AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH

BASIC R.C. BELIEF

Popes and bishops, as lawful successors of the Apostles, have power from

Christ to teach, sanctify and govern the faithful. Because it is a perfect

spiritual society, the Church has authority over spiritual things and over

temporal things that are connected with the spiritual.

Dr. Ott, FUNDAMENTALS OF CATHOLIC DOGMA, "Theology, like faith, accepts as

its source of knowledge Holy Writ and Tradition (remote rules of faith) and

also the doctrinal assertions of the Church (proximate rule of faith) -

this latter means the day by day teaching ministry of the Church through

the magisterium . . the teaching authority of the Church in the pope and

the bishops united with the pope. It is designed to take things from

scripture and tradition and apply them in a living way, hence its being

called the proximate rule of faith."

POST VATICAN II

In recent years, the importance of the layman is being emphasized in

Catholic circles. However, authority of clergy over the laity is still

exercised.

CHRISTIAN COMMENT

Traditional R.C. thought paved the way for the claims of temporal power of

the Pope during the Middle Ages. Although these claims are now down-graded,

the Pope still exerts as much political power today as he can.

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