Folia Theologica 22. (2011)

Juhász Gábor Tamás: Equality and Inequality of "Christ's Faithful" from a Perspective of Philosophy and Theology of Canon Law

FOLIA THEOLOGICA 22 (2011)

163

Gábor Tamás Juhász

EQUALITY AND INEQUALITY OF "CHRIST'S FAITHFUL" FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY OF CANON LAW*

The aim of this analysis is, starting from CIC can. 204 §§ 1 and 2, to larify with accuracy the meaning of that equality and inequality which exists among the Church's members.* 1 Therefore the purpose of this work is of a canonical character, and because canon law is a part of theology, and because philosophy is ancilla theologiae, this paper needs indispensably to contain philosophical and theological sections too.

From Christ's will the Church is a hierarchical organization, from which it follows that regarding the inside structure of the Church we can talk of equality in a more narrow perspective than of inequality. In consequence until the Second Vatican Council, canon law and sys* This paper is an abstract of my Canon Law PhD Thesis, defended at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Institute of Canon Law "ad instar facultatis" in 2009 (Budapest).

1 CIC Can. 204 - § 1. Christifideles sunt qui, utpote per baptismum Christo incorporate, in populum Dei sunt constituti, atque hac ratione muneris Christi sacerdotalis, prophetic et regalis suo modo participles facti, secundum propriam cuiusque condicionem, ad missionem exercendam vocantur, quam Deus Ecclesiae in mundo adimplendam concredidit. - § 2. Haec Ecclesia, in hoc mundo ut societas constituta et ordinate, subsistit in Ecclesia catholica, a successore Petri et Episcopis in eius communione gubernata; English translation: "§ 1. The Christian faithful are those who, inasmuch as they have been incorporated in Christ through baptism, have been constituted as the people of God; for this reason, since they have become sharers in Christ's priestly, prophetic and royal office in their own manner, they are called to exercise the mission which God has entrusted to the Church to fulfill in the world, in accord with the condition proper to each one. - § 2. This Church, constituted and organized as a society in this world, subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the bishops in communion with him.