ST PETER’S PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE

Faculty of Theology

ECCLESIOLOGY

An assignment presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements

For the Bachelor of Theology

by

ANZE ANTONY

Reg. No. 1903-21

Moderator

REV. DR. SIMON PINTO

Bangalore-560 055
India
2020-2021
 Explain different ways of exercising the Magisterium in the Church

Magisterium

The magisterium is the official teaching office -in the sense of role or authority, not a
bureaucratic centre- of the Church, which consists of the pope and the bishops in union with
him. They are given the task of authentically interpreting the Word of God. It is not above the
Word of God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church “The task of giving an
authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of
Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in
this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ.” This means that the task of interpretation
has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of
Rome. (CCC 85)

Meaning of Magisterium

Magisterium comes from the Latin word magister meaning master/teacher and have a
connotation of authority. In the church we have a teaching authority from the beginning. The
medieval theologians explained magisterium as the authority of the one who teaches and chair
as the symbol of the same authority. The authentic magisterium, to which the faithful owe
religious submission of will and intellect (Lumen gentium 25; cf. CIC 752), is not infallible. In
the matters of the faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ, and the faithful are
to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious submission of the soul.

God is the ultimate authority who reveals and leads the church. The word is the
absolute truth. Bishops by their pastoral teaching authority facilitate others to hear it. So, they
should be trustworthy. It started with Christ giving to the apostles and the apostles handed over
to their successors and through them the church exercise the magisterium. The magisterium can
exercise its authority in different degrees. At the low end, the magisterium may merely propose
an idea for the consideration of the faithful without imposing it authoritatively. At the high end,
the Magisterium may infallibly teach a truth, binding the faithful to definitively believe or hold
it.
Different ways of exercising the magisterium

There are three ways of exercising the magisterium

1. Simple Ordinary Magisterium

2. Ordinary Universal Magisterium
3. Extraordinary Magisterium

1. Simple Ordinary Magisterium

Simple Ordinary Magisterium is exercised by the Bishop in his Diocese. The Vatican II
stresses on the importance of the bishops’ teaching in the diocese. According to Lumen
gentium 25 there are principle duties and obligations for the bishops in the diocese, among
them the teaching of the Gospel, is the most important. He is an authentic teacher and he is
preaching his faith by the grace and light of the Holy Spirit and vigilantly wards off errors and
teaches in communion with pope. The bishops speak on matters of faith and morals in the name
of Jesus Christ and to instruct the faithful to watch over the way they walk and to enter the
kingdom of God.

Simple Ordinary Magisterium highlight 3 qualities

a) Pastoral teaching function

b) Authoritative teaching
c) Not Infallible teaching

a) Pastoral teaching function

This is the important duty of a bishop to preach the Gospel. Bishop preaches the Gospel
to bring the people of God in communion with God and ward of errors that affect the unity and
faith of the people. In every diocese there will be a cathedral and cathedra which shows the
teaching authority of the Bishop. The decree Christus Dominus by Pope Paul VI, no.12 “in
exercising their duty of teaching-which is conspicuous among the principal duties of bishops-
they should announce the Gospel of Christ to men, calling them to a faith in the power of the
spirit or confirming them in living faith.”

b) Authoritative teaching
Bishop is empowered by Christ to speak on the matters of faith and morals. All the
faithful have corresponding obligation to accept bishop’s teaching because faith of community
is normative of the faith of individual, who wants to be member of community. As a pastor of
the people of God Bishop is obliged to do this without fail.

d) Not Infallible teaching

Bishop do not have the privilege of infallible teaching, their teaching can go wrong but
the faithful are called to accept and to obey the teachings of the bishops because they are
authentic teachers and successors of the Apostles.

Pope exercises simple ordinary magisterium being the bishop of Rome. But the same
can become Ordinary universal teaching when he exercises towards all Christians. Pope
exercises simple ordinary magisterium by personal acts, such as Encyclicals (Laudato Si,
Lumen Fidei), Apostolic Constitutions, Motu Proprio (giving statutes, establishing institutes
modifying canon of the code) and Apostolic letters.

Through Roman congregations and Pontifical councils normally cardinals head these
congregation and Pontifical councils. There are 9 congregations and 12 Pontifical Councils
their teachings have juridical/doctrinal value. The value differs according to the type of
approval by the Pope. There are two types of approvals, General approval or Private approval
and Particular Approval. To know it, we have to look at the expressions at the end of the
document like -Having spoken with the Holy Father, in Private Audience, Holy Father
approved and ordered to be published etc. Particular Approval is the act of the Congregation
becomes the act of the pope. This is given after close study of document. The expressions at the
end of the document are –From personal conviction, from a definite knowledge, from fullness
of our apostolic authority we decide that notwithstanding any law or custom to the contrary etc.

In all these types of teachings Pope does not enjoy privilege of infallibility yet great
reverence is to be shown to these. Such teachings of the pope are reflection of the faith of the
people. So, people have to consider them seriously. No outright rejection but serious study,
reflection & prayer required before dissent, but always with respect.

Ordinary Universal Magisterium

Ordinary Universal Magisterium is exercised by all bishops when in communion with

pope who is the head of the episcopal college of bishops and in communion with one another.
Individual bishops proclaim Christ’s doctrine infallibly when they maintain communion among
themselves and with the successor of Peter-they teach matters of faith and morals-specially,
when in ecumenical council their definitions must be adhered to with submission of will and
intellect. This is a collective service of guidance/teaching office always with the pope as the
head of the Episcopal College and it is infallible, infallible means immunity from error. God
will share his infallible truth with the official teachers of the church-the Pope, college of
Bishops-and thus their teachings become infallible. The ordinary magisterium is considered
infallible as it relates to a teaching concerning a matter of faith and morals that all the bishops
of the Church with the Pope universally hold as definitive and only as such therefore needing
to be accepted by all the faithful.

Infallibility is not impeccability and by infallibility does not mean that teaching
authority is omniscient to know every answers in its depths and extension. Inerrancy that
means error is possible when applied in different contexts. This can be exercised even when
bishops are not in the ecumenical council therefore it is named as ordinary. According to the
teaching of the Vatican I we are obliged to believe dogmas and also all that taught by universal
magisterium of the church. For example, articles of baptismal creed, Jesus is Lord, risen from
the dead-not solemnly defined but taught by universal magisterium. And this infallibility with
which the Divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed in defining doctrine of faith and
morals, extends as far as the deposit of Revelation extends, which must be religiously guarded
and faithfully expounded. And this is the infallibility which the Roman Pontiff, the head of the
college of bishops, enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of
all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith.

Secondary objects of faith those traditions guarded in defence of primary objects. For
example, artificial contraception, canonization of saints, Liturgical discipline, and approval of
religious orders etc. magisterium can make infallible teaching on secondary objects of faith.
CDF- “infallibility extends to deposit of faith and also to matters without which the deposit
cannot be rightly preserved & expounded/explained” Vat II also taught this.

We accept natural moral law & such laws are revealed-primary object of faith. So,
magisterium can make infallible declarations regarding such moral laws. Church claims right to
speak about moral law. For magisterium cannot fulfil ministry of teaching without interpreting
natural law with infallibility.

The ordinary magisterium has more than two parts, and it has two kinds of subjects.
First, the subjects. The pope certainly has an ordinary magisterium, such as daily homilies,
encyclicals, and catechisms he may write, but so too does every bishop, who are also
competent to teach in similar ways, viz., daily preaching, pastoral letters, and local catechisms.
All the bishops of the Church are also said to exercise this ministry together in a second way,
which is a special kind of ordinary magisterial teaching. Under special conditions, the Church
Herself is the subject of ordinary magisterial teaching. There must be a broad consensus over
time among the bishops, especially the popes. There must be a firm root in Scripture or in
liturgy as well, as the Church does not “invent” new teachings, She only articulates what She
has already received more clearly. 

The extraordinary magisterium

The extraordinary magisterium is the one that is a bit more familiar as a category. It
consists of two parts: the canonical teachings of Ecumenical Councils which are accepted and
promulgated by the pope, and the rare act of a pope defining some point “Ex-cathedra
pronouncements” such as the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Both of these enjoy the
status of infallibility. The subject of extraordinary magisterial teaching is the pope, either alone
or together with a Council.

By bishops in an ecumenical council with Pope

The extraordinary magisterium exercised by bishops in an ecumenical council with

pope, They can teach defining a doctrine or teach without defining. But there are 5 conditions
to teach infallibly:

a) The bishops must be conscious that they act as judges of faith and morals.
b) They solemnly define some doctrine of faith & morals
c) Impose the obligation on faithful
d) They act in a collegial manner
e) In an ecumenical council

This power could be exercised only with the consent of the Pope. The pope’s power of
primacy over all, both pastors and faithful, remains whole and intact. In virtue of his office,
that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme
and universal power over the Church. And he is always free to exercise this power.

Ecumenical council is a Solemn gathering of college of bishops. The role of the pope in
ecumenical council: convokes, sets the agenda, presides over and confirms the decisions. If
pope dies, the council is suspended. Ecumenical council can teach -Something by solemnly
defining-it is not definition of the term but definitive judgement on a given question. By this
the council takes away the freedom of opinion on the matter and sets limits to communion of
faith. This college, insofar as it is composed of many, expresses the variety and universality of
the People of God, but insofar as it is assembled under one head, it expresses the unity of the
flock of Christ. In it, the bishops, faithfully recognizing the primacy and pre-eminence of their
head, exercise their own authority for the good of their own faithful, and indeed of the whole
Church, the Holy Spirit supporting its organic structure and harmony with moderation.

By the Pope in his Ex-cathedra pronouncements

Ex cathedra is a Latin phrase, meaning not "from the cathedral," but "from the chair."
The phrase does have religious origins but it was originally applied to decisions made by
Popes from their thrones. According to Roman Catholic doctrine, a Pope speaking ex
cathedra on issues of faith or morals is infallible.

Pope alone can teach a doctrine infallibly as he is being the head of the episcopal
college and of the whole church. Vatican I’s dogmatic constitution Pastor Aeternus defined that
all papal pronouncements termed as ex-cathedra are infallible. Lumen gentium , the dogmatic
constitution on the church is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council, in
this chapters 18 & 25 stresses on the supremacy of the Pope as the teacher of the universal
church and can define a dogmatic truth ex-cathedra- from the seat of Peter- and He can also
speak without defining a dogma. As we adhere to the teachings of bishops one must respect
and accept the pope’s teaching-even when it is not ex-cathedra pronouncement. Bishops and
theologians teach and define as divinely revealed dogma and the pope by his ex-cathedra- as
shepherd and teacher of all Christians teaches in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority,
defines doctrine concerning faith and morals. He possesses by divine assistance what is
promised to him in Peter. : Pope alone can have this privilege and only when speaks ex-
cathedra.

The magisterium is the official teaching office of the Church, including the pope and
the bishops in union with him. This task, given to the apostles and St. Peter by Jesus Christ, can
be seen in the New Testament, specifically in the Acts of the Apostles where there arose a
dispute concerning the admittance of gentiles. St. Peter had a vision where he was urged by
God to accept the “unclean.” Afterwards he proclaimed, “Can anyone withhold the water for
baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?’ He ordered them
to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:47-48). The baptism of the gentiles is one
example of how Peter and the apostles encountered a new situation, where they had to discern
the right course of action. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, they were able to make a proclamation
that interpreted God’s word in an authentic way.

Catholics believe that the pope and the bishops in union with him can be trusted
because of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit upon them, guiding them in the process of
proclaiming certain “dogmas” and in judging the authenticity of certain traditions. The entire
concept of the magisterium hinges on this belief, going back to Jesus’ promise, “I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth” (John
14:16-17).