, into whom de facto he inflows, or can inflow, life and motion of grace.

You will ask: Can Christ equally properly be called heart of the Church, as he is called head? — Alexander answers in the place praised above, from the author of book On Soul and Spirit, among St. Augustine,

that triple is the power of soul toward body: namely natural power, which operates in liver: vital power, which operates in heart: animal power, which operates in brain. Natural power is called that which is nutritive: such as digestive, retentive, expulsive, and augmentative. Vital power, which operates in heart, is that whence motion of heart is continuous. Animal power is that which operates in brain, whence motion and sense are in members. And according to this motions and spirits, which are vehicles of virtues, are divided — namely into spirit vital, natural, and animal. But operations of natural virtue are altogether involuntary, nor subject to reason: operations animal are altogether subject to reason, and therefore receive command from it: operations vital are partly subject to reason, partly not; and therefore partly voluntary, partly natural. According to this therefore it must be said, that motion which is from Christ the head into the body of the Church is altogether according to voluntary motion, which simply is not natural or vital: therefore Christ ought rather be called head of the Church metaphorically according to that motion than heart or liver.