E-2 The Priesthood of Christ and the Priesthood of all Believers: Connections between Priestly Christology and Ecclesiology

The idea that the priesthood of all believers derives from the priesthood of Christ is affirmed by Catholic and Protestant theologians, even though they tend to understand the Christological priesthood and the ecclesiological priesthood in different ways. Essentially, this idea implies that Christology is foundational for ecclesiology, particularly from the perspective of the priestly work of Christ. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the connection between the priesthood of all believers and the priesthood of Christ as proposed by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Gerald O’Collins. This analysis takes into account their notion of the priesthood of Christ, their understanding of the priesthood of all believers, and how they articulate the connection between the priesthood of Christ and the priesthood of all believers. Particular attention is given to their use of biblical data to support this connection. The main thesis of this study is that the affirmation of a relationship between the priesthood of all believers and the priesthood of Christ is theologically legitimate. However, the proposals analyzed in this paper reveal the need of a more sustained study of the biblical data for a proper definition of the nature of that relationship.