Folia Theologica et Canonica 10. 32/24 (2021)

Ius canonicum

SYNODALITY AS A FORM OF THEOCRACY IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH 63

One factor which rules out an absolute monarchy, perceived as a form of autocracy, is the fact that the papacy is theologically founded as a continuation of the position of Saint Peter within the College of Bishops6. According to this, the Pope is ‘the vicar of Christ’ - vicarius Christi. Saint Cyprian already spoke of this role7, but the title is unequivocally reserved in the vocabulary of the Western Church for the Bishop of Rome only from the 11th century onwards in a way that it has become the permanent title of the Pope from the time of Pope Innocent III8. In any case, the vicarious nature of the office requires that the ‘vicar’ act according to the instructions and intentions of the one he represents.

Another, more universal theocratic principle which distinguishes the position of the Pope from that of an absolute monarch is the validity of ‘divine law ’ within the Church, even if its fundamental provisions are not enshrined in human law or promulgated by any ecclesiastical legislator9. The opposite seems to have been witnessed only by rigidly positivist authors10 11. Meanwhile authors of the classical canon law already pointed out in the early 20th century that one ought to bear in mind the differentiated influence of the two inseparable schemes (rule of law) divine law and canon law, and in their relationship the natural divine law and certain forms of the divine law contained in revelation11. Other contemporary authors instead highlighted the aspect that divine law is the technical basis for limiting normative references (e.g., to state law) in canon law12. Carlos Jósé Errázuriz, on the other hand, proposes - convincingly - that we should not so much speak of divine and human law in canon law but rather of the divine and human components of law13.

6 E.g., Erdő, R, II fatto teologico del primato del Romano Pontefice nel diritto canonico vigente (con speciale riguardo al can. 331. CIC), in Periodica 98 (2009) 619-642.

7 Cyprianus, Ep. 63,14,3-4; ed. Obras de San Cipriano. Tratados. Cartas. Edición bilingue (Introducción, versión y notas por Campos, J.) [Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos 241], Madrid 1964. 610: Quod si nec minima de mandatis dominicis licet soluere, quanto mais tam magna, tam grandia, tam ad ipsum dominicae passionis et nostrae redemptionis sacramentum pertinentia fas non est infringere aut in aliud quam quod diuinitus institutum sit humana traditione mutare? Nam si Christus Iesus Dominus et Deus noster ipse est summus sacerdos Dei patris et sacrificium patri se ipsum primus optulit et hoc fieri in sui commemoratione praecepit, utique ille sacerdos uice Chrisiti uere fungitur qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur.

8 Cf. Kempf, R, Innozenz III., in Höfer, J. - Rahner, K. (Hrsg.), Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, V. 1960. 687.

9 E.g., Erdő, P., Egyházjog (Szent István Kézikönyvek 7), Budapest 2014.5 nn. 13. 47-48,52-53.

10 Del Giudice considers canonisation necessary for validity, cf. Del Giudice, V., Canonizatio, in Scritti giuridici in onore di Santi Romano, IV. Padova 1939. 221-230, especially 226.

11 E.g., Wernz, F. X., Ius decretalium, I. Romae 1905? 92-100, nn. 79-87.

12 E.g., Minambres, J., II diritto divino come limite a! rinvio normativo nell’ordinamento canonico, in Arrieta, J. I (a cura di), Ius divinum. Atti del XIII Congresso Internazionale di Diritto Canonico (Venezia 17-21 settembre 2008), Venezia 2010. 501-512.

13 Errázuriz, C. J., II diritto e la giustizia nella Chiesa. Per una teória fondamentale del diritto canonico, Milano 2000. 223.