The Principle of Unity

“If someone does not hold fast to the unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?” (St. Cyprian of Carthage (c. 251 AD), The Unity of the Catholic Church, 4)

     Even in Old Testament times, the Israelite people were organized around a hierarchical structure that gave solidity and unity to their religious expression. Israelite worship was centered around the institutions of the High Priest, the Aaronic priesthood, and the Levites. These institutions were supplemented in post- Exilic times by the addition of an entire class of scribes and rabbis.

     This whole religious structure was centered on the Temple in Jerusalem, where animal sacrifice was offered day and night to God. The Temple institutions came from God Himself and, besides being the means the Israelites used to worship God, were also a principle of unity for the Israelite nation and the Temple and the continuation of the High Priesthood were signs of God’s abiding presence with the people of Israel.