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Five Principles on Authority in the Church

Five Principles on Authority in the Church. Richard R. Gaillardetz, Ph.D. First Principle: Authority Describes a Relationship. Authority is Not Irrational Authority is Not Opposed to Freedom and Spontaneity . Second Principle: There Are Different Kinds of Authority. The Bible Tradition

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Five Principles on Authority in the Church

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  1. Five Principles on Authority in the Church Richard R. Gaillardetz, Ph.D.

  2. First Principle: Authority Describes a Relationship • Authority is Not Irrational • Authority is Not Opposed to Freedom and Spontaneity

  3. Second Principle: There Are Different Kinds of Authority • The Bible • Tradition • Magisterium • Witness of Believers • Expertise of Theologians

  4. Third Principle: The Church is Not a Democracy (Neither is It a Monarchy/Oligarchy)—It is an Ordered Spiritual Communion • Re-Thinking Hierarchy • The Universal Church is a Communion of Communions

  5. God Power The Hierocratic Church Pope Bishops Other Clergy and Professed Religious Laity

  6. The Church as Communion of Communions

  7. Fourth Principle: The Efficacy of the Church’s Teaching Office Presupposes a Conspiratio Fidelium et Pastorum • St. Augustine: What I should be for you fills me with anguish; what I can be with you is my consolation. Because for you I am a bishop, but with you a Christian. The first points to my duty, the second to grace. The first shows the danger, the other salvation.

  8. Fourth Principle: The Efficacy of the Church’s Teaching Office Presupposes a Conspiratio Fidelium et Pastorum • St. Cyprian of Carthage:But it is unrepentant presumption and insolence that induces men to defend their own perverse errors instead of giving assent to what is right and true, but has come from another. The blessed apostle Paul foresaw this when he wrote to Timothy with the admonition that a bishop should be not wrangling or quarrelsome but gentle and teachable. Now a man is teachable if he is meek and gentle and patient in learning. It is thus a bishop’s duty not only to teach but also to learn. For he becomes a better teacher if he makes daily progress and advancement in learning what is better

  9. Fifth Principle: In Attending to Official Church Teaching We Must Avoid both Cafeteria Catholicism and Creeping Infallibilism • There are Gradations in the Authority of Church Teaching

  10. Gradations in Church Teaching • Dogma Dogma

  11. Gradations in Church Teaching • Dogma • Definitive Doctrine Definitive Doctrine Dogma

  12. Gradations in Church Teaching • Dogma • Definitive Doctrine Authoritative Doctrine Definitive Doctrine • Authoritative Doctrine Dogma

  13. Gradations in Church Teaching Church Discipline • Dogma • Definitive Doctrine • AuthoritativeDoctrine Authoritative Doctrine Definitive Doctrine • Church Discipline Dogma

  14. Fifth Principle: In Attending to Official Church Teaching We Must Avoid both Cafeteria Catholicism and Creeping Infallibilism • There are Gradations in the Authority of Church Teaching • There are Gradations in the Response of the Faithful to Church Teaching • “Unity in Essentials, Liberty in Doubtful Matters, and in All Things, Charity!”

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