Our readings yesterday, today, and tomorrow give us a glimpse into the very first council of the Catholic Church, the Council of Jerusalem. Through this glimpse, we see exactly why we need an authoritative Church that we can appeal to in matters of faith and morals. As opposed to an invisible “church” of loosely gathered believers, we need an actual body that can teach infallibly.
The Council of Jerusalem was convened to address important questions related to faith and salvation; questions that could not be answered by Scripture alone. Namely, the Council addressed questions about the role of circumcision and Mosaic Law in salvation within the New Covenant.
Many leaders in the early Church thought Christians needed to observe the Mosaic Law. Paul and Barnabas, among others, disagreed.
The debate and ultimate consensus of the Council was then ratified by Peter, the first Roman Pontiff. Peter’s statement consisted of a doctrinal declaration, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to authoritatively settle the disputed matter for all time.
In many ways, the Council of Jerusalem became the model for all future ecumenical councils. The process of an ecumenical council became the way to definitively settle theological controversies and stop the spread of heresy. At the completion of a council, the decrees of the council are generally promulgated via encyclical (or letter), as we will hear in the reading tomorrow.
Ecumenical councils are meant to address important issues applicable to the Universal Church. There have been 21 ecumenical councils in the history of the Catholic Church, starting, of course, with the Council of Jerusalem. A council is not technically considered ecumenical (and therefore infallible) until its decrees have been ratified by the Roman Pontiff, just as Peter ratified the Council of Jerusalem in our reading today.
Our reading reminds us that the Apostles had authority to call a council, to teach in the name of Jesus Christ, and to guard the deposit of faith. This authority continues to be passed down to the successors of the Apostles through the Apostolic Succession of Holy Orders. Licit authority is contingent upon appointment by the Roman Pontiff and continued communion with the Roman Pontiff.
This authority is precisely what makes the Catholic Church the pillar and bulwark of truth, as later described by Paul. We continue to see this today as the college of bishops exercise Apostolic authority in communion with the Roman Pontiff.
On the other hand, this is what makes dissension and division so dangerous. There can be disagreements and squabbles, like those we heard in the reading yesterday; however, the Church cannot be the pillar and bulwark of truth without unity. The Church cannot be the pillar and bulwark of truth if the bishops cannot speak of one accord and cannot convey agreement with the whole Church.
While non-Catholic communities often struggle in this area, we can rest easy knowing that in the midst of the noise of disagreement we often hear, the Catholic Church is ultimately protected by the promises of Christ. We can rest easy knowing that Jesus promised at the Last Supper to give the Apostles (and therefore their successors) the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to teach them. We can trust the Holy Spirit to remind the college of bishops of the truth and to guide them to all truth.
As new circumstances come into existence that didn’t exist 2,000 years ago, we can clearly know what the will of God is in these matters. Think of all the complex issues that we have today that didn’t exist when Jesus walked the earth: in vitro fertilization, cloning and DNA resequencing, artificial intelligence, and the list goes on.
Unlike many of our separated brothers and sisters, we do not have to guess about the morality of these issues. We can know the will of God through the teachings of His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
So rejoice brothers and sisters that the Lord is King. Rejoice that He continues to work through His Church to make the world firm, and through His Church, He governs His people with equity. Go, proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Thanks be to God!
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