As Fr. Jose Eduardo Oliveira e Silva explains, the authority of the Church is a service that arises from Christ’s mandate and is not intended to dominate consciences, but to guard them in the truth that sets them free. If you wish to understand why ecclesial authority does not oppose freedom, but rather illuminates and protects it, continue reading and see how this reflection presents a horizon in which truth, responsibility, and spiritual maturity are intertwined.
Authority as a mission received from Christ
The authority of the Church is a divine gift manifested in the mission entrusted by Christ to the Apostles and their successors. This responsibility encompasses teaching, sanctifying, and governing the community of faith. It is important to emphasize that this authority is not an individual privilege, but an essential service for preserving the integrity of the Christian faith. In exercising this mission, the Church seeks to ensure that the Gospel is transmitted in a pure and undistorted manner, allowing the faithful to find security and guidance on their spiritual journey.
Jose Eduardo Oliveira e Silva explains that freedom is a complex concept and should not be confused with absolute autonomy. True freedom is intrinsically linked to the pursuit of truth. When conscience is not properly enlightened, freedom becomes susceptible to error, uncontrolled impulses, and deceptive illusions. The authority of the Church, by teaching with fidelity and commitment, offers a light that protects the faithful from paths that could lead them away from God and from His truth.
Authority as guardian of conscience, not as rival
Authority and conscience do not compete. According to Fr. Jose Eduardo Oliveira e Silva, the Church deeply respects the conscience of each faithful person, but also educates it. For conscience to judge rightly, it must be formed by doctrine. Ecclesial authority does not replace conscience, but provides criteria that help it discern with confidence. This is collaboration, not opposition.
Obedience to the authority of the Church preserves unity. When each faithful person becomes an isolated interpreter of the Gospel, divisions arise. Ecclesial authority guarantees the same faith everywhere and prevents opinions from disfiguring doctrine. Unity is not imposed uniformity, but communion built upon the truth received from Christ.
Spiritual maturity as the integration of freedom and authority
A mature spiritual life knows how to integrate authority and freedom. According to Jose Eduardo Oliveira e Silva, the faithful grow when they receive the Church’s guidance with humility, without renouncing their personal responsibility to discern. Authority offers light; freedom responds with fidelity. This integration leads to inner peace, strengthens virtues, and avoids deviations that could wound the soul. Spiritual maturity is enlightened freedom.
In the end, the authority of the Church and the freedom of the faithful show that these two realities complement one another. A mission received from Christ, freedom rooted in truth, an educated conscience, unity preserved, and spiritual maturity—all converge toward the certainty that the Church serves, not dominates. When authority is welcomed as light and freedom responds with love for the truth, the heart finds security and fulfillment.
Author: Clodayre Daine
