I ministeri ecclesiastici che assicurano la vita sinodale della Chiesa, nella visione di Dumitru Staniloae

Abstract

In the point of view of the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae, the synodal unity of the Church is ensured by the ecclesiastical hierarchy, a hierarchy that is divided into a sacramental hierarchy and a jurisdictional hierarchy. The sacramental hierarchy has its origin in the sacrament of Priesthood and includes three fundamental degrees: the episcopate, the presbyterate and the diaconate. From these three fundamental degrees derives the jurisdictional hierarchy which, in addition to some administrative tasks, has the mission of preserving the communion between the members of the sacramental hierarchy. The theological principles on which the synodality of the hierarchy is based are three: the principle of communion, the principle of the transcendent origin of the ecclesiastical ministry and the principle of complementarity between the episcopal synodality and the general synodality of the Church.