Authority

The notion of authority features in ethics, politics, law, and religion in ways that can sometimes seem paradoxical. In ethics, the idea of authority is presupposed in the moral instruction of children whether by parent, guardian or teacher. It also features in the idea of a standard of correct moral judgement variously represented by the ‘ideal observer’, the ‘virtuous agent’, and the ‘moral exemplar’. On the other hand there are strong tendencies in recent and contemporary ethical thought that emphasise moral autonomy, freedom of conscience and personal choice and these seem to tell against the idea of external moral authorities. In law and politics the question of the authority of government is connected to that of rule backed by the legitimate threat of coercive force, but there is common concern to limit this power as restrictive of freedom. In religion, believers typically adhere to doctrines and practices handed on by authoritative texts or teachers, but again it is often said ‘creeds’ and ‘dogmas’ are at odds with personal religious conviction. The way through these seeming tensions lies with a distinction between three notions of authority: 1) expertise, 2) guiding role, and 3) power of command. 1) relates to knowledge or skill, 2) concerns a function necessary for a practice, and 3) has to do with directing activity. There are connections between these notions but they are nevertheless distinct. Having a guiding role or power of command need not be based on expertise, equally expertise does not necessarily imply directing or commanding others, and being a guide does not entail having power of command. In the context of Catholicism the central idea of authority is not that of personal expertise or commanding power, but of a guiding role with respect to matters of faith and morals. This is expressed in terms of the Church’s ‘magisterium’ (from magister = teacher) or teaching authority which takes two forms: ordinary and extraordinary magisteria. Both are concerned with preserving, interpreting, applying and proclaiming divine revelation as contained in scripture and apostolic tradition. The first is located in teaching given by bishops singly or collectively and by Church bodies charged with this responsibility. The second is the preserve of Ecumenical Councils of the Church, and of the Pope in his role as ‘Supreme Pontiff’, when Council or Pope define or solemnly declare a teaching to be part of authentic Catholic faith and practice.