Pius IX INTRODUCTION TO THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH
1. Authenticity the Magisterium
2. Tradition
3. Councils
4. Interpretation of Teachers
5. The indefectibility
of the Church 6. Papal Documents
7. Features the Magisterium of the Church
The Magisterium of the Church has always been a source of controversy, as was the Church itself, and Christ himself, while living in the world. But today, this problem is accentuated by the general crisis of the modern era, in which rejects any manifestation of an authority that has not been chosen.
may be added the usual ignorance of the contents of the Magisterium, another characteristic of the time. Consider, for example, that the new Catechism have been published ten million copies, an amount that impresses but it represents one percent (l%) of all existing Catholics today. Ie 99% of the world's Catholics, have never had even a catechism in their hands.
Vatican II defined the Church as a sacrament ", this phrase is not claiming to be added to the seven sacraments known one more. It is argued that just as the sacraments are instruments of Christ to spread his grace among men, the Church is an institution that serves Christ as an instrument for the salvation of men. It is clear that it is always pleasing to those who fear God and practice justice, but it is also true that Christ is the only mediator between God and men, and He instituted the Church as a necessary instrument of salvation.
"It could not be saved those men who, knowing that the Catholic Church was instituted by God through Jesus Christ as necessary, however, refuse to enter or remain in it." (Lumen Gentium, p . l4)
Christ gave His Church the sacraments alone, but gave his word, that is the whole of his message so that it accurately conveyed to all men of all generations. This means that the Word of God necessarily comes through channeled through the human instruments. When Rousseau exclaimed: How many men between God and me!, Showed that he had not grasped the depth dimension of the sacramental nature of the Church, namely, the divine operating through human instruments. And the Gnostics, in the second century, distinguished the institutional Church Charismatic Church and invisible. Protestant Reformation also posits faith without intermediaries and without interpreters of Scripture.
worst thing is that now notice a neoprotestantismo in Catholic areas, resulting in mistrust and ongoing criticism of official church, the hierarchy. The Magisterium says clearly: "... the company provided its hierarchical organs and the Mystical Body of Christ, the visible assembly and spiritual community, the earthly Church and the Church enriched with heavenly goods should not be considered as two different things, but rather form a complex reality that is composed of an element human and divine. "(Lumen Gentium, p. 8)
must also accept that the Magisterium is not scientific. Pius XII explains: "The Magisterium of the Church is not scientific, but testimonial. That is, not based on intrinsic reasons are given, but on the authority of testimony. (...) Hence, even when someone in a management the Church does not seem convinced by the reasons given, however, remains the obligation of obedience . "(Acta Apostolicae Sedis 46 [l954] 67l/672) This explains the importance of the evangelists attributed to miracles as signs of authority of Jesus: "If I do the works of my Father, believe me not, but if I do, believe the works (although not believe me), that ye may know and may know that the Father is in me and I the Father "(Jn l0 ,37-38).
The process is summarized by St. Augustine for his miracles was won authority for their authority deserved faith, faith brought the crowd.
1. Authenticity of the Magisterium
In our age is widespread belief that mankind has reached the age of majority, which supports the resistance to any heteronomy-standards from outside, and doctrinal dogmatism. Therefore it is necessary to insist that it was Christ who sent his apostles to preach the Gospel. From there comes the authenticity of the Magisterium, both the apostles and their successors, the bishops, who handed the torch alive for the mission received through the rite of laying on hands. Then, the safe rule to know the true doctrine of apostles is the consensus of the bishops, who descended from them. St. Irenaeus and others, make lists of the bishops, who succeed each other until joining an apostle.
The mission of the apostles and their successors is to teach all and only the Gospel. The preaching of the Church is based on the full conservation of the deposit of Christian revelation. Hence the legal term "deposit " using St. Paul to encourage Timothy to guard it faithfully. Neither the apostles nor the bishops or the Church, they own it, they have received to transmit faithfully until the end of time and to return it intact to the end of time. And this, so that neither an angel from heaven can remove or add anything (Gal l, 8).
The authority of the Magisterium is nothing but a charism to serve the faithful transmission and greater efficacy of the Word of God. So when the Church defines a dogma of faith, really is not imposing anything. What it does is testify with assurance that a truth is contained in Christian revelation. The act of faith in a defined dogma is not faith to the Church, but faith to the Word of God that comes through the witness of the Church. So even at the historical level, leaving aside the supernatural, must admitted that in the Magisterium of the Church there is a credibility in the transmission of the message can hardly overcome other human institution. As any other body normally changes over time. The Church, however, depends on the fidelity to the original message, unadulterated or additives that endanger their original content.
A problem to be clarified is that of the inspired books. The apostles wrote or supervised the writing of these books, which, being inspired by God, are truly God's Word. Therefore, Protestants argue that it is necessary to the Magisterium, for whom the Scripture alone is sufficient. Is that the Magisterium is not on the Holy Scripture is to ensure correct interpretation, "in the Church those who possess the succession from the apostles and have kept the word, unadulterated and incorruptible" (St. Irenaeus).
History shows that all heresies are based on a biblical expression separate from their life context. The inspired books can be understood only within the faith of the Church, in which they were born. This is a principle of hermeneutics and natural sense, St. Augustine exclaimed: "I do not believe the Gospel if it impels me to the authority of the Church." The credibility of the Magisterium is based on three reasons:
a) "Received of the Lord's mission to teach all nations." The apostle is a delegate to the teacher, an ambassador represents fully empowered.
b) Christ promised, "I am with you until the end of time." Men have to believe in it because it was no salvation possible. But the only access to reach it is the testimony of the apostles and their successors. It would be unworthy of God does not provide the necessary assurances that such testimony is reliable.
c) "To fulfill its mission, Christ the Lord promised His apostles the Holy Spirit" (Lumen Gentium, 24). It follows that the faithful must accept the doctrine of the bishop in matters of faith and morals and "adhere to it with religious submission of will and intellect" (Id, 25).
2. Tradition
as shown starts the process of "tradition" of revelation. Church and tradition are thus intimately linked, since the time when there were still no New Testament books. The pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus, with its insistence on the need to remain firm in the deposit of faith transmitted by the apostles, based the principle of biblical tradition. In this tradition, dating back to the eyewitnesses, he shall be faithful and keep alive the memory of Christ to all generations.
tradition precedes and encompasses even the drafting of the New Testament, which would come later to join the official list of canonical books. The announcement of good news, he founded the Church, the group who, having believed the gospel, will constitute the extended community in time of the immediate disciples of Jesus.
Tradition is due to a dual requirement of fidelity and progress. "The Apostolic Tradition is growing in Church with the help of the Holy Spirit is a growth in understanding the words and the faithful are passed on the contemplation and study reviewing them in your heart ... "(Dei Verbum, 8). Tradition, then, is not synonymous with immobility and conservatism. Von Balthasar has noted that all the schisms in history have been motivated by a conservative. The schism of the East, was due to be admitted to the Second Council of Nicea, only. For Reform, was valid as it was literally recorded in Scripture.
Sometimes, however, not easy to determine what can be reformed in the Church. An example is the admission of women to the priesthood. Some have argued that it is a purely ecclesiastical tradition. Paul VI and then John Paul II has argued that there was a valid tradition, which requires the Church, and against which they have no authority to make changes. The current Pope explains:
"In the vast background of great mystery, which is expressed in the spousal relationship between Christ and the Church, it is also possible to understand adequately the fact of the call of the twelve . Christ and his Apostles by calling only men acted in a completely free and sovereign. And he did it with the same freedom that all his behavior, he emphasized the dignity and vocation of women, without conforming to the prevailing customs and the traditions sanctioned by the legislation of the time. Therefore, the hypothesis that has been called as apostles to men, following the widespread mentality of his time, does not fully reflect the mode of action of Christ. (Mulieris Dignitatem, p. 26)
3. Councils
One of the most common mistakes in our time, is to think that the Catholic Church recently acquired its full development with the Second Vatican Council, ignoring that took place before, twenty other Councils, in to answer queries and concepts were required. In a brief review, mention some of the most important councils in the history of the Church.
NICEA (325): called by the Emperor Constantine. condemned the Arian heresy , which held that Christ is a creature of God. Defined: the identity of nature between Father and Son with the same substance. EPHESUS
(431), condemned the Nestorian heresy , which separated the two natures of Christ. Defined: the hypostatic union of two natures, and recognized the Virgin Mary as Theotokos, Mother of God.
CHALCEDONIES (451): condemns Monophysitism that says there is one nature in Christ, the divine.
Constantinople III (680): Monothelism condemns , which holds that there is one will in Christ. Define: there are two wills in Christ.
NICEA II (787): Declares legitimate religious worship of images , which had been banned by the Emperor Leo. Distinguished: worship that is due to the Virgin and the saints, and worship (latria) corresponding only to God. TRENTO
(l545/l563): Considered the most important of the councils, as perfected all doctrinal foundations: sacraments, Mass, original sin, seminars, justification. VATICAN
I ( l869) pointed out the liberal doctrine against errors, and set the papal infallibility.
VATICAN II (l962/l965): l6 approved pastoral documents , of \u200b\u200bwhich the most important social teaching is the Constitution Gaudium et Spes on the Church in the world.
4. Interpretation of Teachers
In 1993, in a speech to members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, John Paul II addressed the problem of interpreting the Word of God:
"The openness to the Spirit produces and reinforces other provisions necessary for the correct orientation of exegesis: fidelity to the Church. The Catholic exegete does not feed the individualistic mistake to believe that, outside the community de los creyentes, se pueden comprender mejor los textos bíblicos. Lo que es verdad es todo lo contrario, pues esos textos no han sido dados a investigadores individuales para satisfacer su curiosidad o proporcionarles temas de estudio e investigación (Divino Afflante Spiritu; Enchiridion biblicum, 566); han sido confiados a la comunidad de los creyentes, a la Iglesia de Cristo, para alimentar su fe y guiar su vida de caridad. Respetar esta finalidad es condición para la validez de la interpretación.” (p. 10)
“ También el Concilio Vaticano II lo ha afirmado: Todo lo dicho sobre la interpretación de la Escritura queda sometido al juicio definitivo de la Iglesia, que recibió God the commission and ministry to preserve and interpret the Word of God (Dei Verbum, l2). "(p. 10)
" There were not five years after the publication of the Divine Afflante Spiritu, when the discovery of Qumran manuscripts shed new light on a number of biblical problems and opened other fields of research. "(p. 12)
" The Bible exerts its influence over the centuries. A continuous process of updating interpretation fits the mentality and contemporary language. The concrete and immediate nature of biblical language greatly facilitates this adaptation, but its roots in ancient culture raises some difficulties. therefore must constantly re-translate the Bible into contemporary language thought to be expressed in a way suited to their listeners. In any case, this translation must be faithful to the original and can not force the text to accommodate a reading or an approach that is fashionable at any given time. " (p. 15) [1] .
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , has indicated the limits to be respected theologians in the research task:
"Although the doctrine of faith is not questioned, the theologian should not present their opinions or differing assumptions as if they were indisputable conclusions. This discretion is required by respect for the people of God (cf. Rom. L4, l-l5, l Col. 8, l0. 23-33). For the same reasons has given up an untimely public expression of them. "
" Just as the trial would not be enough of the subjective consciousness of the theologian, because it does not constitute an autonomous and exclusive judge of the truth a doctrine. "
" On several occasions the Magisterium has drawn attention to the serious problems that bring to the communion of the Church those systematic opposition attitudes, sometimes amounting to become organized groups. In the Apostolic Exhortation Paterna cum benevolentia, Paul VI has made a diagnosis that retains all its relevance. Now we want to talk in particular that public attitude of opposition to the Magisterium of the Church, also known dissent, it is necessary to distinguish the situation of personal hardship, which has been discussed above. The phenomenon of dissent can take many forms and their remote or proximate causes are multiple.
Among the factors that directly or indirectly to exercise their influence must take into account the ideology of liberalism philosophy that permeates the minds of our time . " [2]
5. indefectibility The Church
The claim that the Church is indestructible, you can not miss a triple-expressed certainty: l) will not disappear over history; 2) will continue to exist as Christ has loved, without suffering substantial changes to amount almost to destruction, 3) who will remain faithful to Christ.
The indefectibility of the Church rests in the Lord's promise to always stay with it and defend it from attacks of evil Vatican II has expressed this in a very dense text, which excludes simplistic interpretations:
"Walking, then, the Church in the midst of trials and tribulations, is strengthened by the power of the grace of God, which has been promised not waver from perfect fidelity by the weakness of the flesh before, but remain a bride worthy of her Lord and under the action of the Holy Spirit will not cease to renew herself, until through the Cross she arrives at the light which knows no setting "(LG 9).
Then, the confidence of the Church in fidelity is not the result of human pride, but of trust in the grace of God. Moreover, no member of the Church, in particular, is guaranteed to persevere in the faith. Even groups as such, may depart from the faith, giving rise to heretical sects. The guarantee is given to the Church as a whole, making it impossible for the whole Church can fall into an error that put it against the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Council said:
" All the faithful, who have the anointing of the Holy Spirit can not err when it believes, and this manifests itself with the peculiar prerogative by the supernatural sense of faith of all the people when, from the bishops until the last universal consents lay in things of faith and morals "(LG, l2).
What is described and is called the sensus fidei , or common sense of faith, which is one of the veins of tradition. The teaching of Pius IX, in defining the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (l854), and Pius XII, in defining the dogma of the bodily assumption into heaven of the Virgin (l950), relied on the sensus fidei. Indeed, two popes called on bishops to report on the experience in this regard, the clergy and the faithful, before the proclamation of the dogma.
6. Papal Documents
The Pope uses the following types Document:
ENCYCLICAL LETTER: documents of the Pope, addressed to the bishops, on an important subject. The title entered the first words of text, usually in Latin.
Encyclical Epistle, are rare and are used to give instructions, for example, a Holy Year.
APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION: in this way, the pope has authority over administrative matters. For example, creating a new diocese.
EXHORTATION APOSTOLIC : usually used after a Synod of Bishops. Example: "Catechesi Tradendae on catechesis in our time, l0-l6-l979.
APOSTOLIC LETTER: addressed to a group of people: families, the women. BULA
: used for judicial matters, eg. "Unigenitus" which condemned the Jansenist theory of irresistible grace (l7l3).
Motu Proprio: A document in which Pope expresses "itself." Eg, the proclamation of Sto. Thomas More as Patron of Politicians and Rulers (3l-l0-2000).
7. Features Magisterium of the Church
We can classify the forms of teaching, with the following table: AUTHENTIC
:
"Of the bishops in their respective dioceses
-of Episcopal Conferences
-Del Papa, Ordinary Magisterium in
INFALLIBLE:
"Of all the bishops with the Pope,
-unanimous consensus of the Ecumenical Councils, when they define
-Del Papa, when he speaks" ex cathedra "(from the chair ) with the aim of defining a truth.
The Code of Canon Law, 749, he states:
" virtue of his office, the Pope enjoys infallibility in teaching when, as supreme pastor and doctor of all the faithful, who is responsible to confirm the faith of his brothers, he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine to be hold on faith and morals . "
The First Vatican Council laid down the conditions required for the teaching of the pope is infallible:
l. The Pope teaches universal pastor and doctor, not as a private doctor or as Bishop of Rome.
2. Pope defines , ie, gives a final and irrevocable trial in the future, either by the pope himself or by another or by a Council.
3. The Pope exercises his supreme apostolic authority, which means they hold freely and not coerced.
4. Pope defines a doctrine concerning faith and morals, not limited to Revelation.
5. Be held by the universal Church requires the whole Church, not a party, and an absolute and irrevocable consent.
When these five conditions, the pope speaks ex cathedra , and its teaching is infallible . (Lumen Gentium, 25)
Sources:
Collantes, July. "The Magisterium of the Church", Madrid, Cuadernos BAC l978.
Ardusso, Franco. "Church's Magisterium", Madrid, San Pablo, l998.
[1] Address of John Paul II on the Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, 23/04/1993.
[2] "Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian", 1990, p. 27, 28, 32.
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