Abstract
Cyril of Alexandria is an extremely important figure in the history and development of Christian doctrine, particularly in the area of Christology. He was a major influence on the major conciliar decisions of the fifth century and continued to shape the progression of Christian theology well into the Middle Ages and beyond. However, relatively little attention has been given to the ecclesiological significance of his works. In this dissertation, I aim to make a contribution to Cyrillian studies and to the field of historical theology more broadly by identifying and elucidating what I see as one of the most important components of Cyril’s ecclesiology, namely his conception of the unity of the church. I do this by examining four primary aspects of his vision of ecclesial unity: the solidarity of the human race, unity as beauty, baptism, and the eucharist. After looking at how Cyril’s predecessors potentially shaped his ecclesiological perspective, I treat each of these areas in turn, intentionally building up to how he relates ecclesial unity to the eucharist, as this is the summit of his overall vision. Along the way, but especially in the final chapters, I also draw out some of the more important implications of Cyril’s teaching on ecclesial unity and offer some suggestions for further study.
Degree Date
Fall 2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Religious Studies
Advisor
Bruce Marshall
Second Advisor
James K. Lee
Third Advisor
Rebekah Miles
Fourth Advisor
Khaled Anatolios
Subject Area
History, Religion, Theology/Religious Education
Number of Pages
162
Format
Recommended Citation
Mercer, Andrew, "Ecclesial Unity in Cyril of Alexandria" (2021). Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations. 33.
https://scholar.smu.edu/religious_studies_etds/33
