Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 2/19/2004

Question
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George:

Thank you for your detailed message about the pope.  But I have a few questions!

According to St Dionysios and Maximus the Confessor, the hierarchs are established by God and thus the earthly are an image of the heavenly.  I agree that God has established these hierarchs to mediate his divine energies or grace.

The established office of Bishop in the church is a divine one and necessary for the church.  But the office of pope is not divine but of human origin.  Isn't it is true that the Eastern Church continues in the true divine order of the hierarchs?  Thus the office of patriach is of human organization.  There is no higher rank that bishop in the church.  To suggest that the papacy is of divine origin and infallible would be to place the office in the stead of Christ, thus anit-christ.

I agree 100% on the divinely mediated grace of God through his ordained mediators, but the human organization arrangement of these mediators that claim to be divine seems to be not of God, but of man and thus the devil!!

Thank you
Ephrem

Ephrem

Answer -
Shalom


Dear Ephrem,
   First thanks for asking me about what I consider probably the most important question a confessor of Christ needs address after they answer Yes to His call to holiness. That question is:  what if any is the role of the Church in the believer's life in Christ. Another way of asking this is: Has Christ established visible teaching authority (roles) within the society of Believers.
Catholics answer with a firm yet charitable yes. We call it the Magisterium (the Pope and his fellow Bishops). Their role in relation to the infallibility of the Church is one of the doctrines of the Church, which, if not rightly understood, repels people, but which, rightly understood, and attracts them to the Faith.
  I think it will best to first define and/or explain some terms:·   Infallibility-- immunity from liability to error
When a Catholic speaks of it relation to the pope's office and that of his fellow bishops, he is speaking of their formal teachings in a very strict contextual manner. The Catholic is not talking about their personal believes and/or conducts as human creatures in need of God's grace like the rest of us, human creatures. It does not put a check on right reason, but saves fallible reason from going astray. If one is on a wrong path it matters not how fast or slow one goes, they don't makes any progress. The Magisterium's infallibility serves to keep reason in the right path in matters of religion. The Magisterium ‘s infallibility is a grace/charisma of the Church, which it exercises on behalf of the whole Church.

·   Impeccable--not capable of sinning or liable to sin.
When a Catholic uses this term he is not speaking of the pope and/or his fellow bishops. For in Sacred Scripture we read:
         
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. (KJV).
  
  So when a Catholic uses this term, he speaks of Christ, who is as you stated clearly by quoting the inspired words of St Paul to St Timothy:
   1 Timothy 2:   
5 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (KJV)

  Catholics (and other Christians) whole heartily say Amen to that verse. It in no way does it conflicts with Catholic teachings related the Magisterium. According to the
Strong's Concordance word: mediator is used 7 times in 6 verses. The same Greek word is used each time: mesites.  It means literally:
1.   One who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant
2.    A medium of communication, arbitrator

For Catholics (and most other Christians) see the verse of as clear statement of the unique status of Christ as Lord and Redeemer of men and the Church. For them Christ is the King, Church is His Bride. Catholics see the Magisterium as the official witness to marriage “Nuptials” between them.
So the simply answer as I see it: the Pope and his fellow Bishops are not some fulfillment of prophecy about the Anti-Christ and his heralds but a fulfillment of another set of prophecies:

Jeremiah 23
3   And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4   And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
5   Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (KJV)


John 10
26   But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27   My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28   And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (KJV)

  In the Gospel of St. Luke we read the words of the Lord to the Apostles (and the others among the 72) He sent out:

Luke 10
16: He who He hears you hears me, those who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects Him who sent me.

After the death and rising from the dead, I feel these words have a deeper
Importance, especially in light of them being set out (again) to proclaim the Gospel of Life with the risen Lord and Savior.
Also after our Lord rose from the dead, He appear over a course of 40 days, He
appeared before the apostles and other followers. On one occasion He addressed Simon (-Peter) using the words below. Read keep in mind that Simon (-Peter) denied our Lord three times, so it's a call to repent and to service.

John 21
15   So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16   He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17   He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.(KJV)


It should be note that other apostles were not addressed, either by name or deed in relation of their fleeing when Jesus was arrested. Nor does He relinquish ownership of the flock.

Later we read these words of Simon (-Peter) writing to his fellow servants among the elders of the Church, speaking of Christ and their calling:

1 Peter 2
24   Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
25   For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
1 Peter 5
3   Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4   And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Reason tells me if there is a chief shepherd, there are either other shepherds or at the least assistant shepherds. Like in sports, there is a Head Coach and his assistants.

If you want a more complete answer to verses you think refer to the pope and his fellow bishops as the anti-Christ and his pawns, just Email me some (only a few at a time) and share how u see them. I, in turn with share my understanding of them.



Again thank you for your question.

Yours but His First,
George “rav Jerome” Card,sfo, M.I.  

Answer
Epherm


You are correct when you state:

“… the hierarchs are established by God and thus the earthly are an image of the heavenly.  I agree that God has established these hierarchs to mediate his divine
energies or grace. The established office of Bishop in the church is a divine one
and necessary for the church…”

From that point you seem to use the words: rank and office, interchangeable. I feel at times it wouldn't be proper. The Catholic Church teaches that when a man (vir) is receives the Sacrament (the Mystery as Eastern Orthodox Christians say) called Holy Orders he enters into a deeper anticipation in the one priesthood of Christ.
Orders: meaning a body of persons with similar traits. Catholics as well Eastern Orthodox Christians profess there are three Orders, among the ordained. Below I briefly describe them below:
   
Bishops (episcopoi):
They have the care of multiple congregations and appoint, ordain, and discipline priests and deacons. They are often called "evangelists" in the New Testament. Examples of first-century bishops include Timothy and Titus (1 Tim. 5:19–22; 2 Tim. 4:5; Titus 1:5).  The Bishop of Rome is the visible Head of the Church, under Christ who is the “invisible” Head of the Church, which is His Body on Earth.

Priests (presbuteroi)
Are also known as "presbyters" or "elders." In fact, the English term "priest" is simply a contraction of the Greek word presbyters. They have the responsibility of teaching, governing, and providing the sacraments in a given congregation. They are sometimes called prophets or elders in the NT. (Tim.5: 17; Jas. 5:14–15).

Deacons (diakonoi)
 The assistants of the bishops and are responsible for teaching and administering certain Church tasks both liturgical (baptisms; preaching at Mass (Divine Liturgy) and non-liturgical as the distribution of food (Acts 6:1–6) and other acts of charity on behave of the Church.

Now back to your question. Where is does the Pope and such fit into the picture?
Well the pope is the Bishop of Rome, and as such my fellow Catholics and I confess he is the Vicar of Christ. A Vicar is not a successor to the King, but the chief steward/minister of the King. It is wise to ask was such an office really established by Christ. Again Catholics firmly and with Charity says yes.
  As the Vicar of Christ does he really speak infallibly? The answer is two fold: and simply put: Yes and No.
No—in his personal conduct, even personal believes and personal knowledge of the reality around him. Yes—now begins the hard part of this “paper” on the papal ministry of the successor of St. Simon Peter.
  I begin by quoting the Catholic Ecumenical Council called Vatican I (1868-1870) to define the term Papal Infallibility.

Sess. IV, Const. de Ecclesiâ Christi, c. iv, holds:
We teach and define that it is a dogma Divinely revealed that the Roman pontiff when he speaks ex cathedra, that is when in discharge of the office of pastor and doctor of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, by the Divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, is possessed of that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed that his Church should be endowed in defining doctrine regarding faith or morals, and that therefore such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves and not from the consent of the Church irreformable.

The conditions required for ex cathedra teaching are mentioned in the Vatican decree:
·   The pontiff must teach in his public and official capacity as spiritual head of the Church universal, not merely in his private capacity as a theologian.
·   He must be teaching some doctrine of faith or morals in a manner that explicitly and solemnly defines an issue.
·   His teaching cannot contradict anything the Church has taught officially and previously. Also the its not new either in the sense of new revelation.
·   It must be evident that he intends to teach with his supreme Apostolic authority. In other words, he must convey his wish to determine some point of doctrine in an absolutely final and irrevocable way. There are well-recognized formulas that are used to express this intention, such as "We declare, decree and define, . . .".
·   It must be clear that the Pope intends to bind the whole Church. Unless the Pope formally addresses the whole Church in the recognized official way, he is assumed to not intend his teaching to be ex cathedra and infallible (unless he is reiterating what has always been taught).
·   There will be an anathema attached to the definition that outlines consequences for not assenting to it. For ex., in Pope Pius XII's infallible definition regarding the Assumption of the Virgin Mary there is attached these words, "Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith."
Since you quote to of the great Church Fathers, I feel nessecery to quote some myself:
Fathers:
·   Irenaeus

"But since it would be too long to enumerate in such a volume as this the succession of all the churches, we shall confound all those who, in whatever manner, whether through self-satisfaction or vainglory, or through blindness and wicked opinion, assemble other than where it is proper, by pointing out here the successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul, that church which has the tradition and the faith which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the apostles. With that church, because of its superior origin, all the churches must agree, that is, all the faithful in the whole world, and it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the apostolic tradition" (Against Heresies 3:3:2 [A.D. 189]).

·   Optatus of Milevus

"In the city of Rome the episcopal chair was given first to Peter; the chair in which Peter sat, the same who was head—that is why he is also called Cephas [‘Rock']—of all the apostles, the one chair in which unity is maintained by all. Neither do the apostles proceed individually on their own, and anyone who would [presume to] set up another chair in opposition to that single chair would, by that very fact, be a schismatic and a sinner.   Recall, then, the origins of your chair, those of you who wish to claim for yourselves the title of holy Church" (The Schism of the Donatists 2:2 [367 A.D.])


·   Jerome
"I follow no leader but Christ and join in communion with none but your blessedness [Pope Damasus I], that is, with the chair of Peter. I know that this is the rock on which the Church has been built. Whoever eats the Lamb outside this house is profane. Anyone who is not in the ark of Noah will perish when the flood prevails" (Letters 15:2 [A.D. 396]).

"The church here is split into three parts, each eager to seize me for its own. . . . Meanwhile I keep crying, ‘He that is joined to the chair of Peter is accepted by me!' . . . Therefore, I implore your blessedness [Pope Damasus I] . . . tell me by letter with whom it is that I should communicate in Syria" (ibid., 16:2).


·   Augustine

"There are many other things which rightly keep me in the bosom of the Catholic Church. The consent of the people and nations keeps me, her authority keeps me, inaugurated by miracles, nourished in hope, enlarged by love, and established by age. The succession of priests keep me, from the very seat of the apostle Peter (to whom the Lord after his resurrection gave charge to feed his sheep) down to the present
episcopate [of Pope Siricius]" (Against the Letter of Mani Called "The Foundation" 5 [A.D. 397]).

In closing I will share from two of the early Catholic Ecumenical Councils, which held in the East and most Eastern Orthodox Churches also recognize as such. I didn't enclosed scripture proof text cause I am in the process of writing such a " paper" for a friend's web site. If you email me again I can send to copy when its done:
Council of Constantinople I

"The bishop of Constantinople shall have the primacy of honor after the bishop of Rome, because his city is New Rome" (canon 3 [A.D. 381]).


Council of Ephesus

"Philip, presbyter and legate of [Pope Celestine I] said: ‘We offer our thanks to the holy and venerable synod, that when the writings of our holy and blessed pope had been read to you, the holy members, by our holy voices, you joined yourselves to the holy head also by your holy acclamations. For your blessedness is not ignorant that the head of the whole faith, the head of the apostles, is blessed Peter the apostle. And since now [we], after having been tempest-tossed and much vexed, [have] arrived, we ask that you order that there be laid before us what things were done in this holy synod before our arrival; in order that according to the opinion of our blessed pope and of this present holy assembly, we likewise may ratify their determination'" (Acts of the Council, session 2 [A.D. 431]).


         Your Servant but His First
         George (rav Jeome 72) Card