Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that there should not be different duties or states in the Church. For distinction is opposed to unity. Now the faithful of Christ are called to unity according to Jn. 17:21,22: "That they . . . may be one in Us . . . as We also are one." Therefore there should not be a distinction of duties and states in the Church.

Objection 2: Further, nature does not employ many means where one suffices. But the working of grace is much more orderly than the working of nature. Therefore it were more fitting for things pertaining to the operations of grace to be administered by the same persons, so that there would not be a distinction of duties and states in the Church.

Objection 3: Further, the good of the Church seemingly consists chiefly in peace, according to Ps. 147:3, "Who hath placed peace in thy borders," and 2 Cor. 13:11, "Have peace, and the God of peace . . . shall be with you." Now distinction is a hindrance to peace, for peace would seem to result from likeness, according to Ecclus. 13:19, "Every beast loveth its like," while the Philosopher says (Polit. vii, 5) that "a little difference causes dissension in a state." Therefore it would seem that there ought not to be a distinction of states and duties in the Church.

On the contrary, It is written in praise of the Church (Ps. 44:10) that she is "surrounded with variety": and a gloss on these words says that "the Queen," namely the Church, "is bedecked with the teaching of the apostles, the confession of martyrs, the purity of virgins, the sorrowings of penitents."

I answer that, The difference of states and duties in the Church regards three things. In the first place it regards the perfection of the Church. For even as in the order of natural things, perfection, which in God is simple and uniform, is not to be found in the created universe except in a multiform and manifold manner, so too, the fulness of grace, which is centered in Christ as head, flows forth to His members in various ways, for the perfecting of the body of the Church. This is the meaning of the Apostle's words (Eph. 4:11,12): "He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors for the perfecting of the saints." Secondly, it regards the need of those actions which are necessary in the Church. For a diversity of actions requires a diversity of men appointed to them, in order that all things may be accomplished without delay or confusion; and this is indicated by the Apostle (Rm. 12:4,5), "As in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office, so we being many are one body in Christ." Thirdly, this belongs to the dignity and beauty of the Church, which consist in a certain order; wherefore it is written (3 Kgs. 10:4,5) that "when the queen of Saba saw all the wisdom of Solomon . . . and the apartments of his servants, and the order of his ministers . . . she had no longer any spirit in her." Hence the Apostle says (2 Tim. 2:20) that "in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth."

Reply to Objection 1: The distinction of states and duties is not an obstacle to the unity of the Church, for this results from the unity of faith, charity, and mutual service, according to the saying of the Apostle (Eph. 4:16): "From whom the whole body being compacted," namely by faith, "and fitly joined together," namely by charity, "by what every joint supplieth," namely by one man serving another.

Reply to Objection 2: Just as nature does not employ many means where one suffices, so neither does it confine itself to one where many are required, according to the saying of the Apostle (1 Cor. 12:17), "If the whole body were the eye, where would be the hearing?" Hence there was need in the Church, which is Christ's body, for the members to be differentiated by various duties, states, and grades.

Reply to Objection 3: Just as in the natural body the various members are held together in unity by the power of the quickening spirit, and are dissociated from one another as soon as that spirit departs, so too in the Church's body the peace of the various members is preserved by the power of the Holy Spirit, Who quickens the body of the Church, as stated in Jn. 6:64. Hence the Apostle says (Eph. 4:3): "Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Now a man departs from this unity of spirit when he seeks his own; just as in an earthly kingdom peace ceases when the citizens seek each man his own. Besides, the peace both of mind and of an earthly commonwealth is the better preserved by a distinction of duties and states, since thereby the greater number have a share in public actions. Wherefore the Apostle says (1 Cor. 12:24,25) that "God hath tempered together that there might be no schism in the body, but the members might be mutually careful one for another."

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod in ecclesia non debeat esse diversitas officiorum vel statuum. Diversitas enim unitati repugnat. Sed fideles christi ad unitatem vocantur, secundum illud Ioan. XVII, ut sint unum in nobis, sicut et nos unum sumus.

Ergo in ecclesia non debet esse diversitas officiorum vel statuum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, natura non facit per multa quod potest per unum facere.

Sed operatio gratiae est multo ordinatior quam operatio naturae.

Ergo convenientius esset quod ea quae pertinent ad actus gratiae, per eosdem homines administrarentur, ita ut non esset in ecclesia diversitas officiorum et statuum.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, bonum ecclesiae maxime videtur in pace consistere, secundum illud Psalmi, qui posuit fines tuos pacem.

Et II ad Cor. Ult. Dicitur, pacem habete, et deus pacis erit vobiscum.

Sed diversitas est impeditiva pacis, quam similitudo causare videtur, secundum illud Eccli. XIII, omne animal diligit simile sibi.

Et philosophus dicit, in VII polit., quod modica differentia facit in civitate dissidium. Ergo videtur quod non oporteat in ecclesia esse diversitatem statuum et officiorum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod in Psalmo in laudem ecclesiae dicitur quod est circumamicta varietate, ubi dicit Glossa quod doctrina apostolorum, et confessione martyrum, et puritate virginum et lamento poenitentium, ornatur regina, idest ecclesia.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod diversitas statuum et officiorum in ecclesia ad tria pertinet. Primo quidem, ad perfectionem ipsius ecclesiae. Sicut enim in rerum naturalium ordine perfectio, quae in deo simpliciter et uniformiter invenitur, in universitate creaturarum inveniri non potuit nisi difformiter et multipliciter ita etiam plenitudo gratiae, quae in christo sicut in capite adunatur, ad membra eius diversimode redundat, ad hoc quod corpus ecclesiae sit perfectum.

Et hoc est quod apostolus dicit, ad Ephes. IV, ipse dedit quosdam quidem apostolos, quosdam autem prophetas, alios vero evangelistas, alios autem pastores et doctores, ad consummationem sanctorum.

Secundo autem pertinet ad necessitatem actionum quae sunt in ecclesia necessariae. Oportet autem ad diversas actiones diversos homines deputari, ad hoc quod expeditius et sine confusione omnia peragantur.

Et hoc est quod apostolus dicit, Rom. XII, sicut in uno corpore multa membra habemus, omnia autem membra non eundem actum habent, ita multi unum corpus sumus in christo.

Tertio hoc pertinet ad dignitatem et pulchritudinem ecclesiae, quae in quodam ordine consistit.

Unde dicitur III Reg. X, quod videns regina Saba omnem sapientiam Salomonis, et habitacula servorum et ordines ministrantium, non habebat ultra spiritum.

Unde et apostolus dicit, II ad Tim. II, quod in magna domo non solum sunt vasa aurea et argentea, sed et lignea et fictilia.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod diversitas statuum et officiorum non impedit ecclesiae unitatem, quae perficitur per unitatem fidei et caritatis et mutuae subministrationis, secundum illud apostoli, ad Ephes. IV, ex quo totum corpus est compactum, scilicet per fidem, et connexum, scilicet per caritatem, per omnem iuncturam subministrationis, dum scilicet unus alii servit.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod sicut natura non facit per multa quod potest facere per unum, ita etiam non coarctat in unum id ad quod multa requiruntur, secundum illud apostoli, I ad Cor. XII, si totum corpus oculus, ubi auditus? unde et in ecclesia, quae est corpus christi, oportuit membra diversificari secundum diversa officia, status et gradus.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod sicut in corpore naturali membra diversa continentur in unitate per virtutem spiritus vivificantis quo abscedente membra corporis separantur; ita etiam in corpore ecclesiae conservatur pax diversorum membrorum virtute spiritus sancti, qui corpus ecclesiae vivificat, ut habetur Ioan. VI. Unde apostolus dicit, Ephes. IV, solliciti servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis.

Discedit autem aliquis ab hac unitate spiritus dum quaerit quae sibi sunt propria, sicut etiam in terrena civitate pax tollitur ex hoc quod cives singuli quae sua sunt quaerunt. Alioquin, per officiorum et statuum distinctionem tam mentis quam in civitate terrena magis pax conservatur, inquantum per haec plures sunt qui communicant actibus publicis.

Unde et apostolus dicit, I ad Cor. XII, quod deus sic temperavit ut non sit schisma in corpore, sed pro invicem sollicita sint membra.