Church teaches with authority
The Latin word for ‘teacher’ is ‘magister’. From this we get the word, ‘magisterium’, which is the word the Church uses for her authority to teach the things of God.
This authority to teach is exercised principally by the Pope and the bishops in union with the Pope. It applies to matters of faith, what we must believe, and morals, how we ought to act.
So, for example, if a bishop writes a pastoral letter explaining Church doctrine about the divinity of Christ or the real presence, he is exercising his teaching authority.
On the other hand, if he gives his artistic view on a painting or comments on an EU treaty, these are his own personal opinions. They are not part of Church teaching.
But why do we have a teaching authority in the Church at all? Why can we not all just follow our own opinions?
To see the need for a teaching authority we need to begin with divine revelation. God has revealed himself to us, he has given us his word.
That word comes to us first in his actions, such as creation or his choice of Abraham. This is God’s “body language”.
It comes to us also through the prophets who interpret God’s actions and reveal to us how God wants us to respond to his generosity – with adoration, thanksgiving, obedience and so on.
But in a supreme way God’s word comes to us in the life and death, and in the teaching, of his Son, the Word made flesh.
Jesus then established his Church to continue his mission, to bring the gospel of salvation to the whole world. “He who hears you hears me,” he told his disciples (Luke 10,16).
This, in fact, put a major limit on the Church. She could only teach what she had received from the Lord, or what flowed from it.
She could not change the teaching in any way to make it easier to accept, or more attractive to people.
So the teaching authority is there to serve. It serves the Lord by ensuring that what he taught is handed on to humanity, and that it is not distorted in any way.
But guided by the Holy Spirit, it also serves us. It ensures that we receive the true Word of God, that we are not led into error or along the wrong path.
Our response is to listen with respect, humility and faith, and to accept God’s teaching with joy.
This authority to teach is exercised principally by the Pope and the bishops in union with the Pope. It applies to matters of faith, what we must believe, and morals, how we ought to act.
So, for example, if a bishop writes a pastoral letter explaining Church doctrine about the divinity of Christ or the real presence, he is exercising his teaching authority.
On the other hand, if he gives his artistic view on a painting or comments on an EU treaty, these are his own personal opinions. They are not part of Church teaching.
But why do we have a teaching authority in the Church at all? Why can we not all just follow our own opinions?
To see the need for a teaching authority we need to begin with divine revelation. God has revealed himself to us, he has given us his word.
That word comes to us first in his actions, such as creation or his choice of Abraham. This is God’s “body language”.
It comes to us also through the prophets who interpret God’s actions and reveal to us how God wants us to respond to his generosity – with adoration, thanksgiving, obedience and so on.
But in a supreme way God’s word comes to us in the life and death, and in the teaching, of his Son, the Word made flesh.
Jesus then established his Church to continue his mission, to bring the gospel of salvation to the whole world. “He who hears you hears me,” he told his disciples (Luke 10,16).
This, in fact, put a major limit on the Church. She could only teach what she had received from the Lord, or what flowed from it.
She could not change the teaching in any way to make it easier to accept, or more attractive to people.
So the teaching authority is there to serve. It serves the Lord by ensuring that what he taught is handed on to humanity, and that it is not distorted in any way.
But guided by the Holy Spirit, it also serves us. It ensures that we receive the true Word of God, that we are not led into error or along the wrong path.
Our response is to listen with respect, humility and faith, and to accept God’s teaching with joy.
