SENSUS FIDEI OF THE ENTIRE FAITHFUL AS THE BASIS FOR MAGISTERIUM

Abstract

The Author examines the role of the sense of faith (sensus fidei) of the entire believing Christian community and how it forms the basis for the official teaching of the Church. It all depends upon the notions of revelation and faith and the ecclesial models we have. In the pyramidal-hierarchical model of the Church, revelation is God’s communication of certain dogmatic truths entrusted to the Church by Christ and his Apostles and it is faithfully handed down by the official teaching authority of the Church. The people of God or the community remains at the bottom of the pyramid just to receive everything from above. On the contrary, if we understand revelation as God’s selfcommunication to his people and the Church as a community of “People of God,” we have a “Communion” model ecclesiology, where revelation and faith will be seen as deposited in the entire people of God, and the entire community has a decisive role in determining the content of revelation and faith and in interpreting and communicating it. Christian revelation and faith is in continuous progress growing towards the fullness of the truth. The entire people of God and its sensus fidei led by the Holy Spirit, is the basis and controlling factor in this spiritual movement. Here the Church remains an open community with flexible and open boundaries, but rooted in faith and ultimate hope.