Chapter 5: Authority in the Church – Teaching and Governing - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Chapter 5: Authority in the Church – Teaching and GoverningSlide2

Lesson 1: Hierarchy

Before giving the Great Commission, Jesus told the Apostles that all power on heaven and earth had been given to him. Jesus bestowed his authority upon the Apostles, the leaders of the early Church. Slide3

Hierarchy

Hierarchy – a ranking of those in authority. Slide4

The Primacy of Peter

Ranking below Jesus, the Apostle Peter was given primacy over Jesus’ Church.Primacy – “first place” in the Church. It means the Pope has jurisdictional authority over the whole Church. Slide5

Visible and Invisible

Jesus is the invisible head of the ChurchThe Pope is the visible head of the Church; Christ’s vicar.Just as Christ acts through bishops and priests through the sacraments, Christ acts through the Pope, the bishops and the priests in Church governance. Slide6

Vicar of Christ

Vicar – one who represents and acts on behalf of another. Slide7

The Bishops

The Pope – the bishop of Rome – in particular is the successor of St. Peter.The rest of the bishops are the successors of the apostles as well. Slide8

Apostolic Succession

Rome Ephesus Alexandria Jerusalem Peter Timothy Mark James (the lesser)Linus Onesimus Anianus Simeon I

Anacletus Gaius Avilius Justus

Clement John the Kedron Zacchaeus

ApostleSlide9

Diocese of Arlington

Arlington Thomas Jerome Welsh (1974-1983)John Richard Keating (1983-1998)Paul S. Loverde (1999-2016)Michael F. Burbidge (2016-)Slide10

Bishops, and Priests, and Deacons, Oh My

Bishop – (επίσκοπος) episkopos – overseerPriest – (πρεσβύτερος

)

presbuteros

–

presbyter or elderDeacon – (διάκονος

)

diakonos

– ministerSlide11

From house-churches to parishes

"The churches of Asia greet you, especially Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, along with the church that is in their house." I Cor 16:19Early on, Christians met inside of the houses of middle to upper-class patrons. Later on, once Christianity was legalized under Emperor Constantine, Christians more regularly worshiped inside of official church buildings.Slide12

From city-churches to dioceses

Following the Roman model of imperial jurisdiction, in which the Roman empire was divided up into different dioceses, the Church has divided up the territory assigned to each bishopSlide13

Shepherds

Each bishop is a shepherd of Christ’s flock. Bishop’s job: 1) teach 2) sanctify 3) governSlide14

Cathedral

Each bishop has a cathedral, known as the bishop’s church. From the Latin cathedra, this means that each cathedral church is the seat of a bishop’s authority. The Cathedral of St. Thomas more is the cathedral of the bishop of Arlington.Slide15

Don’t Confuse Cathedrals with Basilicas

A basilica is an important church because of historical, spiritual, or architectural reasons. A basilica may or may not be a cathedral. Slide16

Servus Servorum Dei

Pope Gregory the Great took upon himself the title Servus Servorum Dei, meaning, “Servant of the Servants of God.” This emphasizes that the Pope is to exercise authority over the rest of the bishops of the Church by serving them, rather than by lording his authority over them. Slide17

Service, Not Lordship

Luke 22:24-30, “An argument broke out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest. He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’;

but

among you it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the

servant. For who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves.

It

is you who have stood by me in my

trials;

and

I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on

me,

that

you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel

.

”Slide18

Prayer for a Bishop

Lord our God, you have chosen your servant Paul Loverde to be a shepherd of your flock in the tradition of the Apostles. Give him a spirit of courage and right judgement, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care may he build your Church as a sign of salvation for the world. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Slide19

Activity Book, p. 17

What kind of authority did Christ give to his Apostles?- Christ gave his Apostles supernatural authority. 2) What did Jesus commission his Apostles to do?- Jesus commissioned his Apostles to teach and govern the Church, with Peter as their head.

3) Who forms the hierarchy of the Church?

- The Pope and bishops form the hierarchy of the Church. Slide20

Activity Book, p. 17

4) Who is the Pope? What is Papal Primacy?- The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, successor to St. Peter. Papal Primacy means the Pope has the “first place” in the Church and he holds the primary authority to teach, govern, and sanctify all members of the Church. He is the visible head of the Church. 5) How is he Servus servoum Dei?

- The Pope is

Servus servorum Dei

since he governs us in humble service.

6) Who are the bishops?- The bishops are the successors of the Apostles. They are shepherds who govern a portion of the local church. Slide21

Lesson 2: FreedomSlide22

Infallibility

Infallibility - gift of the Church whereby the Church is free from error about matters of faith or morals as contained in the deposit of divine revelation. The Holy Spirit protects and guides the Church’s teaching authority. Slide23

What Infallibility is NOT:

Perfect judgment on everythingImpeccability (sinlessness)The Bishops or the Pope can make up new doctrinesSlide24

What Infallibility IS:

When the Church teaches formally on matters of faith and morals, no error can be found in those official teachings.Slide25

Freedom: Found in Truth

From one perspective, freedom consists in doing whatever you want. True, Christian freedom consists in adherence to the truth: it involves the assent to the true and the choice of the good. We become more free the more we choose the good and avoid sin. Slide26

Freedom from Reality vs. Freedom within Reality

Freedom from reality cannot be found. The laws regarding moral behavior are as fixed as the law of gravity. Freedom within reality is about maximizing one’s adherence to the moral law and to the truth. Slide27

Infallibility Stems from Christ’s Promises

In addition to what Christ said about binding and loosing, there are some other promises:“I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20)Regarding the Holy Spirit, he “…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (Jn 14:26)Slide28

Divine Protection

One way to understand Church infallibility is as divine protection. The deposit of Faith remains the same over time. It may develop in terms of how it is presented, but the material remains the same. Slide29

Since Doctrine is Infallible, It Does Not Change

For 2,000 years, the Church has maintained her doctrines against external and internal pressureSlide30

Prayer for the Pope

Father of providence, look with love on Francis our Pope, your appointed successor to Saint Peter on whom you built your Church. May he be the visible center and foundation of our unity in faith and love. Grant this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Slide31

Activity Book, p. 18

1) Why is it so important that Church teachings remain free from error?- It is so important that Church teaching remain free from error because she teaches us the way to salvation. 2) What is infallibility?- Infallibility is the gift of the Holy Spirit that protects the Church from teaching error in matters of faith and morals.

3) Does obedience to Church authority make one more or less free? Explain.

- Obedience to Church authority makes one freer. By knowing the truth and living in reality one becomes truly free. The Church helps us to come to know the truth and teaches infallibly on matters of faith and morals, so it helps us to become freer. Slide32

Lesson 3: InfallibilitySlide33

The Magisterium

The Church’s infallibility is exercised through the Magisterium: the teaching office of the Church.Infallibility can be exercised by all of the bishops collectively (with the Pope’s consent) or by the Pope alone.Slide34

Ordinary Magisterium

The universal and ordinary teaching office/MagisteriumThe Magisterium is infallible when the bishops, united with the Pope and each other, all teach that a matter or matters of faith and morals is or are to be held definitively by all members of the Church. Slide35

Example: Ordinatio Sacerdotalis

In 1994, St. Pope John Paul II addressed the question of female ordination to the priesthood, stating the following:The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a department of the Vatican, wrote that JPII was not utilizing papal infallibility, but was affirming that which was already taught by the ordinary magisterium. Slide36

Extraordinary Magisterium

The Extraordinary Magisterium takes the time to clarify, or make clear, that which is already taught by the Church as part of the Ordinary Magisterium. It is NOT adding anything “new” to the deposit of the Faith. Slide37

Two Types of Extraordinary Infallible Authority

1) Ecumenical Councils2) Papal InfallibilitySlide38

1) Ecumenical Councils

Gatherings of Bishops convened by, or ratified by, the Pope. They discuss matters of faith and morals.Slide39

21 Ecumenical Councils

First SevenCouncil of NicaeaCouncil of Constantinople ICouncil of EphesusCouncil of Chalcedon Council of Constantinople II

Council of Constantinople III

Council of Nicaea II Slide40

2) Papal Infallibility

Papal infallibility was defined (not invented!) by the First Vatican Council in 1870:9. Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the christian faith, to the glory of God our savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion and for the salvation of the christian people, with the approval of the Sacred Council, we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable.Slide41

4 Conditions for Papal Infallibility

The Pope must be speaking on matters of faith or morals2) He must be speaking to the whole Church, not a particular group or segment of the Church

3) He

must be speaking

ex cathedra

(literally, from the chair of authority), which means he is speaking as Pope, not merely as a bishop or member of the Church

4) He

must be intending to use his authority to pronounce an unchangeable decisionSlide42

Examples: Ineffabilis Deus and Munificentissimus

DeusImmaculate Conception: Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854Assumption

: Pope Pius XII,

Munificentissimus

Deus,

November 1, 1950 Slide43

Dogma of the Immaculate Conception

Accordingly, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for the honor of the Holy and undivided Trinity, for the glory and adornment of the Virgin Mother of God, for the exaltation of the Catholic Faith, and for the furtherance of the Catholic religion, by the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own: "We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and

therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful

."Slide44

Dogma of the Assumption

44. For which reason, after we have poured forth prayers of supplication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of Almighty God who has lavished his special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church; by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.Slide45

Prayer for the Pope

Father of providence, look with love on Francis our Pope, your appointed successor to Saint Peter on whom you built your Church. May he be the visible center and foundation of our unity in faith and love. Grant this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Slide46

Activity Book, p. 19

1) Explain the following:Extraordinary Magisterium:The extraordinary Magisterium refers to the formal exercise of the teaching office of the Pope and the bishops. Ordinary Magisterium:

The ordinary Magisterium refers to the normal, regular exercise of the Church’s teaching office.Slide47

Activity Book, p. 19

2) Define the following words. Ex cathedra: Ex cathedra means “from the chair” and refers to the authority of the Pope when he teaches infallibly. Synod:

A synod is a meeting of some bishops with the Pope to discuss the doctrinal and pastoral needs of the Church.

Magisterium:

The Magisterium is the teaching office of the Church.Slide48

Activity Book, p. 19

3) Write a paragraph on the infallibility of the Pope. Include the four conditions an infallible papal teaching must have. - The Pope must be speaking on matters of faith or morals- He must be speaking to the whole Church, not a particular group or segment of the Church

- He must be speaking

ex cathedra

(literally, from the chair of authority), which means he is speaking as Pope, not merely as a bishop or member of the Church

- He must be intending to use his authority to pronounce an unchangeable decisionSlide49

Lesson 4: GoverningSlide50

Doctrine vs. Discipline

Doctrine: unchangeable parts of the Faith that must be believed and obeyed by all of the faithful. E.g.: Trinity, Incarnation, Primacy of Peter, the Ten Commandments, the matter and form of the SacramentsDiscipline: changeable parts of the Faith that must be accepted and obeyed by all of the faithful, but may change later. Slide51

Discipline

The Church has the authority to create rules to help her govern her members. E.g. No meat (abstinence) on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. Catholics used to be required to refrain from meat every Friday of the entire year.Fasting for one hour prior to communion Slide52

More Examples

Holy Days of ObligationOrder of the Sacraments (order in the Eastern rites and the ancient Church even for infants was baptism, confirmation, communion)Priestly celibacyLanguage Mass is celebrated inReceiving the Eucharist in the hand or on the tongue

Baptism by pouring rather than by immersionSlide53

Obedience

Even though the Church might change a discipline, that does not give us the right to disobey it while it is in place. Obedience means to comply with the will of another who has the authority to command us. Disobedience on discipline often leads to disobedience on doctrine, because it chips away at one’s belief in the Church’s authority. E.g. a priest decides he wants to become married and leaves the priesthood, embracing heresy and maybe even formally leaving the Church. Slide54

Prayer for a Bishop

Lord our God, you have chosen your servant Paul Loverde to be a shepherd of your flock in the tradition of the Apostles. Give him a spirit of courage and right judgement, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care may he build your Church as a sign of salvation for the world. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Slide55

Activity Book, p. 20

What are the doctrines of our Faith?- Doctrines of our Faith are those elements that are essential beliefs of our Faith. 2) How does the Church exercise her authority in discipline?- The Church exercises her authority in discipline by formulating rules for her members which are for their good. These rules do not pertain to our beliefs but to our actions.

3) Why do we follow the Church’s rule on fasting?

- We follow the Church’s rule on fasting because we believe the Church should direct us in such matters for our spiritual good. Slide56

Activity Book, p. 20

4) What are other examples of Church authority in discipline?- Other examples of the Church’s authority in discipline are the Church’s law that requires us to participate in Mass on certain Holy Days and the rules concerning certain liturgical rites. 5) What is obedience?- Obedience is when we comply with the will of another who has the authority to command us.

6) How must the faithful in the Church act like players on a football team?

- Answers will vary.