Universal Priesthood Research Articles

A WOMAN UNITED WITH THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST – BLESSED KLEMENSA STASZEWSKA OSU (1890–1943)

The aim of this article is to examine the charism of Blessed Klemensa Staszewska, with which she was endowed by God, and its relevance to all believers. The sources of this study are her “spiritual notes”, written at the instruction of her spiritual director, and her letters. The first stage of the study examines how Blessed Klemensa, accepting her Ursuline vocation, experienced the desire for a spousal bond with Jesus and to give to Him alone all that she is and all that she possesses. In the second part of the article, a study is carried out on the spiritual desire expressed by Blessed Klemensa in her plan of life, written on the day of her perpetual vows to unite herself to the Sacrifice of Christ and to His intentions and the inner disposition with which He offered Himself on the Cross. Here it was important to examine how Blessed Klemensa experienced all the tribulations and difficulties of life in union with Jesus. This dimension of her spiritual life can be regarded as prophetic for both consecrated and lay persons, because it concerns the universal priesthood resulting from baptismal consecration, which seems to be underestimated in Christian spirituality today. In the fourth and final part of the article, it is shown how Blessed Klemensa combined a deep spiritual life with her ministry of caring for children and the formation of young people. She maintained this life amidst her duties and responsibility for the Ursuline community throughout the hardships of World War II and when, after helping with heroic courage those sought by the Gestapo, she endured the cruelty of the concentration camp.

Vox populi (Dei), vox Dei: Pope Francis’ Theology of the People of God, the Priesthood of All Believers and Democracy

The Holy See is an absolute monarchy, both as a political and as a spiritual entity. The Second Vatican Council indicated, retrieving biblical terms and metaphors, a new way of giving value to the whole people of God, the laity (laos theou), constituted by baptism. Rather than a societas perfecta in a pyramidal system, the intention was to declericalise and in this sense democratise the church and its decision-making, not least seeking to secure its witness in an ever more secular world. Even if a sacramental and ontological difference is maintained, this indicates clergy are no longer a first class of believers against which the laity would be a second class; rather, they are rooted and stand with and within the whole people of God with their specific vocation and ordination. The notion of the royal and universal priesthood of believers, taken from 1 Peter 2:9 and emphasised by Luther and other reformers as they distributed power between ordained and not ordained leaders, was visible in the Second Vatican Council and finds new enactment in the synodality process which culminated in the Ordinary Synod in Rome, in October 2024. Based on his own theology of the people of God, developed during the dictatorship and economic oppression in Argentina, with strong cultural and religious connotations, Pope Francis seeks to further major involvement of the laity and especially of women in the church’s administration and transformation processes. Not surprisingly, this process has been receiving criticism both from those who find it is not going far enough and from those who believe the process has already gone far too far. Based on bibliographical and documental research, the intention of this article is to describe and analyse the notion of the people of God as proposed by Pope Francis and its forms of concretisation including its deficiencies, as well as, in dialogue with ongoing debates on populism, highlight the precariousness of any “people” as a concept and as a reality. A dynamic notion of “people” and a theological accountability of the people and the clergy towards each other, towards God and towards the world can do justice to both the ambiguities and the irreplaceability of the people as citizens of the church as well as the world.

The Common Priesthood of Lutherans and Catholics

English translation. The original article can be found here
 Luther insisted on the royal, common or universal priesthood of all the baptised, as the Second Vatican Council also recalled, referring to the mutual complementarity between the common and ministerial priesthood, which however differ non tantum gradu sed essentiam (cf. LG 10). These pages review the main points on the common priesthood, according to Luther's proposal and the response of the Councils of Trent and Vatican II and, as a complementary counterpoint, add the teachings of a 20th century Catholic author, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, partly before and partly after Vatican II, which could be of interest for understanding the subject under discussion. The similarities and differences are thus noted here, which are conducive to the subsequent ecumenical dialogue on this subject, which is acquiring particular importance in the context of the theology of synodality.

Free in Deed: The Heart of Lutheran Ethics by Craig L. Nessan

Reviewed by: Free in Deed: The Heart of Lutheran Ethics by Craig L. Nessan Ned Wisnefske Free in Deed: The Heart of Lutheran Ethics. By Craig L. Nessan. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2022. 165 pp. This book is an introduction to Lutheran ethics written for theology students, pastors, and thoughtful lay readers. It succeeds in that, leaving readers with a coherent vision of the way a Lutheran approach to Christian ethics analyzes issues, illuminates them, and inspires us to act on them. Nessan claims that love of neighbor is the overriding concern of Lutheran ethics. "Neighbor" is interpreted expansively to include all people, especially those who are in danger of being disregarded as neighbors, even encompassing all living things. Nessan owes his formation, he writes, to Bonhoeffer's Christocentric theology and to the Christopraxis of liberation theologians. Eight short, readable chapters lay out key Lutheran insights concerning biblical authority, the authority of tradition, reason and experience, the two kingdoms, justification and sanctification, the priesthood of all believers, the theology of the cross, and Christian freedom. Nessan's exposition of these traditional Lutheran themes is [End Page 244] clear and on-the-mark. Often, he distinguishes a Lutheran point of view from other Christian perspectives, or distinguishes among various Lutheran viewpoints. This helps orient the readers' understanding. For example, he contrasts a Lutheran view on biblical authority with literalism and deconstruction; a Lutheran from an American understanding of freedom; contemporary Lutheran views on sanctification in Lazereth and Mannermaa. He presents how the theology of the cross is misunderstood by both triumphalism and trivialization, and how a privatized view of charitable assistance as well as religious identity politics misconceive political advocacy. By the author's own assessment, his chapter "Luther's Two Strategies and Political Advocacy" offers an original interpretation of how Luther's concept of the two kingdoms contributes to our understanding of Christianity and politics. Wanting to avoid past misinterpretations that led to the subservience of the church to political order, or to the rigid separation of church and state, he proposes that God rules one kingdom with two strategies. What emerges is "neighbor politics." Christians participate in God's left-hand strategy by speaking out and engaging in the political process as citizens who advocate for the well-being of the neighbor, using reasonable arguments that appeal to the consciences and common sense of others, building coalitions wherever possible with those who share a common vision, and avoiding special pleading based on a "Christian" agenda narrowly understood (124). A long-standing problem, the "Achilles' heel" for Lutheran ethics (81), is the move from justification to sanctification. Other ways of stating the "unfulfilled promise" (91) of Luther's Reformation is to see that "freedom from" sin, death, and the devil turns to "freedom for" love of the neighbor, or whether we need a "third-use" of the law in Lutheran ethics to motivate Christian living. In Nessan's view, "Only the retrieval of Luther's robust understanding of vocation and the universal priesthood can give expression to the social holiness that is the final goal of the Christian life" (80). Among his suggestions [End Page 245] in this regard is to reimagine the "priesthood of all believers" as the "neighborliness" of all believers (87), and to utilize worship practices to imprint on us "both a way of being and a way of serving neighbors" (89). Nessan's contribution to this long-standing problem is important and energetically pursued. From this reviewer's perspective, the solution to this ethical problem is finally theological. As he notes, what sets up Luther's thinking on the two kingdoms is his view that the world is a battleground between God and Satan. What sets up Luther's freedom from/freedom for dialectic is the acknowledgement that I am convicted by the law as a condemned sinner. This theological confession likely challenges our contemporaries more than does Lutheran ethics. Ned Wisnefske Roanoke College Salem, Virginia Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

Synod w tradycji luterańskiej

The article presents the experience of synodal work from the Lutheran perspective. For this purpose, it presents the most important global synodal body of Lutheranism – the General Assemblies of the Lutheran World Federation, as well as the most important body of this type in the Polish context – the Synod of the Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland. Then, the powers of both these bodies are analyzed to show that they are not limited only to technical and organizational issues, but also extend to the area of defining the truths of faith. In the next step, the search for theological premises for synodal work was undertaken, focusing on the concept of the universal priesthood of all believers and the principles of the Lutheran hermeneutics of Holy Scripture. Finally, a specific example of a discussion on confirmation in the Polish Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession shows how the Lutheran synodal process can look like in practice. Finally, some indispensable elements for the success of the synodal process have been identified.

The genesis of the Protestant doctrine on the universal priesthood of believers

The genesis of the Protestant doctrine on the universal priesthood of believers

Family - micro ecclesia

The family is a divine part of God's plan. It is the fundamental element of a strong society. Marriage is not only a model of interhuman existence, it is the model of man's relationship with God. Marriage is the mystery of sanctifying love. The family is recognized as the "little Church" or the "Home Church", the mission of both parents being a prophetic one in the sense of understanding the universal priesthood of each active member of the Church of Christ. The family is also the environment where the child naturally learns to pray. It is the first and fundamental school of moral and social life, a community of love. The great mystery of the family is the mystery of transfiguration, of spiritualized love, which lifts man up to God.

Słowacki – polityk. Uwagi na marginesie dwóch listów do Adama Czartoryskiego

The article presents an interpretation of two letters written by Juliusz Słowacki to Prince Adam Czartoryski. The letters show how political action was important to the Polish romantic poet. In contrast to past research, it shows the depth of Słowacki’s political thought. He considered various forms of government and chose the best option. Słowacki wrote about three forms of government: Roman, Homeric Greek, and Gospel-based. He also wrote about the importance of filioque. The equality between Jesus and the God father in relations to Holy Spirit showed the way to universal priesthood and ecumenical council. Słowacki a model of a democratic state based on a group of three people. The group would consist of a brother who directs the spirit, a soldier, and a marshal. In Polish, we would say about person who gives meaning to things and weight to ideas. We can observe the development of various forms of government over time.According to Słowacki, political presence is possible through self liberation. We should consider the consequence of our future actions and always keep in mind the immortality present in each of us. Being fully a citizen is possible thanks to the poet – the liberator. In order to recognise the spirit of a nation, poets should use their intuition and write down the results as a historical record. Write down the results as a historical record. In his letters, Słowacki pointed to Mickiewicz’s role in College de France and urged that the poet’s position should be stabilised. Słowacki proposed to Prince Adam Czartoryski that he would sway the feelings of Poles to make them love and admire the Prince. Słowacki showed how important poetry was in the process of building a new nation. His most importance message to Prince Czartorsyski was that he should do something heroic. Słowacki’s trip to Lesser Poland in 1848 was very important on a political level.

The Concept of “Ministry” in English and Russian Discussions of Modern Protestants

The purpose of this paper is to consider how contemporary Protestants interpret the concept of “ministry”. The use of one or another interpretation determines specific ideas on economic and political activity, which, on the one hand, are conditioned by cultural and national contexts and, on the other hand, transform them. In fact, we are talking about the expansion of theological languages into the political sphere and their consequent transformation into political ones. There are two principle approaches to understand “ministry” in Protestant communities. The first assumes a strong connection with church community activities, while the other allows a broader view of the ministry including all areas of professional activity. The second approach is more consistent with the “Universal Priesthood” doctrine, which presupposes the equality of all types of positive activity when evaluated from the perspective of the Christian mission. The terms used by both approaches are somewhat similar, which makes comparisons rather challenging. It is therefore necessary to clarify and analyze the main idioms and adverbs used by the participants in the discussion. The study shows that the result of the first approach to understanding “ministry” is a strengthening of the hierarchies in Protestant communities, and the second is a comprehensive revision of church structures, and then of political and economic realities.

Legal Roots of Christian Anthropology

Purpose of the article is to reconstruct the legal sources of Christian anthropology. Theoretical basis. The methodological basis of the article is the understanding of the fundamental foundations of Christian anthropology in the context of Roman legal understanding. Originality. From the point of view of the Christian religion, man is a dual being: his body is part of the material world, but his soul is not from this world, he is born directly from God. The transcendent origin of the soul gives it the right to communicate with God, but this right can be realized only with the help of the Church, which is seen as the "bride of the Lamb" and the mystical "body of Christ". Interpretations of the essence of church organization correlate with the principles of organization of the Roman community. The principle of universal priesthood correlates with the idea of "post-Tarquinian democracy", recognizing the people of Rome as the supreme bearer of the empire of Jupiter; catholicity – with the idea of the senate as a meeting of the most deserving leaders of the community; apostolic succession – with the institution of republican magistrates, who even though received their power from the community, but through "consultations with the gods" (auspices). In essence, Christian dogmatism is Roman law applied to the Middle Eastern religion; the Bible was interpreted as a legal document, and theologians acted as lawyers. Conclusions. In the ancient Churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, etc.) the ideal of Roman law was realized as the right of impersonal law, standing outside and above the individual. The latter has no ontological value, it is a "servant of God", but the union of men into the mystical "body of Christ" makes the latter empowered to represent God on earth and to act on his behalf. The Renaissance paved the way for the Reformation, in which a powerful "Greek" ("philosophical") lobby declared itself. Despite the fact that many leaders of the Reformation had a personal dislike for philosophy, they were spontaneous philosophers, believing themselves entitled to interpret the will of God independently, regardless of the authority of the councils. They were strict rationalists who only changed the object of their reason: if the ancient Greeks tried to comprehend the world rationally, the Protestants set themselves the goal of rationally comprehending the Book. Ultimately, the main question of Christian theology is the question of man’s attitude to God, and the differences between the anthropological systems within Christianity are the options for answering this question.

A Christology of Religions by Gerald O'Collins

Reviewed by: A Christology of Religions by Gerald O'Collins G. R. Willis Gerald O'Collins, A Christology of Religions. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2018. Pp. 192. $36.00, paper. Whether or not "the religions" view one another with mutual regard now appears immaterial to the various problems—political, environmental, economic—that theologians of religious difference often claim to wish to help resolve. Theologians offer no evidence, for instance, if various religious leaders were to agree on policy recommendations (they often do), or were to confirm the value of the other religions (they often do), that such mutual agreement or regard would have the least effect on climate, migration, or economic policy-making (agreements and mutual religious regard seem to be of little consequence). Theologians of religious difference risk redundancy in an epoch when the sharpest human differences are not religious in any traditional sense of the term. Theologians should less often enjoy the assumption of their own, or their traditions', centrality to the problems of this century. If anything, our problems appear to be connected to the final disappearance of the authority of those traditions. [End Page 321] In A Christology of Religions, the Jesuit O'Collins offers an enormously thoughtful, richly textured, and widely sourced approach to those aspects of Christology—Christ's intercessory, sacrificial, efficacious, and universal priesthood on behalf of all persons, especially in their suffering—that might allow Christians to sense more clearly, and then participate in, Christ's salvific power on behalf of all. I deeply appreciate this unapologetically christological approach to religious difference, not least because so many theologians born in the mid-twentieth century appear to presume that the problem with Christians is that they are too committed to their own tradition. Would that this were the Christian problem of our time! That problem has, alas, been solved. O'Collins remains robustly christocentric, grounded thoroughly in tradition—his book begins from Athanasius's vision of "creation and incarnation as together forming one act of divine self-bestowal," and then deftly weaves together biblical, papal, and theological texts from across Christian eras, all the while showing how those resources of Christic incarnation press the Christian beyond the margins of his or her own community. This christocentric commitment alone is a relief from the long parade of theologians—many but not all of them laypersons—who have believed that it was their role to question a tradition's commitment to itself. O'Collins very helpfully suggests that it is through Christ that Christians must learn to see others. That this point should be offered as a contribution to the Christian theology of religions is itself quite telling. What this reader most appreciates in O'Collins's work is its relentless clarification of the christological in terms of priesthood—a neglected theological category in an era shadowed by clerical abuses, but one that powerfully entails sacrifice on behalf of others, the cross as the key to perceiving the situation of all human beings both within and beyond any given tradition, and intercession—a theme skillfully developed across two of O'Collins's seven chapters. (I was less persuaded by O'Collins's arguments that we could or should perceive non-Christian others as embodying an implicit faith. The faith or faithlessness of others is no obstacle to intercession on their behalf, and our prayer for the other should not depend upon the other's attitude.) There is a welcome tonal inspiration from Pope Francis in this work, which emphasizes a willingness to be with others—regardless of their tradition—in the midst of trial. The best theologies of religion remind us of possibilities more humble than telling the denizens of Davos what they should do with [End Page 322] their power. For O'Collins, a more creative possibility in our engagement with others (they need not be "religious" others) is that of prayer. I am persuaded by his suggestion that intercession is an overlooked, important path of mysterious but efficacious participation in God's saving power, and that this intercession should be regularly extended by Christians, through Christ, beyond the Christian community itself. [End Page 323] G. R. Willis Misericordia University, Dallas, PA Copyright © 2021...

Synod as the Embodiment of the Church — the Evolution of Lutheran Understanding of Synodality

The concept of the synod plays a special role in the Evangelical ecclesiology. In the 20th century, the synod was radically defined as “the personification of the Church.” In the Evangelical tradition, however, there are equal Church management systems: episcopal, synodal-consistory, presbyterian (mainly in the Evangelical-Reformed denomination), and to a lesser extent congregational (especially observed in the so-called free Churches). Reformation theology understands the Church as a community of all saints, where the Gospel is preached purely and the sacraments are properly administered (Augsburg Confession — CA VII). The system of the Church does not belong to the so-called notae ecclesiae. An important theological doctrine of the Reformation is the teaching about the universal priesthood of all believers, which is the theological foundation of the idea of the synodal responsibility of the Church. In the 19th century synods concerned mainly clergy. In the 20th century, in the course of democratisation processes, most Evangelical Churches raised the importance of the synod in the overall management of the Church, and the Polish Lutheran Church introduced a provision into her law which stipulates that the synod is “the embodiment of the Church” and its supreme authority.

Ecclesiola in ecclesia in Brazil from a missio Dei perspective: An autoethnographic case study of four Presbyterian churches in Brazil

This study represents an unconventional qualitative research genre, autoethnography, which is not commonly found in qualitative research circles, and is rarely used by researchers in South African and Brazilian social science. The main question behind this research is: Why were some Presbyterian churches in Brazil challenged by a significant loss of members while others were experiencing ‘times of refreshing’ (Ac 3:20)? There are even statistics of extraordinary increase in the participation, interest in and outreach to their communities of some churches. The question why some churches belonging to the same denomination, in the same city and presbytery and with some liturgical likeness, for some reason, were growing while others were shrinking, became a driving question leading to this research. Four growing Presbyterian churches were chosen because all four were using small group ministries. They were situated in four different cities, one in the northern part of Brazil, three in the southwest, and they were using the same method, with their own adaptations. Each of them experienced gracious growth within their own context. Through their ministries, ordinary people were doing ordinary things with extraordinary results of radiating the universal priesthood of all believers, exercising a missional witness and reaching out to a world in need. This article aims to consider their motivation, the challenges they experienced during the implementation of small group ministries, the positive and negative aspects of the process, the lessons learnt and possible application for the revitalisation of Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil (IPB) today.

Podem ser considerados protestantes os batistas?

Neste momento em que são comemorados os 500 anos da Reforma Protestante, o presente artigo argumentará sobre a impossibilidade de se comprovar historicamente as origens dos batistas de forma dissociada do pensamento e dos pressupostos da Reforma. Para tanto serão apresentadas as principais teorias sobre as origens dos batistas, a saber: a teoria sucessionista orgânica estrita; a teoria do parentesco anabatista; a teoria do sucessionismo espiritual e a teoria separatista britânica. Apoiado nos argumentos históricos que podem ser verificáveis, o artigo propõe que os batistas, enquanto designados por esse nome distintivo, estão vinculados ao movimento da Reforma em função de importantes doutrinas da Reforma, como a justificação pela fé, a autoridade da Escritura e o sacerdócio universal dos crentes, afirmadas claramente na teologia batista.

Formulas for the Universal Prayer in the Typical Editions of the Post-Conciliar Missal

The study presents the results of research on changes in the formulas for the universal prayer in the subsequent typical editions of the Missal. The universal prayer is the climax of the liturgy in which the universal priesthood of the faithful is fulfilled. The Council postulated its restoration according to the ancient practice. Concilium ad Exsequendam Constitutionem de Sacra Liturgia published (before the first typical edition of the Missal) a basic document De oratione communi seu fidelium . The formulas for the universal prayer were given in it. They form the basis on which the national bishops’ conferences should publish their own formulas in the national language. Out of 54 models of the universal prayer given in De oratione , 11 were added in an appendix to the post-conciliar Missal. This confirms the concept that they are only examples, not a set for use in the liturgy.

A contemporary religious political movement: LDS Church’s nation-wide political campaigns

Drawing empirically on the examples of the Church of Latter-Day Saints’ (Mormon) participation in anti-ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) ratification campaign and its latest attempts to influence other political issues of moral consequences (such as same-sex marriage) in the United States, the paper attempts to analyse the dynamics of a contemporary religiously motivated political movement. Despite being, on any of these issues, a part of a wider coalition of political actors, the Mormon church displayed a specifically religious motivation, justification and modus operandi . Owing to strong religious legitimacy of their power – based on the doctrine of continuous revelation and enhanced by a sort of “personality cult” of the Church President-Prophet developing in late 20 th century – the leadership of the church has been capable of effective grassroots mobilization, achieved through a disciplined universal priesthood structure. While, from the theoretical point of view, this Mormon political movement is of a traditional, “old” variation (ideological and social cohesion of members, well-defined, stable membership, hierarchical leadership etc.) it has nevertheless been relatively successful in modern political environment. The Mormon engagement, at least in the anti-ERA campaign, had made a difference certainly in Utah, and probably elsewhere as well.

Luther’s Doctrine of Universal Priesthood and Its Implications for Today

Luther’s Doctrine of Universal Priesthood and Its Implications for Today

Karácsony Sándor, a református értékközvetítő neveléstudós

Sandor Karacsony (1891-1952) is one of the most significant teachers who had a great effect on the reformed education. Transmitting the values of the reformation can be seen both in his public and scientific life, his religion means the essence of his life. His mission is characterized by the union of the reformed faith and creating, which are to glorify God. As Calvin's follower, he feels as a duty to read the Word continuously, to fulfil his tasks in a very high niveau, to deal with his talents consciously and the hard-working and diligent work, for which he gets the spiritual force, the tireless enthusiasm from the religion. He adopted the principles of the universal priesthood, the Word and its credo to the pedagogy According to Karacsony the education should be a common work, a life-community, in which the faith of the educator is of great importance. His life philosophy is determined by the self-education, the improving of the social relationship-culture and it is important to him to work as an important member of the society.

Reformation und politisch-gesellschaftliche Emanzipation

Abstract The relevance of the reformation for the development of modern liberty rights is much debated. Although the Protestant Reformers fought for the »Freedom of a Christian« against religious patronization, they were not tolerant in a modern sense of the term. However, the Reformation released long-term impulses which contributed to the origin and formation of a modern civil society, e. g. the respect for the autonomy of the individual over against the church, the passion for education, the emphasis on the »universal priesthood of all believers«, and the appreciation of civil professions. Long historical learning processes were necessary, though, until the Protestant churches acknowledged and adopted modern liberty rights, a participatory democracy and a pluralistic society as genuine forms of expression of a Protestant ethos.

The Priesthood of Christ and Followers of Other Faiths

Those, like Karl Rahner and Jacques Dupuis, who led the way in developing a theology of religions did not introduce reflections drawn from the priesthood of Christ. Those very few (e.g. Robert Sherman) who reflect on the priesthood of Christ have not appreciated the possibilities it offers for a theology of religions. After drawing on Hebrews, Paul, and John, this article cites relevant testimony from the Feast of Christ the King and Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. It then develops six themes from Christ’s universal and eternal priesthood—in particular, what can be called the sacerdotal existential—which illuminate the situation of those who follow other religions or none at all.