The Authority of the Church

[scameter18]

The thread title is more general than my specific question, but I couldn’t think of a better one. My question is: what does the Magisterium of the Church have the authority to change in Church teaching, practice, organization, or anything else? For example, prior to Vatican II women’s heads were supposed to be covered during Mass, all Masses were in Latin (at least after Trent), and many ideas proposed during that Council had not been stated as such before that. I am not talking about the creation of new teachings, which of course the Church does not do. I am specifically asking about the Church’s power to change current Church practice and/or teaching. What can they change, and what is unchangeable? Thanks for the help, God bless.

 

[JRKH]

Well Scripture says that the Church may “bind or loose” - “whatever”…(Mt 16 ;17-19) (Mt 18:18)

In a practical sense, the Church cannot change those things that have been dogmatically declared.

Peace
James

 

[1ke]

The Magesterium can change any disciplines of the Church. All of the things you list-- head covering, the languge of the Mass, et. al., are disciplines.

 

[guanophore]

The thread title is more general than my specific question, but I couldn’t think of a better one. My question is: what does the Magisterium of the Church have the authority to change in Church teaching, practice, organization, or anything else? For example, prior to Vatican II women’s heads were supposed to be covered during Mass, all Masses were in Latin (at least after Trent), and many ideas proposed during that Council had not been stated as such before that. I am not talking about the creation of new teachings, which of course the Church does not do. I am specifically asking about the Church’s power to change current Church practice and/or teaching. What can they change, and what is unchangeable? Thanks for the help, God bless.

The Magesterium has the responsibility to guard and protect the once for all divine deposit of faith given to the Church through the Apostles. This deposit of faith is contained in the Sacred Scriptures, and the Sacred Traditions. These cannot be changed, though our understanding of them may develop, and the Magesterium in each age determines how they can best be taught and otherwise communicated to the faithful through liturgy and practice.

 

[scameter18]

Ok, thank you all very much for clarifying and answering my issues thoroughly, I appreciate it. God bless.

 

[Ron_Conte]

The Church has two types of authority:

1. Spiritual authority, which is the teaching authority or Magisterium of the Church. The Magisterium teaches. The Magisterium has authority over doctrine.
2. Temporal authority, which includes the laws, rules, and rulings of the Church, authority over liturgical forms, and all authority over matters of discipline, rather than doctrine.

The Magisterium teaches, whereas the temporal authority issues rules and rulings. Decisions of the temporal authority are not teachings; no truth of faith or morals is being taught. The temporal authority issues judgments of the prudential order.

Pope Boniface VIII: “this one and single Church has one head and not two heads… There is one fold and one shepherd… That in her and within her power are two swords, we are taught in the Gospels, namely, the spiritual sword and the temporal sword. For when the Apostles said, “Lo, here,” - that is, in the Church, - are two swords, the Lord did not reply to the Apostles " it is too much,” but " it is enough." It is certain that whoever denies that the temporal sword is in the power of Peter, hearkens ill to the words of the Lord which he spoke, “Put up thy sword into its sheath.” Therefore, both are in the power of the Church, namely, the spiritual sword and the temporal sword… The one sword must of necessity be subject to the other, and the temporal authority to the spiritual." (Unam Sanctam, n. 4-5, English translation 1875 by Cardinal Manning).

 

[scameter18]

Very interesting. Thank you for the elaboration, especially the intriguing quote. God bless.