Societas Perfecta
Encyclopedia
Societas Perfecta is the name given to one of several political philosophies
of the Roman Catholic Church
in the fields of ecclesiology
and canon law
.
The doctrine teaches that the Church is a self-sufficient or independent group which already has all the necessary resources and conditions to achieve its overall goal of universal salvation of mankind. It has historically been used in order to best define Church-State relations.
Its origins can be traced to the writings of Aristotle
, who described the Polis as an amalgamation of several urban communities. The idea of "perfect community" was also present in medieval philosophy
. In direct reference to Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas
mentions the State ( "civitas") ) as a perfect community (" Communitas perfecta ").
During Enlightenment period
, the Societas Perfecta doctrine was strongly affirmed in order to better protect the Church from secular encroachments. It was also mentioned in the Magisterium of Pope
Pius IX. And especially Leo XIII, in his encyclical
Immortale Dei, explains this teaching in relation to the Church:
[...] It is a perfect society of its own kind and their own right, since it everything for their existence and their effectiveness is necessary, in accordance with the will and power of the grace
of their Founder in and of itself owns. As the goal of the Church is more sublime, its power is always far superior, and it can therefore not be considered less than the Civil state, as to not be in a state of subordination.Leo XIII.: Circular "Immortale Dei" in: Human and Community Christlicher review, Freiburg (Switzerland) 1945, p. 571-602, paragraph 852
The two perfect societies correspond to two forces, the Church and State:
The one responsible for the care of the divine dimension, the other for the human. Each one is in the highest of its kind: each has certain limits within which it moves, borders that emerged from the nature and purpose of each of the next two forces showed.
Until the Second Vatican Council
, the doctrine of the two perfect societies of Leo XIII was held to be official in theological studies. During the Council itself, as well as in the new code of Canon law, the doctrine is no longer explicitly mentioned. In the modern Catholic post-conciliar theology, it hardly has any role at all. Its abandonment was somewhat controversial.
In any event, Pope Paul VI mentioned it and summarized it in the 1969 motu proprio
Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum
on the tasks of the papal legate
:
It cannot be disputed that the duties of Church and State belong to different orders. Church and state are in their own area perfect societies. That means: They have their own legal system and all necessary resources. They are also, within their respective jurisdiction, entitled to apply its laws. On the other hand, it must not be overlooked that they are both aiming at a similar welfare, namely that the people of God is to obtain eternal salvation.
Political philosophy
Political philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the fields of ecclesiology
Ecclesiology
Today, ecclesiology usually refers to the theological study of the Christian church. However when the word was coined in the late 1830s, it was defined as the science of the building and decoration of churches and it is still, though rarely, used in this sense.In its theological sense, ecclesiology...
and canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
The doctrine teaches that the Church is a self-sufficient or independent group which already has all the necessary resources and conditions to achieve its overall goal of universal salvation of mankind. It has historically been used in order to best define Church-State relations.
Its origins can be traced to the writings of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, who described the Polis as an amalgamation of several urban communities. The idea of "perfect community" was also present in medieval philosophy
Medieval philosophy
Medieval philosophy is the philosophy in the era now known as medieval or the Middle Ages, the period roughly extending from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century AD to the Renaissance in the sixteenth century...
. In direct reference to Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
mentions the State ( "civitas") ) as a perfect community (" Communitas perfecta ").
During Enlightenment period
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
, the Societas Perfecta doctrine was strongly affirmed in order to better protect the Church from secular encroachments. It was also mentioned in the Magisterium of Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius IX. And especially Leo XIII, in his encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
Immortale Dei, explains this teaching in relation to the Church:
[...] It is a perfect society of its own kind and their own right, since it everything for their existence and their effectiveness is necessary, in accordance with the will and power of the grace
Divine grace
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
of their Founder in and of itself owns. As the goal of the Church is more sublime, its power is always far superior, and it can therefore not be considered less than the Civil state, as to not be in a state of subordination.Leo XIII.: Circular "Immortale Dei" in: Human and Community Christlicher review, Freiburg (Switzerland) 1945, p. 571-602, paragraph 852
The two perfect societies correspond to two forces, the Church and State:
The one responsible for the care of the divine dimension, the other for the human. Each one is in the highest of its kind: each has certain limits within which it moves, borders that emerged from the nature and purpose of each of the next two forces showed.
Until the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, the doctrine of the two perfect societies of Leo XIII was held to be official in theological studies. During the Council itself, as well as in the new code of Canon law, the doctrine is no longer explicitly mentioned. In the modern Catholic post-conciliar theology, it hardly has any role at all. Its abandonment was somewhat controversial.
In any event, Pope Paul VI mentioned it and summarized it in the 1969 motu proprio
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum
Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum
The papal bull Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum issued in 1814 by Pope Pius VII reestablished the Society of Jesus . Pius VII had earlier, with the brief Catholicae Fidei , approved the existence of the Society of Jesus in Russia...
on the tasks of the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
:
It cannot be disputed that the duties of Church and State belong to different orders. Church and state are in their own area perfect societies. That means: They have their own legal system and all necessary resources. They are also, within their respective jurisdiction, entitled to apply its laws. On the other hand, it must not be overlooked that they are both aiming at a similar welfare, namely that the people of God is to obtain eternal salvation.
Sources
- Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, State - Society - The Church, in: Writings on the State - Society - Church III, Freiburg 1990, p. 113-211
- Joseph Listl, Church and State in the recent Catholic Church Law, Berlin 1978