Lecture 11: Church and State

Ann T. Orlando

4 December 2008

Two themes: Ecclesiology and Church-State

Ecclesiology: the Church as such, – Mission, – Structure, – Authority

Church-State Relations Church in time (history)

Donatism

Started c. 313 in North Africa, named for a Christian Bishop in North Africa who protested the ordination of presbyters by a lapsed bishop

Followers of Montanist and Novatian joined with Donatists to form a schismatic Church, more numerous than the Catholic Church in North Africa.

Wanted the Church to be the ‘Church of the Pure’ especially the ministers

Looked to Tertullian and Cyprian as ‘fathers in faith’

Background: Bishop

As the Western Roman Empire collapsed in 4th and 5th C, bishops take on more important civil role– Best educated (often only educated) – Only members of local society with ties to an

outside structure Bishops as civil judges Bishops as arbiters of civil power Pope as supreme authority

Background: Fall of Rome

Fall of Rome in 410 to Alaric had a huge psychological impact

The Goths sacking Rome were Arian Christians “My voice sticks in my throat, and as I dictate, sobs choke

my utterance. The City which had taken the whole world, was itself taken.” St. Jerome

Augustine dies as the Vandals (Arians) are besieging Hippo

– Vandal conquest of North Africa leads to destruction of Donatists

AugustineOver-Arching View of Church

Man as a naturally social, not political being– Love, not justice the dominant virtue in the good society– Before the Fall, there was no hierarchy of dominance;

slavery is a result of sin

Mixed good and bad (wheat and tares) in Church Church mixed with society (city of man) Church as the City of God

– Exists throughout human history (time)– Exists in eternity

Augustine: What is the Church

When did it begin: with Abel– Cain founder of city of man– Abel, first member of City of God

Noah’s ark as the City of God Holy man is a shepherd, not a king The Church can be said to begin in the OT

due to the action of the Holy Spirit CoG XIV.28, XV, XIX.5-20

Augustine: Pilgrim People

People of God, the Church, are not members of city of man– So joiners (like Abel)– That is, Pilgrims

Pilgrimage as a way of life Social enterprise

– We travel together– We support each other

Everyone belongs to one of two cities– City of God, the Church, on pilgrimage– City of this world

CoG I

Church and History

Human history is not cyclical– Events do not repeat themselves– God’s plan is moving inexorably from the creation to the

apocalypse While exiting in human history, we do not know

which members of Church are saved, which damned– Depends on God’s unmerited grace

CoG XX.9– Books XX – XXII are extensive commentary of Book of

Revelation

Catholic Church as Magisterium

Society of Church is guided by Holy Spirit (s 267) Already seen role of Church as keeper of canon of

Scripture Teaching authority of bishops and Rome at stake in

Pelagian controversy See Letter 177 from North African Bishops to

Innocent I, and his reply in Letter 181 Importance of See of Rome as Catholic unity in

Donatist controversy, Letter 53

Roma Locuta Est – Cause Finita Est…

…sed non locuta est Augustinus Context: Pelagian condemnation by two African

Councils, supported by Pope Innocent I. Paraphrase (misquote?) from Sermon 133.10

– “iam enim de hac causa duo concillia missa sunt ad sedem apostolicam; inde etiam rescripta venerunt; causa finita est”

– For already concerning this case two councils have sent to the apostolic see, from there also (furthermore) rescripts were sent; the case is finished.

Medieval Decretals

A reply in writing by a pope addressing a particular question

Served function of deciding precedents Papal response referenced by Augustine

would later come to be seen as a decretal Decretals often referenced earlier works,

especially Augustine Formed the basis of ecclesial law until the

codification of canon law

Aquinas on Faith

The topic of ecclesiology was not part of the medieval mindset

Aquinas did not write on ecclesiology per se However, he did write about heresy and authority of

Church ST IIa IIae Q11– Note Aquinas quoting decretals quoting Augustine

Also note in ST IIa IIae Q10 a12 authority of Church over against any Church doctor (including Augustine)

Aquinas on Politics

Man is a political animal There is a natural order of dominance

– See ST Ia Q 96 a4 (read all of this article carefully)

– Also Summa Contra Gentiles, III.81 available at http://www2.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/etext/gc3_81.htm

Reformation and Ecclesiology

An attack on the Catholic Church as such– Catholic Church in dogma and practice strayed from true Church

of Christ Pope not the vicar of Christ on earth Clerical celibacy of little or no value Priesthood of all believers Reformers need to build a different ecclesiology than the

Catholic one Catholicism needs to re-establish ecclesiology (Trent) As usual in Reformation disputes, all sides claim Augustine

John Calvin

Agreed with Augustine on– Massa damnata– Church as mixed wheat and tares

But tries to create perfect “city on the hill” in Geneva– Seemed to believe that a society based on Biblical values would be a just

society Writes laws for Geneva, but seemed to be another form of papacy

– Exiled in 1538 Returns in 1540

– Geneva ruled by ‘living saints’ Disagreed with Augustine on meaning of ‘Catholic’ and tie to See of

Rome Institutes, IV.2, IV.12, IV.6-8

Enlightenment Opposition to Church in Society

Church (whether Catholic or Protestant) seen as infringing on rights and freedom of man

– Best government is that which governs least– Religion a private, not a social, affair– Religion should be completely divorced from politics

John Locke, Letter of Toleration Jefferson, Letter to Danbury Baptist Association,

1803

Early America

Both strands of optimism about creating the ideal society– Calvinist (Puritan)– Enlightenment

John Winthrop, sermon on board the Arbela, ‘Model of Christian Charity, the City on the Hill’ (1630)

Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence

Revisionist View of History and the Church

Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) Decline and Fall of Roman Empire

Massive history of Roman Empire from Antonines (2nd C) to Fall of Constantinople (1453)

– Seventy-One Chapters, multi-volume Story of fall of reason and rise of Christianity

– 37. Augustine is a memorable instance of this gradual progress from reason to faith. He was, during several years, engaged in the Manichaean sect. Decline XV footnote 37

Gibbon: Julian the Apostate, model of religious toleration

Julian was born a Christian– Cousin of Constantine the great– All male relatives killed by Constantine or his sons during battle fo succession– Studied with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus in Athens

Rises to power and repudiates Christianity– Attempts to restore pagan temples and Jewish Temple in Jerusalem– Only reigns 361-363; dies in battle against Persians

“The Christians, who beheld with horror and indignation the apostasy of Julian, had much more to fear from his power than from his arguments. The Pagans, who were conscious of his fervent zeal, expected, perhaps with impatience, that the flames of persecution should be immediately kindled against the enemies of the gods; and that the ingenious malice of Julian would invent some cruel refinements of death and torture which had been unknown to the rude and inexperienced fury of his predecessors. But the hopes, as well as the fears, of the religious factions were apparently disappointed by the prudent humanity of a prince who was careful of his own fame, of the public peace, and of the rights of mankind. Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence, neither steel nor fire can eradicate the erroneous opinions of the mind. The reluctant victim may be dragged to the foot of he altar; but the heart still abhors and disclaims the sacrilegious act of the hand. Religious obstinacy is hardened and exasperated by oppression; and, as soon as the persecution subsides, those who have yielded are restored as penitents, and those who have resisted are honoured as saints and martys. If Julian adopted the unsuccessful cruelty of Diocletian and his colleagues, he was sensible that he should stain his memory with the name of tyrant, and add new glories to the Catholic church, which had derived strength and increase from the severity of the Pagan magistrates. Actuated by these motives, and apprehensive of disturbing the repose of an unsettled reign, Julian surprised the world by an edict which was not unworthy of a statesman or a philosopher. He extended to all he inhabitants of the Roman world the benefits of a free and equal toleration; and the only hardship which he inflicted on the Christians was to deprive them of the power of tormenting their fellow-subjects, whom they stigmatised with the odious titles of idolaters and heretics.” Decline, Chapter XXIII

Bonus: Christopher Dawson, Dynamics of World History

Published 1956 as an anthology Catholic historian

– Edited authoritative edition of Decline and Fall of Roman Empire

Read by all seminarians this summer Re-read

– “St. Augustine and the City of God” pp 311-339– “Edward Gibbon and the Fall of Rome” pp 341-367

Ratzinger and Ecclesiology

Based upon his doctoral dissertation on Augustine and Ecclesiology

Informed much of V II ecclesiology See also Communio article on Holy Spirit and

Church http://www.communio-icr.com/articles/PDF/ratzinger25-2.pdf

Benedict XVI on Church and State: Deus Caritas Est

Published December 25, 2005– Eight months after Joseph Ratzinger became

Pope Benedict XVI

Available at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

Structure of DCE

Introduction [1]– Major theme– Purpose in writing this as the first encyclical

Part I Unity of Love [2-18]– Differences and unity of true eros and agape [4]– Path of ascent as renunciation, purification, healing [6]– Jesus Christ as personification of divine love [12]

Part II Caritas Practice of Love [19-39]– Caritas has always been part of the Church’s ministry, as much as the Word, and

liturgy, since both flow from the Trinity [22]– Relationship between justice and charity [26]– Relationship between Church and State [28]– The distinctiveness of Christian charity [31]– Proper attitude of Christian engaged in charity: humility [35]

Conclusion [40-42]– Importance of saints and Mary– As both examples of true charity and intercessors for us

Some ‘Surprising’ Aspects of DCE

For a Pope who is popularly portrayed as being ‘opposed’ to Vatican II, the Encyclical quotes VII, and does so very positively [DCE 28, 30]

– On the other hand, the Encyclical recognizes that the Church’s leadership in the 19th C did not respond well to challenges of Enlightenment [DCE27]

For a Pope who is popularly believed to be ‘the enforcer’ of orthodox Catholicism as the only valid religion, the Encyclical goes out of its way to eschew any type of coercion or charity as a tool for proselytism [31].

– Indeed the Pope suggests that as the occasion warrants, silence about specifics of faith may be the best course

For a Pope who is popularly believed to be antagonistic to Western governments, the Encyclical goes out of its way to recognize the important work for justice that belongs primarily to the State

– Example of culture of death is Church-State cooperation in volunteer organizations working to reduce drug use among young people [DCE 30]

But I think the main point of DCE is

Not about Church-State relations, but how we as individual Christians are to practice charity

Justice is all about common good in society; charity is all about the individual giving and receiving works of Christian love [DCE 34]

But charity should be practiced in humility; we cannot ‘fix the world’ or even one person; only God can do that [DCE 35]

All these points are presented with examples from history; and the points cannot be fully appreciated without some understanding of history

Why Emphasize Patristics and Modernity … but a great Void in the Middle

Benedict XVI is deeply concerned that the Church has not yet fully responded to challenges posed by the Enlightenment

– Agnosticism– Ethical Relativism– Materialism– Only valid knowledge comes from scientific method– Belief in mankind’s ability that through science we can ‘fix’

anything Unlike the ‘Middle Ages’ the Enlightenment is NOT a

Christian era [DCE 3]– In this it is like earlier Patristic Period in the Roman Empire

Julian as a Metaphor for Contemporary Church-State Relations

First consider that Julian was an apostate, – that is someone who abandoned Christianity; – Just as much of the contemporary Western world

He abandoned it because of the hurtful things that those calling themselves Christians had done to him and his family “Emperor Constantius who passed himself off as an outstanding Christian” [DCE 24]

What remained in Julian was a recognition of the importance of the Church's charitable activities

But with Julian, these activities, because they no longer had Christ at their center, became a vehicle to ensure his own political popularity and social stability

General restructuring of society and social welfare systems to ensure political stability was part of the political theories of Karl Marx

Assignments

Augustine– CoG I (skim), XIV.28, XV, XIX.5-20 – Letter 53 (optional)– Sermon 267 (optional)

Aquinas– ST IIa IIae Q10 a12, Q11– ST I Q06 a4– SCG III.81

Calvin, Institutes IV.2, IV.12, IV.6-8 Christopher Dawson, Dynamics of World History, 311-367 Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, Part II