Lecture 11: Church and State

1. Lecture 11: Church and State Ann T. Orlando 4 December 2008

2. Two themes: Ecclesiology and Church-State • Ecclesiology: the Church as such, • Mission, • Structure, • Authority • Church-State Relations • Church in time (history)

3. Donatism • Started c. 313 in North Africa, named for a Christian Bishop in North Africa who protested the ordination of presbyters by a lapsed bishop • Followers of Montanist and Novatian joined with Donatists to form a schismatic Church, more numerous than the Catholic Church in North Africa. • Wanted the Church to be the ‘Church of the Pure’ especially the ministers • Looked to Tertullian and Cyprian as ‘fathers in faith’

4. Background: Bishop • As the Western Roman Empire collapsed in 4th and 5th C, bishops take on more important civil role • Best educated (often only educated) • Only members of local society with ties to an outside structure • Bishops as civil judges • Bishops as arbiters of civil power • Pope as supreme authority

5. Background: Fall of Rome • Fall of Rome in 410 to Alaric had a huge psychological impact • The Goths sacking Rome were Arian Christians • “My voice sticks in my throat, and as I dictate, sobs choke my utterance. The City which had taken the whole world, was itself taken.” St. Jerome • Augustine dies as the Vandals (Arians) are besieging Hippo • Vandal conquest of North Africa leads to destruction of Donatists

6. AugustineOver-Arching View of Church • Man as a naturally social, not political being • Love, not justice the dominant virtue in the good society • Before the Fall, there was no hierarchy of dominance; slavery is a result of sin • Mixed good and bad (wheat and tares) in Church • Church mixed with society (city of man) • Church as the City of God • Exists throughout human history (time) • Exists in eternity

7. Augustine: What is the Church • When did it begin: with Abel • Cain founder of city of man • Abel, first member of City of God • Noah’s ark as the City of God • Holy man is a shepherd, not a king • The Church can be said to begin in the OT due to the action of the Holy Spirit • CoG XIV.28, XV, XIX.5-20

8. Augustine: Pilgrim People • People of God, the Church, are not members of city of man • So joiners (like Abel) • That is, Pilgrims • Pilgrimage as a way of life • Social enterprise • We travel together • We support each other • Everyone belongs to one of two cities • City of God, the Church, on pilgrimage • City of this world • CoG I

9. Church and History • Human history is not cyclical • Events do not repeat themselves • God’s plan is moving inexorably from the creation to the apocalypse • While exiting in human history, we do not know which members of Church are saved, which damned • Depends on God’s unmerited grace • CoG XX.9 • Books XX – XXII are extensive commentary of Book of Revelation

10. Catholic Church as Magisterium • Society of Church is guided by Holy Spirit (s 267) • Already seen role of Church as keeper of canon of Scripture • Teaching authority of bishops and Rome at stake in Pelagian controversy • See Letter 177 from North African Bishops to Innocent I, and his reply in Letter 181 • Importance of See of Rome as Catholic unity in Donatist controversy, Letter 53

11. Roma Locuta Est – Cause Finita Est… • …sed non locuta est Augustinus • Context: Pelagian condemnation by two African Councils, supported by Pope Innocent I. • Paraphrase (misquote?) from Sermon 133.10 • “iam enim de hac causa duo concillia missa sunt ad sedem apostolicam; inde etiam rescripta venerunt; causa finita est” • For already concerning this case two councils have sent to the apostolic see, from there also (furthermore) rescripts were sent; the case is finished.

12. Medieval Decretals • A reply in writing by a pope addressing a particular question • Served function of deciding precedents • Papal response referenced by Augustine would later come to be seen as a decretal • Decretals often referenced earlier works, especially Augustine • Formed the basis of ecclesial law until the codification of canon law

13. Aquinas on Faith • The topic of ecclesiology was not part of the medieval mindset • Aquinas did not write on ecclesiology per se • However, he did write about heresy and authority of Church ST IIa IIae Q11 • Note Aquinas quoting decretals quoting Augustine • Also note in ST IIa IIae Q10 a12 authority of Church over against any Church doctor (including Augustine)

14. Aquinas on Politics • Man is a political animal • There is a natural order of dominance • See ST Ia Q 96 a4 (read all of this article carefully) • Also Summa Contra Gentiles, III.81 available at http://www2.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/etext/gc3_81.htm

15. Reformation and Ecclesiology • An attack on the Catholic Church as such • Catholic Church in dogma and practice strayed from true Church of Christ • Pope not the vicar of Christ on earth • Clerical celibacy of little or no value • Priesthood of all believers • Reformers need to build a different ecclesiology than the Catholic one • Catholicism needs to re-establish ecclesiology (Trent) • As usual in Reformation disputes, all sides claim Augustine

16. John Calvin • Agreed with Augustine on • Massa damnata • Church as mixed wheat and tares • But tries to create perfect “city on the hill” in Geneva • Seemed to believe that a society based on Biblical values would be a just society • Writes laws for Geneva, but seemed to be another form of papacy • Exiled in 1538 • Returns in 1540 • Geneva ruled by ‘living saints’ • Disagreed with Augustine on meaning of ‘Catholic’ and tie to See of Rome • Institutes, IV.2, IV.12, IV.6-8

17. Enlightenment Opposition to Church in Society • Church (whether Catholic or Protestant) seen as infringing on rights and freedom of man • Best government is that which governs least • Religion a private, not a social, affair • Religion should be completely divorced from politics • John Locke, Letter of Toleration • Jefferson, Letter to Danbury Baptist Association, 1803

18. Early America • Both strands of optimism about creating the ideal society • Calvinist (Puritan) • Enlightenment • John Winthrop, sermon on board the Arbela, ‘Model of Christian Charity, the City on the Hill’ (1630) • Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence

19. Revisionist View of History and the Church • Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) Decline and Fall of Roman Empire • Massive history of Roman Empire from Antonines (2nd C) to Fall of Constantinople (1453) • Seventy-One Chapters, multi-volume • Story of fall of reason and rise of Christianity • 37. Augustine is a memorable instance of this gradual progress from reason to faith. He was, during several years, engaged in the Manichaean sect. Decline XV footnote 37

20. Gibbon: Julian the Apostate, model of religious toleration • Julian was born a Christian • Cousin of Constantine the great • All male relatives killed by Constantine or his sons during battle fo succession • Studied with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus in Athens • Rises to power and repudiates Christianity • Attempts to restore pagan temples and Jewish Temple in Jerusalem • Only reigns 361-363; dies in battle against Persians • “The Christians, who beheld with horror and indignation the apostasy of Julian, had much more to fear from his power than from his arguments. The Pagans, who were conscious of his fervent zeal, expected, perhaps with impatience, that the flames of persecution should be immediately kindled against the enemies of the gods; and that the ingenious malice of Julian would invent some cruel refinements of death and torture which had been unknown to the rude and inexperienced fury of his predecessors. But the hopes, as well as the fears, of the religious factions were apparently disappointed by the prudent humanity of a prince who was careful of his own fame, of the public peace, and of the rights of mankind. Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence, neither steel nor fire can eradicate the erroneous opinions of the mind. The reluctant victim may be dragged to the foot of he altar; but the heart still abhors and disclaims the sacrilegious act of the hand. Religious obstinacy is hardened and exasperated by oppression; and, as soon as the persecution subsides, those who have yielded are restored as penitents, and those who have resisted are honoured as saints and martys. If Julian adopted the unsuccessful cruelty of Diocletian and his colleagues, he was sensible that he should stain his memory with the name of tyrant, and add new glories to the Catholic church, which had derived strength and increase from the severity of the Pagan magistrates. Actuated by these motives, and apprehensive of disturbing the repose of an unsettled reign, Julian surprised the world by an edict which was not unworthy of a statesman or a philosopher. He extended to all he inhabitants of the Roman world the benefits of a free and equal toleration; and the only hardship which he inflicted on the Christians was to deprive them of the power of tormenting their fellow-subjects, whom they stigmatised with the odious titles of idolaters and heretics.” Decline, Chapter XXIII

21. Bonus: Christopher Dawson, Dynamics of World History • Published 1956 as an anthology • Catholic historian • Edited authoritative edition of Decline and Fall of Roman Empire • Read by all seminarians this summer • Re-read • “St. Augustine and the City of God” pp 311-339 • “Edward Gibbon and the Fall of Rome” pp 341-367

22. Ratzinger and Ecclesiology • Based upon his doctoral dissertation on Augustine and Ecclesiology • Informed much of V II ecclesiology • See also Communio article on Holy Spirit and Church http://www.communio-icr.com/articles/PDF/ratzinger25-2.pdf

23. Benedict XVI on Church and State: Deus Caritas Est • Published December 25, 2005 • Eight months after Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI • Available at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

24. Structure of DCE • Introduction [1] • Major theme • Purpose in writing this as the first encyclical • Part I Unity of Love [2-18] • Differences and unity of true eros and agape [4] • Path of ascent as renunciation, purification, healing [6] • Jesus Christ as personification of divine love [12] • Part II Caritas Practice of Love [19-39] • Caritas has always been part of the Church’s ministry, as much as the Word, and liturgy, since both flow from the Trinity [22] • Relationship between justice and charity [26] • Relationship between Church and State [28] • The distinctiveness of Christian charity [31] • Proper attitude of Christian engaged in charity: humility [35] • Conclusion [40-42] • Importance of saints and Mary • As both examples of true charity and intercessors for us

25. Some ‘Surprising’ Aspects of DCE • For a Pope who is popularly portrayed as being ‘opposed’ to Vatican II, the Encyclical quotes VII, and does so very positively [DCE 28, 30] • On the other hand, the Encyclical recognizes that the Church’s leadership in the 19th C did not respond well to challenges of Enlightenment [DCE27] • For a Pope who is popularly believed to be ‘the enforcer’ of orthodox Catholicism as the only valid religion, the Encyclical goes out of its way to eschew any type of coercion or charity as a tool for proselytism [31]. • Indeed the Pope suggests that as the occasion warrants, silence about specifics of faith may be the best course • For a Pope who is popularly believed to be antagonistic to Western governments, the Encyclical goes out of its way to recognize the important work for justice that belongs primarily to the State • Example of culture of death is Church-State cooperation in volunteer organizations working to reduce drug use among young people [DCE 30]

26. But I think the main point of DCE is • Not about Church-State relations, but how we as individual Christians are to practice charity • Justice is all about common good in society; charity is all about the individual giving and receiving works of Christian love [DCE 34] • But charity should be practiced in humility; we cannot ‘fix the world’ or even one person; only God can do that [DCE 35] • All these points are presented with examples from history; and the points cannot be fully appreciated without some understanding of history

27. Why Emphasize Patristics and Modernity … but a great Void in the Middle • Benedict XVI is deeply concerned that the Church has not yet fully responded to challenges posed by the Enlightenment • Agnosticism • Ethical Relativism • Materialism • Only valid knowledge comes from scientific method • Belief in mankind’s ability that through science we can ‘fix’ anything • Unlike the ‘Middle Ages’ the Enlightenment is NOT a Christian era [DCE 3] • In this it is like earlier Patristic Period in the Roman Empire

28. Julian as a Metaphor for Contemporary Church-State Relations • First consider that Julian was an apostate, • that is someone who abandoned Christianity; • Just as much of the contemporary Western world • He abandoned it because of the hurtful things that those calling themselves Christians had done to him and his family “Emperor Constantius who passed himself off as an outstanding Christian” [DCE 24] • What remained in Julian was a recognition of the importance of the Church's charitable activities • But with Julian, these activities, because they no longer had Christ at their center, became a vehicle to ensure his own political popularity and social stability • General restructuring of society and social welfare systems to ensure political stability was part of the political theories of Karl Marx

29. Assignments • Augustine • CoG I (skim), XIV.28, XV, XIX.5-20 • Letter 53 (optional) • Sermon 267 (optional) • Aquinas • ST IIa IIae Q10 a12, Q11 • ST I Q06 a4 • SCG III.81 • Calvin, Institutes IV.2, IV.12, IV.6-8 • Christopher Dawson, Dynamics of World History, 311-367 • Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, Part II