The Catholic Magisterium
The Catholic Magisterium by Father Peter Joseph
Various Levels of the Magisterium and Required Responses
(based on article 25 of Lumen Gentium)
Second of two parts
(go to part one)In our discussion of papal infallibility in the last issue of The Catholic Answer, we saw that there is generally much confusion about the various levels of the Catholic Magisterium.
Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church), promulgated by the Second Vatican Council in 1964, explains much of the information we will analyze in this article.The following table sets forth the various levels of the Magisterium and the required responses, and is based on article 25 of
Lumen Gentium, which should be read in conjunction with it:
| Teacher | Level of Magisterium | Degree of certitude | Assent required |
|---|
| 1. Bishop | Ordinary | Authoritative | Submission |
| 2. Pope | Ordinary | Authoritative | Religious submission of intellect and will |
| 3. Bishops proposing dispersed, but in unison | Ordinary
(and universal teaching of the Church) | Infallible | Catholic Faith *
or definitive assent # |
| 4. Bishops, in union with Pope, proclaiming doctrine at General Council | Extraordinary / Solemn
(and universal teaching of the Church) | Infallible | Catholic Faith *
or definitive assent # |
| 5. Pope 'ex cathedra' | Extraordinary / Solemn
(and universal) | Infallible | Catholic Faith *
or definitive assent # |
* Divine and Catholic faith. Faith is demanded if it is part of the deposit of Faith.
# Definitive assent is demanded if it is not revealed, but is connected to Revelation. |
Definitive assent can be called unconditional assent. Similarly, with infallible we could place other terms which amount to the same thing: irreformable, definitive, irreversible, irrevocable."Extraordinary" or "solemn" teaching (see nos. 4-5) is also known as doctrine defined de fide ("belonging to the Faith").A "heretic," strictly speaking, is someone who obstinately denies, or doubts, a solemnly defined teaching (see Canon 751).One who denies a teaching proposed on a lower level of the Magisterium (see nos. 2-3) is said to be in doctrinal "error." The denial of a doctrine of the ordinary and universal Magisterium (no. 3) is gravely sinful (as is heresy).Nos. 3-5 are called "universal" because they are directed to the Church universally, not just a particular segment of her. At times, no. 2 may be directed to the universal Church.Almost all the great doctrines of the Church are taught with her solemn authority. Among those which are proposed to us by the ordinary and universal Magisterium are: (1) the spirituality of the soul; (2) the particular judgment after death; (3) the entrustment of human beings to guardian angels; (4) that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the spiritual mother of all Christians; (5) the evil of murder of an innocent; (6) that it is never permitted to do evil (commit sin) that good might come of it.Most of the above can be found clearly in Sacred Scripture. There are likewise many other affirmations in Sacred Scripture that have not become the object of a solemn definition because they have been peacefully possessed by the Church and have not required it. For example, the Bible and the Church teach that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of the human race. This doctrine is part of the ordinary, infallible teaching of the Church, and has not needed explicit definition.The following quotations from
Lumen Gentium (no. 25), given in their original order, correspond and further explain each of the five rows in the table presented above:(1) "Bishops who teach in communion with the Roman Pontiff are to be revered by all as witnesses of divine and Catholic truth; the faithful, for their part, are obliged to submit to their bishops' decision, made in the name of Christ, in matters of faith and morals, and to adhere to it with a religious submission of mind."(2) "This religious submission of the will and intellect must be given, in a special way, to the authoritative Magisterium
(authentico magisterio) of the Roman Pontiff, even when he does not speak
ex cathedra; indeed, that his supreme Magisterium be acknowledged with respect, and that one sincerely adhere to decisions made by him, according to his manifest mind and intention."(3) "Although the bishops, taken individually, do not enjoy the privilege of infallibility, they do, however, proclaim infallibly the doctrine of Christ on the following conditions -- namely, when, even though dispersed throughout the world but preserving amongst themselves and with Peter's successor the bond of communion, in their authoritative teaching concerning matters of faith and morals, they are in agreement that a particular teaching is to be held definitively."(4) "This is still more clearly the case when, assembled in an ecumenical council, they are, for the universal Church, teachers and judges in matters of faith and morals, whose decisions must be adhered to with the submission of faith."(5) The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful who confirms his brethren in the faith (see Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine concerning faith or morals."Still another infallible witness to the Faith, but not in itself a part of the Magisterium, is in the whole body itself of believers. "The whole body of the faithful, who have an anointing from the Holy One, cannot err in belief and it manifests this characteristic of its own by means of the supernatural sense of the faith
(sensus fidei) of the whole people, when, 'from the bishops to the last of the faithful' they exhibit their universal consent in matters of faith and morals" (LG, no. 12).It has been the common teaching of theologians that canonizations are also infallible proclamations. A canonization is a solemn declaration that a member of the Church is now in heaven and is enrolled in the "canon" (official list) of saints, for public veneration and invocation by all the faithful.
Lesser Degrees of SubmissionTwo more occasions of submission can be added to those given above. The first regards what may be called "provisional" teaching and the second regards "discipline."1. Apart from teaching doctrine as such, "the Magisterium can intervene in disputed questions that involve, in addition to fixed principles, certain conjectural and contingent elements," according to
Donum Veritatis (on the ecclesial vocation of the theologian), a 1990 document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. On those occasions, "the willingness to give sincere submission to this teaching of the Magisterium in matters not per se irreformable must be the rule" (no. 24).2. "Decisions of the Magisterium in matters of discipline, even though they do not enjoy the charism of infallibility, are not therefore devoid of divine assistance, but call for the adherence of Christ's faithful" (no. 17). Such adherence requires obedience, but not necessarily agreement with the point of discipline.
The Extent of the Church's InfallibilityThe "primary object of infallibility" is the deposit of Faith -- that is, all that is in Scripture and Tradition. The Church's "infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation; it also extends to all those elements of doctrine, moral doctrine included, without which the saving truths of the faith cannot be preserved, explained or observed" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2035). Examples of the "secondary objects of infallibility" are:(1) Theological conclusions -- that is, a conclusion drawn by applying a truth of reason to a doctrine. For example—Man's will is free; Christ is true man; therefore Christ's human will was free.(2) Dogmatic facts -- for example, the truth of certain historical facts, such as the validity of a papal election or of a particular general council; a declaration that a certain proposition is false, or that a certain work contains error. Canonizations could also go here.(3) Truths of reason or philosophy -- for example, concerning the knowability of God, the power of the human mind to know truth, the validity and meaning of concepts such as "nature," "person," "substance," which are enshrined and used within defined dogmas.These elements, or "secondary objects of infallibility," do not demand our assent of "faith" (which is only given to what is revealed), but rather our definitive assent, our firm and irrevocable acceptance. They are not revealed truths, but are truths infallibly taught nevertheless. Without them, the Faith cannot stand. For this reason, the First Vatican Council uses the word tenenda (requiring to be held), regarding the extent of papal infallibility, which means any truths to be held not credenda (requiring to be believed), a word reserved for revealed truths.I have deliberately avoided that singularly unhelpful word, "non-infallible."
Lumen Gentium refers to the "
authenticum Magisterium." The Latin word "
authenticum" may be translated as "authoritative." Vatican II gives three indications of the degree of authority of statements of the ordinary papal Magisterium: one ought "sincerely adhere to decisions made by [the pope], conformably with his manifest mind and intention, which is made known principally either by the character of the documents in question, or by the frequency with which a certain doctrine is proposed, or by the manner in which the doctrine is formulated" (no. 25). Pope Pius XII said, in his 1950 encyclical
Humani Generis, "When the Supreme Pontiffs in their acts intentionally pronounce a judgment on a hitherto disputed point, then it is clear to all that, according to the intention and will of these Popes, the matter can no longer be held to be a question for free discussion among theologians."
Claims That the Church Has ErredWe sometimes hear that "the Church has admitted her teaching was wrong" or "the Church has changed her teaching." From what we have discussed above, it is clear that no infallibly taught teaching could be wrong or overturned. Provisional teaching proposed at levels 1 and 2 of the table above could be revised, but this is not usually what people have in mind. To avoid confusion, we must distinguish and keep separate four areas:(1) The teachings of the Church (as taught by the teachers at nos. 3-5 in the table). The infallibly taught doctrines cannot change; hence any claim that they have changed is simply mistaken, and no official and solemn Church declaration could ever be adduced to maintain such a claim.(2) The rules or legislation of the Church (often called discipline). These do change, and have regularly changed over the centuries, some of them differing from one country to another even at the same time. Among countless examples are: the holy days of obligation outside of Sunday; the penance required on Fridays; the length of the fast prescribed before Holy Communion; the rules and ceremonies connected with a mixed marriage; the liturgical laws governing Mass and other rituals; Communion for the laity under one or both kinds; the celibacy of the clergy in the Latin Church; and so on.We believe the teachings of the Church; we obey the legislation of the Church. We are not bound to agree with the legislation, but we must always observe it and respect it, and speak of it respectfully, even if we hope for a change in some point. Many disciplinary norms are not simply arbitrary determinations, but have a foundation in doctrine and tradition. Some of the more important legislation -- for example, clerical celibacy -- might never change, and if the Supreme Pontiff declares that the Church has no intention of changing something, a good Catholic will not foment division and discontent by prolonging the debate.(3) The wisdom or prudence of the Church's leaders. Christ never promised that the pastors of the Church would always act with prudence and effectiveness. The wisdom of certain decisions (not doctrinal or moral) is open to discussion. Thus a new bishop or pope is free to change his predecessor's directives. Church historians are always discussing the wisdom or otherwise of the Church's policies in her dealings with different governments, movements and cultures over the centuries.(4) The teachings of individuals, writers and schools of thought. None of these is guaranteed any infallibility. Even Doctors of the Church, including St. Thomas and St. Augustine, have been mistaken on some points, and were corrected later on when the Church gave a definitive teaching. Sometimes opinions or theories arise in the Church and become so widespread that people mistake them for an actual teaching of the Church. (This is what happened in the Galileo controversy: high-ranking ecclesiastics presumed a particular interpretation of biblical passages to be the Church's interpretation). At other times, people presume that what they were taught is Church teaching, and that any differing idea must be false. Sometimes a phrase such as "No salvation outside the Church" receives a gross misexplanation -- for example, that only Catholics can get to heaven.One can guard against such mistakes by reading the official documents of the Church. What the Church infallibly teaches is to be distinguished from individuals theological explanation of that teaching, which can never be as definitive as the teaching itself.The Magisterium is constituted by the bishops of the universal Church under the primacy of the chief bishop, the Bishop of Rome. It is at the service of the Word of God. It is a means to an end, not an end in itself. It is a mistake to focus on the authority of the instruments of truth to the neglect of the truth, which is given by them. That truth is incarnate in Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.
(go to part one)About The AuthorFather Peter Joseph is a priest of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga, Australia, with a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Urban University and a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Gregorian University in Rome.Published in the September/October '98 issue of The Catholic Answer
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