Section 4: THE LIVED MISSION OF THE CHURCH (PP )

Section 4, Part 3: THE MAGISTERIUM: THE TEACHING OFFICE OF THE CHURCH (PP )

Introduction (p. 186) Already looked at the bishops duty of sanctifying & governing as priests & kings Now look at their duty to teach authentically & authoritatively as prophets Right and duty to interpret the Word of God as both Scripture & Tradition Ensure that the Church remains faithful to Christ through the apostles Helps members to grow in understanding of the faith & confidence in that faith CCC is a tremendous resource for faith development Church also has the gifts of indefectibility & infallibility (under certain circumstances) Truths are ordered in an hierarchical fashion—centrality Challenge to modern culture—especially relativism 3 Articles (A. 49) -- The Magisterium (pp ) (A. 50) -- Indefectibility and Infallibility (pp ) (A. 51) -- The Magisterium and Truth (pp )

Article 49: The Magisterium (pp ) What is the Magisterium? Bishops in communion with the Pope responsible for handing on the faith from the Apostles The official teaching authority of the Church Whose task is to preserve the truths of faith Preserved through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition Catholics have the obligation to embrace and assent to the truth The Church transmits to all generations all that she is and believes through her doctrine, life and worship Doctrine vs. Dogma

Article 49: The Magisterium cont. (pp ) The truth is contained in Sacred Scripture & Sacred Tradition; this understanding grows through: Theological inquiry Pursues the profound understanding of revealed truths through time Contemplation and study Understanding of spiritual realities grows with contemplation and study Teaching of bishops (Extraordinary Magisterium) When all bishops in union with the Pope speak on matters of faith and morals it is without errors (infallibility) When the pope speaks alone under four criteria, he speak infallibly Faith and morals, to entire church, ex cathedra, intending to speak infallibly vs. Ordinary Magisterium

Article 49: The Magisterium cont. (pp ) What does the Magisterium Teach? Catechism of the Catholic Church – a tool the Magisterium uses Four Pillars of Catechism Pillar I: The Profession of Faith (concepts of the Creed) Pillar II: The Sacraments of Faith (salvation liturgically made present through sacraments) Pillar III: The Life of Faith (Lived goodness through moral choices; the ten Commandments) Pillar IV: The Prayer of the Believer (meaning and significance of prayer, especially the Lord’s Prayer)

Article 49: The Magisterium cont. (pp ) Changing Guidelines for Changing Circumstances Truth does not change Disciplines, Liturgy and Devotional Traditions can change Example: changed guidelines on fasting and abstinence Reflection on the 1966 Apostolic Constitution on Penance of Paul VI Fasting prior to receiving the Eucharist (midnight, 3 hours, 1 hour) Catholic Wisdom Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes) Humans experience of joys, hopes, griefs and anxieties are universal Shadow boxes pp. 188 & 189

Homework Read pp in the e-Book for discussion tomorrow (AA ) p.196; 1-2 Looking Ahead: Section 4, Part 3 Homework due Wednesday (p. 196; 1-6) Section 4, Part 3 Quiz Wednesday (pp ; AA )

Article 50: Indefectibility and Infallibility (pp ) Indefectibility The Church will remain uncorrupted and faithful to Christ’s teaching until the end of time Jesus made this promise to Peter and the Church (Vatican I and II) Indefectibility belongs to the Church, not any individual Spiritual and temporal realms A Church of Saints and Sinners (Shadow box) All men sin, even the Pope The early desert monks realized their sins, but trusted God’s grace to rise again

Article 50: Indefectibility and Infallibility cont. (pp ) Infallibility The Church is without defect (relationship), therefore it is without mistake regarding her teachings Infallibility is a gift of the Holy Spirit Two Types of Infallibility: Extraordinary Pope alone 4 criteria (pope; ex cathedra; intend; universal) Pope in union with bishops at an ecumenical council Ordinary (but still important)

Article 51: The Magisterium & Truth (pp ) Hierarchy of Truths Some truths are more fundamental and illuminating; all are interconnected E.g. the Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and connected to the Incarnation… Dogma are teachings that are recognized as central Dogmas clarifies what is doctrine (truths of salvation) Dogmas and doctrine do not involve intellect alone, but also morality/human action Assumption 1950 a.d. and Chalcedon 451 a.d.

Article 51: The Magisterium & Truth cont. (pp ) Truth and Relativism Truth is absolute or relative Relativism is when truth is seen as a perspective or subjective—truth is subjective but not relative Relativism denies absolute truth Relativism inherently contradicts itself To deny absolute truth makes all good and all evil subjective Truth and tolerance: relativism = false tolerance; personalism = true tolerance Origin in Original Sin God is truth itself How can we live this truth? Example of Friday abstinence and Paul VI

Article 51: The Magisterium & Truth cont. (pp ) The Galileo Controversy ◦1633 – The Roman Curia condemned Galileo for teaching as truth a heliocentric universe (vs. telocentric) ◦This appeared to contradict the scriptures ◦The Pope Urban VIII requested he state the teaching as a hypothesis; would not ◦Nicolaus Copernicus dedicated On the Revolution of the Celestial Orbs, (in which he gave an excellent account of heliocentricity), to Pope Paul III (Martin Luther condemned this theory) ◦The Pope never issued an infallible statement about the teaching ◦Confusion of revealed and scientific truth--JPII

Homework p.196; 3-6 Section 4, Part 3 Homework due tomorrow (p. 196; 1-6) Section 4, Part 3 Quiz tomorrow (pp ; AA )