Fr. Ron Millican
Church History 17: An Institutional Structure Emerges: One Body, Different Functions
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another.” Romans 12:4-5
The above quote from St. Paul points out that different members of Christ’s body, the Church, have different functions. However, elsewhere St. Paul emphasizes that Christ alone is head of the body. If we take the Church to be the Body of Christ, what then are the roles of the pope, bishops and pastors? A first point to be made related to this question is that Jesus left us no exact blueprint for Church organization. Nowhere in the Gospels did Jesus say, “You twelve and your successors are bishops, and you will have the following job description: . . . Others of you will be ordained priests, and you will be responsible for the following duties: . . . Some others of you will be called deacons, and you are to serve those who are poor. The rest of you will be called laity.
Your duties will be . . .”
However, as already mentioned, the case can clearly be made based on Gospel accounts, that Jesus selected twelve apostles for a leadership role among his followers. He identified St. Peter as the leader of this group. We see St. Peter immediately accept this position, as followers of Jesus—a group of about 120 men and women—gathered together to choose a man named Matthias to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:15-26). Therefore, we see that the apostles stepped into leadership positions in the Christian community from earliest existence.
If we read further in Acts, we also discover that a variety of forms of organization existed in the earliest days of the Church. Some local churches had an overseer, like a bishop, who served as its leader. Other churches had a group of elders who exercised a group leadership. Such differences in organizational structure did not cause those who followed one style to reject those who followed another. In Acts we read that the apostles prayed, laid hands on those chosen for service and ministry, and sent them out. (See Acts 6:6, 13:3.)
However, as the Church grew, clearly defined structures of authority grew with it. At an early stage, the model that exits in the Catholic Church today became the standard model of Church governance. Individuals were appointed or elected to lead local communities, just as today bishops are regional leaders under the authority of the pope. Deacons assisted these local leaders, especially in the important work of caring for people with special needs in the community. Eventually presbyters became exclusive representatives of the bishops as local communities expanded farther and farther. In summary, the early Christian community recognized that it was to be “of one heart and soul” in embodying the Holy Spirit and in carrying the message of Jesus (Acts 4:32). It formed particular structures to help it in its task. Through its institutional structure, today’s Catholic Church remains faithful to the model first developed as early as apostolic times.
Bishop: means “overseer;” in the Catholic faith the word refers to one who has received the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders; the shepherd of a particular church entrusted to him.
Presbyter: Another name for elder or priest; in the early Church presbyters served in leadership positions in some faith communities; one who has received the second order in the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Church History 17: An Institutional Structure Emerges: One Body, Different Functions
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another.” Romans 12:4-5
The above quote from St. Paul points out that different members of Christ’s body, the Church, have different functions. However, elsewhere St. Paul emphasizes that Christ alone is head of the body. If we take the Church to be the Body of Christ, what then are the roles of the pope, bishops and pastors? A first point to be made related to this question is that Jesus left us no exact blueprint for Church organization. Nowhere in the Gospels did Jesus say, “You twelve and your successors are bishops, and you will have the following job description: . . . Others of you will be ordained priests, and you will be responsible for the following duties: . . . Some others of you will be called deacons, and you are to serve those who are poor. The rest of you will be called laity.
Your duties will be . . .”
However, as already mentioned, the case can clearly be made based on Gospel accounts, that Jesus selected twelve apostles for a leadership role among his followers. He identified St. Peter as the leader of this group. We see St. Peter immediately accept this position, as followers of Jesus—a group of about 120 men and women—gathered together to choose a man named Matthias to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:15-26). Therefore, we see that the apostles stepped into leadership positions in the Christian community from earliest existence.
If we read further in Acts, we also discover that a variety of forms of organization existed in the earliest days of the Church. Some local churches had an overseer, like a bishop, who served as its leader. Other churches had a group of elders who exercised a group leadership. Such differences in organizational structure did not cause those who followed one style to reject those who followed another. In Acts we read that the apostles prayed, laid hands on those chosen for service and ministry, and sent them out. (See Acts 6:6, 13:3.)
However, as the Church grew, clearly defined structures of authority grew with it. At an early stage, the model that exits in the Catholic Church today became the standard model of Church governance. Individuals were appointed or elected to lead local communities, just as today bishops are regional leaders under the authority of the pope. Deacons assisted these local leaders, especially in the important work of caring for people with special needs in the community. Eventually presbyters became exclusive representatives of the bishops as local communities expanded farther and farther. In summary, the early Christian community recognized that it was to be “of one heart and soul” in embodying the Holy Spirit and in carrying the message of Jesus (Acts 4:32). It formed particular structures to help it in its task. Through its institutional structure, today’s Catholic Church remains faithful to the model first developed as early as apostolic times.
Bishop: means “overseer;” in the Catholic faith the word refers to one who has received the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders; the shepherd of a particular church entrusted to him.
Presbyter: Another name for elder or priest; in the early Church presbyters served in leadership positions in some faith communities; one who has received the second order in the sacrament of Holy Orders.
