Hierarchy of Catholicism, government, and papal teaching
score:2
I believe this ending conclusion and summary - Thus, even if public authority commanded that every religious institution perform same-sex marriages, if the Church believed that such a command contravened the will of God, it would refuse to do so. - in MattGutting's answer to Homosexual marriages in the Catholic church sums it up well.
The Lord Jesus himself said to us to, '[r]ender to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.' He paid his taxes and recognized the authority of Pilate as have been given to him [Pilate] from above.
We also respect and obey all our lawful superiors as commanded by the fourth commandment.
cf. Penny Catechism, 198
198. Are we commanded to obey our parents only?
We are commanded to obey, not only our parents, but also our bishops and pastors, the civil authorities, and our lawful superiors.
I believe the difficulty the question seems to present is easily resolved by an understanding of what is the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals that Christ endowed the Church's shepherds with. [cf. CCC 888-892]. Key words: faith and morals i.e. to what the infallibility covers and is limited to.
Below is a good example to illustrate what is and is not covered by the infallibility of the Church's shepherds:
The Mother of the future Cardinal recounted also that on another occasion, whist she was explaining to him the meaning of papal infallibility, she decided to test him. Taking a book bound in black in her hand, she asked him: “Rafael, if the Pope said that this book is bound in white, what would you say about that?” The little boy, after a moment’s reflection replied: “Mother, the Pope would not be able to say such nonsense,” showing – by his reply – the acuteness of his most refined intelligence. - If Pope says black is white, that's it, right? - a very special young man knew better than that | Rorate Cæli.
Do the papal teachings supersede government rules where they conflict? Is there an historic precedence of either?
This is playing out right before our eyes and not only between Church and State e.g. HHS Mandate, Homosexual unions and 'marriages', abortion, stem-cell research, contraception, euthanasia, etc. but also within the Church herself with e.g. Card. Kasper's proposal.
The trial for the Christian arises whenever Caesar sets himself up as god, an idol really, demanding things that ought to be rendered to God be rendered to him [Caesar].
Upvote:0
Mark 12:17, draws a clear distinction, with government (Caesar) to be obeyed on matters of concern to the government and God to be obeyed on matters of religion (at this point there is no suggestion that the Church itself is to be obeyed on behalf of God):
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
In Unam Sanctam, his Bull of 1302, Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed absolute temporal and spiritual sovereignity for the Church and the Roman pontiff:
.4. We are instructed in the Gospel sayings that in Her and within Her power, there are two swords, specifically, the spiritual and the temporal. For the Apostles say, "Behold, there are two swords here," that is, in the Church. But when the Apostles were speaking, the Lord did not respond, "it is too much," but "it is sufficient." [Luke 22:38] Certainly, whoever denies that the temporal sword is in the power of Peter, misunderstands the word of the Lord, saying: "Put your sword into its sheath." [Matthew 26:52] Therefore, both are in the power of the Church, namely, the spiritual sword and the material. But indeed, the latter is to be exercised on behalf of the Church; and truly, the former is to be exercised by the Church. The former is of the priest; the latter is by the hand of kings and soldiers, but at the will and sufferance of the priest.
.9. Moreover, that every human creature is to be subject to the Roman pontiff, we declare, we state, we define, and we pronounce to be entirely from the necessity of salvation.
A few years later, under pressure from Philip IV of France, Pope Clement V withdrew Unam Sanctam.
The development of democracy, in modern times, makes papal claims to supremacy over the authority of government impossible to sustain. As for governemts having authority over the Church, the Catholic Church at one time refused to allow clergy to be tried for criminal offences by the secular authorities, but that is no longer the case almost anywhere. A similar example is the secular requirement that binds Church leaders to report to the legal authorities any suspected cases of paedophilia perpetrated by clergy, brothers or lay teachers.
More post
- 📝 According to Catholicism, how many heavens are there?
- 📝 How does sola fide doctrine reconcile with how much David talks about his own righteousness?
- 📝 What is baptism by Desire?
- 📝 Is it true that in Bible certain brothers are favored more than others?
- 📝 Which is a greater sin - to eat meat on Good Friday or to spoil it
- 📝 Is Pope Francis with or against LGBT?
- 📝 What's the significance of hyssop in John 19:29?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for saying the Apostles did not necessarily expect the final judgment to occur in their lifetime?
- 📝 What are the requirements for joining the Catholic church as an adult?
- 📝 Has T. D. Jakes clarified what he believes about the Trinity?
- 📝 What are the main arguments used by Christian pro-lifers to justify their stance against abortion?
- 📝 Early Christians who Defended Licitness of Non-Procreative Sex?
- 📝 Any biblical passages, traditions or historical record of Virgin Mary's baptism?
- 📝 Who first described Pentecost as a reversal of Babel?
- 📝 The "Why" of Creation -- Does the bible explain God's reasoning?
- 📝 Does Roman Catholic Church recognize some Eastern Orthodox Saints?
- 📝 Why is the day before Ash Wednesday sometimes called Pancake Tuesday?
- 📝 Is there a connection between St. Ambrose's "casta meretrix" and Apocalypse 17,1?
- 📝 Have the dietary prohibitions of Acts 15:20 been applied to Christians today?
- 📝 Do Seventh Day Adventists believe people who attend church on Sunday will go to hell?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, when exactly were the souls of those who died before Christ conducted to heaven?
- 📝 What kinds of supernatural beings are in the Bible?
- 📝 What Are Biblical Arguments for Egalitarianism?
- 📝 Latter Day Saints, Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden
- 📝 Has there been a paradigm shift in the `image' of devil?
- 📝 What is the basis for "Church Shopping"?
- 📝 Was the matter of whether the Christians who had renounced their faith under torture should be accepted back considered in the First Council?
- 📝 Is penal substitutionary atonement most prevalent among Calvinists?
- 📝 Do Reformed paedobaptists call for the baptism of household servants, just as Abraham's servants were circumcised?
- 📝 When is mormon.org going to be updated?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Hierarchy of Catholicism, government, and papal teaching
- 📝 Papal Infallibility and teaching heresy?
- 📝 How does the revelation of Blessed Emmerich harmonize the teaching of Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy in Mary's Assumption?
- 📝 In Didache 16, is the author teaching a perfectionism at odds with Catholicism and Protestantism?
- 📝 What are the biblical arguments against the papacy and papal succession?
- 📝 What is the difference between Magisterial teaching and Sacred Tradition in Roman Catholicism?
- 📝 How comparable are the concepts of the Teaching Magisterium in the Catholic Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses view of their Watch Tower society?
- 📝 How are the Catholic church's teaching on plastic surgery and GRS self-consistent?
- 📝 Can dogma ever be modified, and how does this relate to papal infallibility?
- 📝 What is the Catholic teaching on technology and faith?
- 📝 What is meant by "faith and morals" with regards to papal infallibility?
- 📝 What is home and visiting teaching in LDS tradition?
- 📝 Does Catholicism confound the role of "elder" and "priest"?
- 📝 In Catholicism is salvation by grace alone or by following the ten commandments and confession?
- 📝 What specific good does Catholicism attribute to play and entertainment?
- 📝 Papal resignations and participation in subsequent conclaves
- 📝 How is Moses' and Jesus' contradictory teaching regarding oaths reconciled?
- 📝 What is the origin and basis for the Catholic teaching regarding Mary's vow of celibacy prior to her betrothal?
- 📝 Does a history exist of the origin and development of the Latter-day Saint teaching of a premortal existence?
- 📝 Does Roman Catholicism teach that man is body and soul (bipartite) or body, soul, and spirit (tripartite)?
- 📝 LDS teaching about man being able to become God, and the snake telling Eve that she can become "like God"
- 📝 According to Catholicism and Revelation are we going to be able to eat meat in Heaven or the Garden of Eden?
- 📝 How do Catholics and other Christians respond to the US Bishops' teaching that Matthew was not written by it supposed author?
- 📝 Where Catholicism lost influence and property during the reformation, what did Luther think should be done with the acquired assets?
- 📝 Is there Catholic teaching and/or prophecy that a pope may be the false prophet of Revelation and the Church the who*e of Babylon?
- 📝 According to Catholicism what does it mean for every relationship in heaven to be perfect and fulfilling?
- 📝 According to Catholicism did Pope Linus know that he was the Pope and Head of the Church?
- 📝 If one abandons his faith in Catholicism and becomes an Atheist, could he still go to heaven?
- 📝 What is the weight of authority behind a teaching of the Papal Magisterium?
- 📝 Is there an explanation in Catholicism as to why it was the Son and not the others of the Blessed Trinity to become man and be crucified for our sake?
