Jacob of Paradies

The chapter presents Jacob of Paradies as one of the most distinguished fifteenth-century representatives of conciliar apologetics. His writings responded to the institutional and moral crisis of the late medieval Church, giving his apologetics a predominantly ad intra orientation. Jacob combined extensive ecclesiological reflection with a programme of spiritual and practical reform of the Christian community. Particular attention is devoted to his defence of the superior authority of a general council, which he justified through biblical, patristic, historical, and logical arguments. His conciliarism was therefore not merely a theory of ecclesiastical power but part of a broader project aimed at restoring the unity, holiness, and credibility of the Church.