12.5 Who is running things?

When religions form organisations and institutions these can be governed by several types of organisational structures. They can include structures in which power lies with one person ( monarchies ), with several persons ( oligarchies or aristocracies ), with many persons ( democracies ), or they can have a division of power between central and local organisations. When we use terms like democracy, monarchy and so on, we are basically borrowing these terms from the study of politics and statecraft.

Monarchy

This refers to the rule by a single person and is usually applied to states where the rule is vested in one person who is the permanent head of the state. The best known monarchy in the world today is probably the constitutional monarchy of Great Britain. However, Britain is also a democracy, with a parliament and a cabinet of ministers, since the power of the king or queen of Britain is not what it used to be. Absolute monarchies are rare these days: in most monarchies, even the king or queen has to obey the law. But a few absolute monarchies do still exist. At the time of writing, King Mswati III of Swaziland rules absolutely.

In religious governance the organisation that comes closest to this type of organisation is the (Roman) Catholic Church. It has at the top of the hierarchical structure the Bishop of Rome, better known as the Pope. Catholics look to him for authentic interpretation of the Christian teaching but he is also the full, supreme and universal power over the whole Church. The body of officials that assist him in the governance of the Church is known as the Roman curia.

The Pope is elected by Cardinals (priests who are senior even to bishops and archbishops) from all over the world, but only those who are less than 80 years old. They are isolated from all outside contact (traditionally in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican) and they stay until at least two–thirds of them can agree on whom to choose. The ballot papers are burned in a fireplace, and depending on whether white or black smoke comes out of the chimney, the crowds waiting outside will know whether a new Pope has been chosen.

Under certain circumstances, such as when the Pope solemnly and officially as the pastor of the (Roman) Catholic Church defines a matter of faith or morals,he is considered to be infallible (no possibility of being wrong exists). This is called speaking ex cathedra (from the cathedral). Normally this will, however, involve previous discussions and debates with the Bishops of the Church – not every chance remark a pope makes is infallible! Pope John Paul II made such a declaration in his work Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in which he determined that women would not be allowed to become Catholic priests. Only another pope can now overturn this decision, and until then it is binding on all Catholics.