§ 55. The Origin of Ecclesiastical Authority

Jesus Christ Himself governs His Church through the teaching and the commandments contained in Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, and through the constant action of the Holy Spirit. By the words of the Apostle Paul, no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.[1] That foundation is the teaching of Christ and His commandments; and this composes the fundamental laws of the Church and of Christ’s kingdom, on which salvation depends. And so that everyone might be able to carry out this teaching of Christ and His commandments, He promises to His apostles, and through them to His whole Church, the special co-working of the Holy Spirit. He says: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” And again further: “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” And further still: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.”[2]

Leaving this world, and remaining always the head of His Church, both the invisible and the visible on earth, Jesus Christ, that His work might endure on earth, established for the earthly Church, in accordance with the nature of this world, a visible authority, which must act, in accordance with His teaching and commandments and with the help of the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of mankind, and for that purpose must employ all those means which prove most fitting according to the differing circumstances of time and place. This authority on earth Christ handed over to His apostles, telling them that if a Christian should sin, he should first be admonished alone; and should he refuse to hear, this should be done again before a few witnesses; and should he even then refuse to amend, let the Church judge him; and after that, should he remain obstinate, let him be excluded from the communion of Christians, “for verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”[3] “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”[4] “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you… Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”[5] By this Christ handed over to His apostles the authority to preach the word of God, to perform the holy mysteries, and to maintain outward order in the Church in whatever way best serves that purpose—hence to issue the necessary ordinances and laws, to judge and punish sinners, and to exclude from the church communion those who refuse to obey.