Desvendando o clericalismo: A relação entre poder secular e a visão de uma igreja acolhedora, no pensamento do Papa Francisco

Abstract

We call clericalism the authoritarian attitudes of the clergy, justified by their ontological status and hierarchical power, founded over time. Although it is not possible to determine precisely where and how clericalism emerged, we can find its roots in the power relations built from the emergence of ecclesiastical Hierarchies, around the 4th century. The objective of our work is to understand clericalism as a secular power structure, which distorts the meaning of the Church and breaks communion among the Faithful. In this regard, we carried out a bibliographical review, including texts from modern historiography, Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church. In order to understand Pope Francis' thinking and his ecclesiological proposal, we look to the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, our support point. As a result of our research, we were able to understand that clericalism is a set of practices and not a theory. We believe that this research can help in reflecting on the topic of clericalism, both in an academic and pastoral sense.