Green on Article XXVI: Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament

The Donatists1 (in North Africa, a.d. 31 1— 415) acted upon the principle that no one who is excommunicated, or who deserves to be excommunicated , can validly perform any sacramental action ; and this opinion was revived by Wiclif 2 (1324—1384), who seems to have held that a priest living in mortal sin is ipso facto degraded from his priesthood, so that all sacraments ministered by such an one are invalid. It is obvious that, according to this theory, no one would ever know for certain whether any sacrament was valid or not, because the state of the officiating Minister’s soul can really be known to God alone.

1 The Donatists are expressly condemned by name in the Augsburg Con¬ session (quoted above, §1). Cf. also the Second Helvetic Confession, Art. XVIII. : —

“ Caeterum execramur in praesenti Donatistarum errorem, qui doctrinam et admin istrationem sacramentorum, vel efficacem vel inefficacem, ex mala vel bona ministrorum vita aestimant.”

2 A Council held at Blackfriars (1382) condemned a series of propositions embodying the doctrines of Wiclif ; amongst them was the following : —

“ That if a bishop or a priest be in mortal sin he cannot ordain, consecrate, or baptize.”

The Council of Trent (Session VII., March 1547) passed the following Canon (On the Sacraments, XI.) : —

“ Si quis dixerit, in ministris, duni Sacramenta conficiunt et con- ferunt, non requiri intentionem saltern faciendi quod facit Ecclesia ; anathema sit.”

From this doctrine of the necessity of “ intention ” 1 on the part of the Minister, it follows that if he withhold his inward assent, either from personal unbelief, from ill-will, or whatever cause, the act is void and conveys no grace. Thus is the effect of the Sacraments made to depend upon the worthiness of the Minister.2

The Eastern Church holds that the validity of the Sacraments is in no way affected by unworthiness in the Minister.

Cf. the “ Holy Catechism ” (Orthodox Eastern Church) by Nicolas Bulgaris, where it is said of an unworthy Minister : —

“ Certainly he celebrates a Mystery, since he has, as we said, the seal of the Mystery of the Priesthood, and the stamp in¬ delibly, and the Mysteries entirely take place through the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, and the Blood of endless power which was shed from Christ’s side, that is through the supernatural power which Christ gave of the Mysteries being effected every day unto the end of the age. And this all the theologians in common assert, saying that the Mysteries do not proceed as from the agent, or as from the priest who celebrates them, but as from that which is performed, namely, as from the Mystery celebrated ” (p. 26).

§ 3.— EXPOSITION.

( 1 .) In the Church the evil and good are mingled.

In the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good.

Our Lord illustrated the nature of the Church in many parables. The kingdom of heaven is likened by Him —

(a) To a field where tares are mingled with the wheat (S. Matt. xiii. 24—30).

1 Previously to the Council of Trent the doctrine of “intention” was merely a scholastic opinion, but it has Papal sanction as early as 1439, when it appears in a hull of Eugenius IV.

[…]

“No one can be certain, with the certainty of faith, that he receives a true sacrament, because the sacrament cannot be valid without the intention of the minister, and no man can see another’s intention.”

(b) To a “net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind ” {Ibid. 47, 48).

( c ) To a marriage feast to which the servants “ gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good ” {Ibid. xxii. 8-14).

(2.) Even if the evil be in authority we may use their

Sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments : yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, hut in Christ’s, and do minister by His commission and authority, we may use their Ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in the receiving of the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them, which be effectual because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.

The Ministers of the Church do not administer their own Sacraments, but Christ’s, and the Church in receiving the Sacraments has respect unto Christ Himself, and not to the Minister, so that it receives them not so much from the Minister as from Christ Himself through the Minister {cf. 2 Cor. v. 20 ; 1 Cor. iii. 5 —7; Acts iii. 12, 16; and see especially S. Matt, xxiii. 2, 3, where our Lord enjoins that the ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees, who were personally unworthy, is to be used in observing the precepts of the Mosaic Law). The virtue and efficacy of Sacra¬ ments, since it depends solely on “ Christ’s institution and promise,” cannot be hindered by unworthiness in the Minister. The source of the spiritual blessing conveyed to the faithful recipient is Christ’s promise, not the goodness of the Minister.1

(3.) Church discipline should provide for the removal of such Ministers as are proved to be unworthy.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by

1 Very many passages in S. Augustine’s treatise, “De Baptismo contra

Donatistos,” have an intimate bearing upon the subject of our Article ; e.g. : —

“ Baptismus vero Christi verbis evangelicis consecratus et per adulteros et in adulteris sanctus est, quamvis illi sunt impudici et immundi ; quia ipsa ejus sanctitas pollui non potest, et in Sacramento suo divina virtus assistit, sive ad salutem bene utentium, sive ad perniciem male utentium.”

those that have knowledge of their offences, and finally, being found guilty by just judgment, be deposed,1

Some special prerogatives and responsibilities of Ministers are acknowledged not only by the Church, but by every sect ; and even those who take a low view of the Ministry demand a high standard of life from those who are the selected Ministers of the Congregation. Much more, therefore, should this be the case with the Church, which regards the Priest¬ hood of its Ministers as a delegation, not so much from the Body, but rather from the Priesthood of the Head, Jesus Christ (cf. Lev. x. 3 ; 1 Tim. iii. 2,3; Tit. i. 7, 8). From the very earliest times provision has been made for the removal of unworthy Ministers, by whose conduct the holy Name of God is dishonoured and the consciences of the brethren offended (1 Tim. v. I, 19, 20; vi. 3—5). It is a matter for much regret that the legal machinery for re¬ moving clergy of known evil life has in the English Church for so long a time been difficult to work. Recent legislation has, however, done something towards rendering it more effectual.

1 Cf. Second Helvetic Confession, Art. XVIII.

“ Atqui debet interim justa esse inter ministros disciplina. Inquirendum enim diiigenter in doctrinam et vitam ministrorum in synodis. Corripiendi sunt peccantes a senioribus, et in viam reducendi, si sunt sanabiles, aut deponendi, et velut lupi abigendi sunt per veros pastures a grege Dominico, si sunt incurabiles.”