Kryzys władzy w Kościele i kolegialność
A crisis of authority in the Church and the collegiality

Summary/Abstract: The modern Church is undoubtedly troubled by a crisis of authority. This actual problem has been noticed quite long ago, which was clearly acknowledged by the session of the Second Vatican Council and the statements made there concerning this delicate issue. The conciliar documents touch upon this difficult matter at numerous points, although there has been no holistic and renewed conclusion drawn yet dealing with the issue of the authority and its exercise in the Church. Having regard to the appropriate preaching of the Gospel, we have to discuss the question of authority in general and the question of the holy and spiritual authority in particular, in an open and decisive way agreeing from the start to certain necessary actualisations. Here we point out that the idea of collegiality introduced in conciliar teaching manifests itself especially as an important or even key attempt to answer to the crisis of authority. We propound certain ideas dealing with the notion, but mostly we emphasise the consequences which stem from this idea for the understanding of joint responsibility for the Church, which appears to be the fundamental message of the Second Vatican Council. The Church belongs to Jesus Christ, however all the believers are summoned to take care of it.

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