National synods, kingship as office, and royal anointing: an early medieval syndrome
Janet L. Nelson
Professor Gabriel Le Bras, a great pioneer in the field of historical sociology, has spoken early medieval Church bizarre but effective metaphor as ‘a dismembered body striving to reunite itself’. The essential task hierarchy within each national was one coordination—by means law, doctrine, and standardization worship. In fragmented world barbarian kingdoms, distinctive feature episcopate its ideology cohesion, more ardently propounded when social crisis particularly acute, seventh-century Visigothic kingdom, or war-torn West Francia 830s 840s. This was, moreover, often intimately associated with movements monastic reform. Its influence penetrated down into rural base society through episcopal visitations, preaching, provincial councils. To trace all elements these complex processes interaction change would encompass that much-needed sociology which Max Weber did not live write no scholar yet produced. this paper, title implies, my very limited objective is isolate examine certain recurrent phenomena point some hitherto unnoticed connections.
Studies in Church History