Twofold hierarchy

[Greenham]

I’m a bit confused about the “twofold hierarchy” of the church. What is the difference between the hierarchy of order and the hierarchy of jurisdiction? What do “order” and “jurisdiction” mean in this context?

 

[dmar198]

I’m a bit confused about the “twofold hierarchy” of the church. What is the difference between the hierarchy of order and the hierarchy of jurisdiction? What do “order” and “jurisdiction” mean in this context?

It is my understanding that the hierarchy of order refers to the division of power for administering the Sacraments. For example:

• Anyone can baptize
• Only priests can forgive sins and consecrate the Eucharist
• Only a bishop can ordain another bishop

You can see a hierarchy there over the power to administer the Sacraments.

If my understanding is correct, the hierarchy of jurisdiction refers to the Church’s following powers (taken from the article you cited):

• the right to frame and sanction laws which it considers useful or necessary, i.e. legislative power
• the right to judge how the faithful observe these laws i.e. judicial power
• the right to enforce obedience, and to punish disobedience to its laws i.e. coercive power
• the right to make all due provision for the proper celebration of worship, i.e. administrative power

In short, the hierarchy of order refers to the Sacraments and the hierarchy of jurisdiction refers to ecclesiastical law.

Does that clear it up at all?

 

[CommonWeal]

I’m a bit confused about the “twofold hierarchy” of the church. What is the difference between the hierarchy of order and the hierarchy of jurisdiction? What do “order” and “jurisdiction” mean in this context?

The basic difference is that “order” (as in the sacrament of holy orders) pertains to the ministerial priesthood, while “jurisdiction” pertains to lawfully constituted authority, whether divine (as in the office of the papacy) or merely human.

 

[Greenham]

Thanks, both of you. That helps a lot. Just to help me along a bit more, can you think of any metaphors from the secular world for the order/jurisdiction distinction?

 

[CommonWeal]

That’s a good question. These are not exactly analogous but are similar.

1. 
   *]A woman has the power (order) of motherhood, while the man has a certain authority (jurisdiction) over his wife, by divine institution.
   
   *]A corporation owes its existence (order) to the state, but the entity is lawfully governed (jurisdiction) by its board of directors.

 

[Greenham]

This might be something I should start a new thread about, but does anyone know the history of the terms? Does anyone know when the church first started referring to a “hierarchy of order”?