G
Gorgias
Guest
"Sky River:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
All share in Christ’s offices – prophetic, priestly, and kingly.
Ordained ministers exercise the priestly office: “The bishop is ‘the steward of the grace of the supreme priesthood,’ especially in the Eucharist which he offers personally or whose offering he assures through the priests, his co-workers. The Eucharist is the center of the life of the particular Church. The bishop and priests sanctify the Church by their prayer and work, by their ministry of the word and of the sacraments. They sanctify her by their example.” (CCC, 893)
Lay faithful also exercise the priestly office: “the laity, dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvelously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit maybe produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives.” (CCC, 901)
A similar distinction exists in the ways that the kingly office is exercised by ordained ministers (see CCC 894) and by the laity (see CCC 908), and the way the prophetic office is exercised by ordained ministers (CCC 888) and by the laity (CCC 904).
Although there are differences in function, all have equal dignity in the Body of Christ. St Paul mentions this: “there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone … Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds?” (see 1 Cor 12)
So, no… simpleas is inaccurate when he states that “baptism implies a fundamental openness to all the sacraments, including the ministerial priesthood.” If that were the case, then we’d have to conclude that St Paul was wrong.
Rather, baptism explicitly grants a share in Christ’s offices (priestly, prophetic, and kingly), but not exercised in the same way among all. This is, as Paul reminds us, by God’s plan.
I wouldn’t call it “false teaching”, although from the Catholic perspective, it’s explained in a slightly different way. Keep in mind, too, that the “priesthood of all believers” – and the notion of the “ministerial priesthood” – were issues at the core of the Reformation. One of the core beliefs of Luther was that there was no such thing as the “ministerial priesthood”, but only a “priesthood of all believers.” Therefore, according to Luther’s personal theology, the full extent of humanity’s share in Christ’s priesthood was through the “priesthood of all believers.”
So, here’s the way the Church teaches it:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
Now, while there is “true equality… among all the Christian faithful… with regard to dignity”, it is also the case that we exercise our identity in Christ according to the particular role that we have in the Body of Christ.
All share in Christ’s offices – prophetic, priestly, and kingly.
Ordained ministers exercise the priestly office: “The bishop is ‘the steward of the grace of the supreme priesthood,’ especially in the Eucharist which he offers personally or whose offering he assures through the priests, his co-workers. The Eucharist is the center of the life of the particular Church. The bishop and priests sanctify the Church by their prayer and work, by their ministry of the word and of the sacraments. They sanctify her by their example.” (CCC, 893)
Lay faithful also exercise the priestly office: “the laity, dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvelously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit maybe produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives.” (CCC, 901)
A similar distinction exists in the ways that the kingly office is exercised by ordained ministers (see CCC 894) and by the laity (see CCC 908), and the way the prophetic office is exercised by ordained ministers (CCC 888) and by the laity (CCC 904).
Although there are differences in function, all have equal dignity in the Body of Christ. St Paul mentions this: “there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone … Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds?” (see 1 Cor 12)
So, no… simpleas is inaccurate when he states that “baptism implies a fundamental openness to all the sacraments, including the ministerial priesthood.” If that were the case, then we’d have to conclude that St Paul was wrong.
Rather, baptism explicitly grants a share in Christ’s offices (priestly, prophetic, and kingly), but not exercised in the same way among all. This is, as Paul reminds us, by God’s plan.
