Church Government

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the derivation of the basic structure of the Catholic Church from biblical texts and tradition as well as the range of types of church government from the centralization of power in the Catholic Church to much simpler structures for smaller church groups. The writer provides an overview of the history of church government, beginning with the apostles in the New Testament, and identifies three main models of church government: Episcopal, with presiding bishop/ archbishop councils; Presbyterial, with authority in the hands of the elders; and Congregational, with a democratic leadership of the church members. The writer also discusses the relationship of church and state and how it has changed through the centuries, particularly after the Reformation. The role of church government with regard to organizing and managing the church and deciding matters of church doctrine is also discussed. The paper concludes that the leadership of all churches, Catholic and Protestant, is under pressure today from followers for a variety of reasons.

Outline:
Introduction
The Early Church
The Catholic Church Government
Church Government and Secular Government
Government and Protestantism
Ongoing Changes
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Augustine saw government as a necessary control on earth, while the real power and guidance came from the City of god and not the City of Man. For Augustine, no government could create human happiness, and all that government could do was to place a limit on human evil by protecting the innocent and punishing the criminal. Government can perform its best effort by creating conditions on earth where the Church would be free to do its work of bringing people to God, for that is where human happiness really lies."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Allen, Alexander V. G. Christian Institutions. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1897.
• Augustine, City of God. New York: Penguin, 2003.
• Bokenkotter, Thomas. A Concise History of the Catholic Church. Garden City, New York: 1977.
• Bowle, John. Western Political Thought (New York: Oxford University Press, 1948.
• Broderick, Bill. "Does Your Diocese Have a Council?" Commonweal, Volume 122, Issue 18 (October 20, 1995), 12.

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• Essay # 4478 : "Separation of Church and State in America"
• Analytical Essay # 123528 : "Presbyterian Local Church"
• Essay # 48838 : "Polygamy in the Mormon Church"

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