Jean Gerson: The ‘Ecclesia Primitiva’ and Reform

Recent studies on the history of reform in the early and medieval church have been highly influenced by the works of Gerhart Ladner. In his writings Ladner stresses primarily the ideological foundations of reform. He distinguishes, moreover, the idea of reform from other types of renewal. In contrast with cosmological, vitalistic, and millenaristic renewal, reform implies conscious intention and finality. Church reform, consequently, both in its personal and institutional dimensions necessarily involves some concept of what a church should be. For this reason in most reform ideologies the idea of the ecclesia primitiva has played an important role. The primitive Church is regarded as a privileged moment in the history of the Church since it was in immediate personal contact with its founder and the direct recipient of his message.