Universal priesthood (doctrine)

The priesthood of all believers or theological history correctly priesthood of all the baptized is a term of Christian, especially Protestant theology. He has held various significance levels. In the Protestant churches he primarily means that all believers are immediate to God, and that the ( indispensable ) public ministry ( pastor, priest ) will not constitute a state of consecration. In the free churches of the Protestant tradition is highlighted with the notion that each of the faithful of the community can take over the tasks that applies in other churches the pastor or priest himself. However, there are actually also in most cases, pastors, and by acts of blessing ( ordinations ) ordered preachers, elders, evangelists or missionaries with some form of theological education. In the Roman Catholic Church Lumen Gentium 1964 since the Dogmatic Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church also taught a "common priesthood of the faithful ", which manifests itself in the fact that " they offer spiritual sacrifices in all the works of a Christian people and the power of Him announce who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. " But this priesthood differs from the hierarchical priesthood " the essence and not only in degree " (Lumen Gentium, 10).

Historically

Historically, the term essential part of the understanding of the Reformation and the products resulting from their churches, where it is understood as an antonym for special, sacramental priesthood of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. On the other hand, also know these churches next to the ministerial priesthood, the priesthood of all the baptized.

The presence of priests is in all religions require a gap between the people and the divine sphere. With progressive culture and division of labor everywhere developed a special priesthood, who found himself in charge of the cultic mediation between heaven and earth by grace acting victims and with the interpretation of the divine will.

Old Testament

A special priesthood possessed ancient Israel, although there also very much a " common priesthood of all the members of God's people" knew: (2 Mos 19.6 LUT). The self-understanding of the Levitical priesthood and the cult practice of the Kohanim are reflected in detail in the so-called Priestly layer of the Pentateuch.

In contrast, in the Old Testament breaks the prophetic reminder that the divine Spirit is poured out upon all Israel will ( Joel 3:1 LUT) and one day make all the people of Israel a priesthood for the other nations (Isa. 61.6 LUT). Yet goes beyond the eschatological vision of the gift of the Spirit to " all flesh ".

New Testament

These promises will see the writers of the New Testament fulfilled by Jesus Christ and Pentecost. In the church of Jews and Gentiles all their limbs are connected by the baptism of Christ, who came by his love devotion to the cross and through his resurrection the only and final High Priest and at the same time even an offering. The New New Covenant is not a re- introduction of a " priesthood of all believers" ( already the " old covenant " in its infancy knew ), but the surpassing of the Old Testament " the priesthood of all believers", as now non-Jews in the New covenant belong to this kingdom of priests and a holy people (1 Peter 2:9 f EU; Rev. 1.6 EU).

Early Ecclesiastical developments

In the early Christian community orders ( Didaskalia Apostolorum, Didache, Apostolic Constitutions ) are the Greek and Latin names for the priest, to nowhere. From the beginning, however, show up in the Christian literature community senior authorities, for there were different names. Eph 4,11 EU, for example, lists the following offices: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Other offices are bishop, elder and deacon. In Acts ( 20.17 to 28 EU), although the official titles elders and bishops apparently used interchangeably; the looming at the turn of the 2nd century Threefold Office: episkopos (Overseer - Bishop ), presbyteros ( Oldest - priest), Diakonos (Diener - deacon ) but can also be seen in the book of Acts. The episcopate (Heb Tim Acts 8,18 EU, Acts 14:23 EU 6.2 EU 1.6 EU 2 ) It was carried out already in the New Testament to the full transfer of power by laying on of hands of an apostle or apostles successor.

More and more Old Testament and Greco- Roman priests ideas the church were transferred to this church ministries, especially since after the Constantinian shift in numbers grew considerably and their officers should take on the role of the priest of the old state cult. This also affected the moral claims that have been made of ancient priests and government officials.

Protestant position

Reformation

The Martin Luther's Reformation had its trigger in the rediscovery of the central Christian message of justification of the sinner by grace alone ( " sola gratia " ) that receives faith alone ( " sola fide "). In contrast to the Roman priesthood Luther formulated in an early work of the priesthood of all the baptized.

" All Christians are truly clergy, and among them is no difference then the Office half alone. Therefore ... we are all consecrated priests by baptism. What ... is crawled from the baptism that likes to boast that it was already consecrated priest, bishop and pope, although it is not lawful to anyone, even to exercise this office. "

In the terminology is initially expressed that all Christians by faith and baptism direct access to divine healing, without having to rely on priestly mediation. But it follows from the perception of priestly duties by the faithful, especially mutual intercession and consolation, but not the task of the public preaching:

" We Ubir Being the priest that is still vil more, because his Künig, Wherefore, the priesthood authority and to the vns wirdig tretten for god for other requests to ... Alßo hatt Christ purchased us, we muegen geystlich for one another tretten and ask how a priest for the multitudes leyplich enters and asks ... Because whether we want all Being gleych priest, we tzo customer but nit all serve odder create and preach. "

Initially, the common priesthood of Luther was also an argument that the faithful among themselves suitable persons for the ministry appointed and should instruct ( That a Christian Assembly or Common law and power have to judge all doctrine and beruffen Lerer, one and set down basic and Ursach from the Scriptures, 1523). In his discussion of radical Reformation groups such as the Spiritualists - of him " dreamer " - and however the Anabaptists, who wanted to implement the egalitarian principle immediately and radically religious ( and national) practice, he stressed soon more and more of the underivability preaching ministry, referring to the Bible and church tradition. Therefore, the church orders of the emerging Lutheran churches from the beginning to clear contained offices, Ordination and visitation provisions. In the Lutheran Confessions (and thus the official conception of teaching of the Lutheran churches ) the doctrine of the priesthood of all the baptized appeared only at one point as an argument for the choice of the pastor by the municipalities. The Lutheran Confessions even speak of Lutheran priests ( cf. Apology of the Augsburg Confession Article 13) In another place.

The confessions of the Reformed churches teach the universal priesthood and understand it as a participation in the priesthood of Christ (John Calvin, Geneva Catechism 1542/45, question 43; Heidelberg Catechism, question 31f ). However, they differ in part more clearly between the common priesthood and the "servant of the Office".

Subsequent development

Luther's doctrine of the general priesthood was revitalized in Pietism in the Protestant churches. Philipp Jacob Spener, in its reform font Pia desideria (1675 ) in a prominent place, " the Auffrichtung and diligent exercise of, clergy priesthood ' " and defended it later in other writings against Lutheran orthodoxy. Especially in the form of small groups to share Bible readings and mutual spiritual support for the idea in the Protestant churches became popular. For Johann Hinrich Wichern and his program of the Inner Mission " at its finest, the confirmation of the common priesthood of the faithful church members " was the club free beings.

The teaching of the Catholic Church to the universal priesthood

According to the Roman Catholic Church there is a general priesthood of the baptized. This includes the existence of a special priesthood is not enough. With regard to the Reformation understanding of the exclusive priesthood of doctrinal statements to the general priesthood until Vatican II are scarce.

In the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium stresses the universal priesthood of all the baptized and at the same time set in relation to the special priesthood of the ordained priests, especially in the Dogmatic Constitution:

5.9, "Christ the Lord, High Priest taken from among men ( cf. Heb 5:1-5 ), has the new people, made ​​a kingdom and priests to God and his Father ' ( cf. Rev 1.6 -10 ). By regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the baptized are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, so that they may offer spiritual sacrifices in all the works of a Christian people, and the power of Him who proclaim that they called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (cf. 1 Pet 2.4 to 10 ). So all the disciples of Christ, persevering in prayer and praise God together ( cf. Acts 2:42-47 ) themselves as a living, holy, pleasing to God a sacrifice offer ( cf. Rom 12:1); anywhere on earth they must bear witness to Christ and give to all who seek an account of the hope of eternal life that is in them ( cf. 1 Pet 3:15). The common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood, the hierarchical priesthood, Although in essence and not only in degree, differ according to. However, they are associated with each other: the one and the other is to deprive each part in a special way in the priesthood of Christ ( 16). The ministerial priest, by virtue of his holy violence that it owns, the priestly people and directs it; he brings about the Eucharistic sacrifice in the person of Christ and brings it represents on behalf of all the people God; the faithful on the other hand, in virtue of their royal priesthood offering of the Eucharist with (17) and exercise that priesthood in receiving the sacraments, in prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, abnegation and active charity. "

For ( Cardinal / Pope ) Joseph Ratzinger is " the universal priesthood ... not a competitor to the liturgical order of presbyter, but the expansion of the Christian cult in the space of the world and humanity into it, for the whole of the Christian priestly ministry to is called to do. Such an understanding of the Christian world piety is not only biblical, but also more realistic than an overly smooth incarnation theology. "

Current ecumenical discussion

In the present ecumenical discussion is the question of the offices of the points of difference. It is clear that general priesthood in virtue of Baptism and special priesthood not only contrary but also complementary can be understood on the basis of ordination or consecration and that " common priesthood " is not the abolition of, but to order a priestly lifestyle means.