Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND

Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS

Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

Lesson 3: Leaders of the early Church and its

System of Authority

Overview
Jesus conferred authority on his twelve apostles. Then, the apostles preached the gospel
through all the world by baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - Matthew
28: 19 – 20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” With this,
the Church slowly organized itself and developed a system of authority in response to a
variety of situations that existed in different places. It becomes an institution that assumes
a clear system of authority with its hierarchy of bishops, priests, and deacons. Thus, in this
module, we will understand the leaders of the early church and its system of authority.

Learning
Outcomes

At the end of this module, you will:

1. Know the leaders of the early church and its system of authority.
2. Identify ways on how to become a servant leader.
3. Compose and offer prayers for the leaders of the Church.

BECOMING AWARE OF OUR COMMON EXPERIENCES

A. Life Situation
The Student Affairs Office will spearhead a memo posted on the Facebook page
informing and reminding all students from all levels to prepare for an election of
officers of their respective departments. Included in the memo are the steps for the
entire stretch of the election process: registration of candidacy, campaign period,
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

meeting de avance, casting of ballots, counting of ballots, the proclamation of winners,

and oath-taking.
The office also reminded all levels that those elected officers will automatically become
the representative of the Central Student Government.

1. Why is there a need to choose and elect officers for an organization?

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2. Why is there a need to follow the election process respectively?

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3. Give at least five ways on how to become committed and empowered officers?
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An election is an essential part of democracy. People choose their representatives through the process of
election. Hence, it gives us the power to elect who will lead and bring about development and growth in
the organization. In like manner, in history, the early Church leaders were also chosen and elected to lead
the people. Their zeal for service and dedication will inspire us to become inner-directed and Vincentian
leaders.
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

B. Value Integration: Zeal for Service

1. What is zeal for service?
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2. What do you mean by “great power comes great responsibility”?
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3. As a student, how can you actively express your faith through zeal for service?
Give at least three concrete examples.
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Linkage: A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as a leader.
People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a
source of inspiration and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Thus, the gospel according
to Luke tells us a story on how Jesus chooses the 12 apostles – they manifested great zeal for service in the
early church and became the great leaders of the early church.

LEARNING OUR CATHOLIC FAITH

A. WORD OF GOD: Luke 6: 12 – 16 tells us about that Jesus chooses the Twelve
Apostles. Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they
came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send
them out to preach.
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

“When morning came, he called his disciples

to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also
designated apostles: Simon (whom he named
Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called
the Zealot, Judas son of James (also known as
Thaddaeus, the name that is used in Matthew
and Mark), and Judas Iscariot, who became a
traitor.”

Reflection Questions:

1. Why did Jesus choose only twelve disciples?

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2. What is the difference between disciples and apostles?
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3. How might you more fully devote your entire life to follow the Lord?
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Linkage: From the very beginning, Jesus gave the authority to the apostles particularly to Peter when He
said: “I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you declare bound on earth shall
be bound in heaven; whatever you declare loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” From these phrases,
we can trace the authority and power given to Peter, the first bishop of the church and was passed in
succession to the succeeding popes or bishops.
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

B. CHURCH TEACHING: Leadership and authority of the leaders of the Church can be
traced in Matthew 16: 13 – 19. From this we can see that the authority and power given to
Peter, the first bishop of the Church, and was passed in succession to the succeeding popes and
bishops.

The term bishop was originally Greek, “episkopos,” meaning

“supervisor or overseer.” It was gradually adopted by the Church
and was nearly synonymous at first with the word for elders,
presbyter. These elders or bishops governed the churches
collectively at first but gradually one man took over the power and
concentrated the various ministerial works with his hands. This
man was now called bishop to distinguish him from presbyters
who were his subordinates. The bishop was the center of the
congregation and all – important functions were vested in him and
he alone has the right to lead public worship and administer the
sacraments. The authority of the bishop was handed to him by the
virtue of his succession in a line reaching back to the apostles
themselves. The implication was that his teaching would be
therefore be in conformity with his predecessor.

In like manner the term “episkopos” is used for overseer in various senses, for example: officers (Judges
9:28, Isaiah 60:17), supervisors of funds (2 Chronicles 34:12, 17), overseers of priests and Levites
(Nehemiah 11:9, 2 Kings 11:18), and of temple and tabernacle functions (Numbers 4:16). God is called
“episkopos” at Job 20:29, referring to His role as Judge, and Christ is an “episkopos” in 1 Peter 2:25 –
“Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

THE FIRST CENTURY

POPES

The word pope derives from

Greek πάππας (páppas),
meaning 'father'.
In the early centuries of
Christianity, this title was
applied, especially in the
east, to all bishops and other
senior clergy, and later
became reserved in the west
to the Bishop of Rome,
a reservation made official
only in the 11th century.
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS lived and wrote in the second half of the first century and the first half of
the second century. They were taught by the Apostles and personally witnessed the birth of the Church.
They were the ones empowered by the Holy Spirit and who personally handed on the oral teaching of Jesus
Christ, before the New Testament canon was collected in the late 4th century and then translated into Latin
by a later Church Father, St. Jerome.

St. CLEMENT is actually mentioned in the Bible – in Philippians 4:3. Before he died in
about the year 96, he wrote an epistle (1 Clement) calling on the Christians of Corinth to
maintain harmony and order. His letter was copied and widely read in the early Church,
and it is the earliest Christian epistle outside the New Testament.

St. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (c. 35-110): He was the third bishop of Antioch (the see of
Peter before he went to Rome) and a student of John the Evangelist, believed to be the
author of the Gospel of John. En route to his martyrdom in Rome, where he was devoured
by lions in the colosseum, Ignatius wrote a series of letters which we still have today. His
hastily-written letters covered many topics: ecclesiology, the sacraments, the authority of
bishops, and the Sabbath. He stressed the value of the Eucharist, and he coined the term
"Catholic Church."

St. POLYCARP OF SMYRNA (c. 69-c. 155): He was a bishop of Smyrna (now Izmir,
Turkey) and a disciple of John the Evangelist known more for his spectacular martyrdom
than anything he wrote. Around 155, Polycarp was captured and dragged to the stadium to
be burned alive for not paying homage to the emperor. He shouted to the watching
proconsul: "You threaten me with fire, which burns for an hour, and after a little is
extinguished. But you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal
punishment ... What are you waiting for? Bring forth what you will." Many witnesses
reported that the rising flames did not burn his body. Losing patience, his killers stabbed
him to death, and so much blood flowed from his body that the fire was doused.
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

Give at least three reasons that made the structure and authority of the Church durable?

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C. SUMMARY:
Doctrine: The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also
assigned to the college of apostles united to its head. This pastoral office of Peter and
the other apostles belongs to the Church's very foundation and is continued by the
bishops under the primacy of the Pope. (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 881).
Moral: live a moral life according to the word of God and the guidance of the
Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that Lay people also fulfill their
prophetic mission by evangelization, "that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and
the testimony of life.
Worship: We should pray for the leaders of the Church. The Catechism of the
Catholic Church # 2720 invites us, the faithful to regular prayer: daily prayers, the
Liturgy of the Hours, Sunday Eucharist, the feasts of the liturgical year.
 Universidad de Sta Isabel Religious Education 103: CHURCH AND
Elias Angeles St., Naga city SACRAMENTS
Website: www.usi.edu.ph
Fax: (63) (054) 472-28-71
Jose B. Abion Jr .
[email protected]
A/Y 2020 - 2021

LIVING OUT OUR FAITH ________

1. Nowadays, the leaders of the church are being criticized by the national government because
of their comment/remark on the social issues happening in the government like terror law and
the death penalty. Do you think, the leaders of the church have the right and obligation to
condemn these social issues? Explain
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Compose a short prayer for the leaders of the Church particulars the Bishops.

References

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church. 1994. ECCCE Word & Life Publication
2. Calsado, Ricardo and Manaog Jesus. I Am Sending You. Rex printing company Inc. 2011
3. https://catholicnewsherald.com/faith/198-news/faith/faith-facts/497-the-fathers-of-the-church (Accessed August 3 2020)
4. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/ (Accessed August 3 2020)
5. http//www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/(Accessed August 3 2020)
6. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06001a.htm(Accessed August 3 2020)
7. http://www.churchfathers.org and at http://www.staycatholic.com/early_church_fathers.htm(Accessed August 3 2020)
8. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/darmstrong/answers-to-questions-about-apostolic-(Accessed August 3 2020)
9. succession?fbclid=IwAR2WjPbQ9DNFTCg77ezmwBET41qLHWjK0-PtmVr0ms4C-k3n3j9yu1RnBPI(Accessed August 3 2020)
10. https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=apostolic%20succession&epa=SEARCH_BOX(Accessed August 3 2020)