The Establishment Hypothesis, developed by the American theologian Deacon Dominic Cerrato, is a proposed theological explanation of the origins of Holy Orders within the Catholic tradition and grounded in the Paschal Mystery. It uses the personalist thought of Pope John Paul II as the hermeneutic lens to reexamine the scriptural basis of the sacrament. It continues by examining the hypothesis proper, describing the origins of Orders as a whole, demonstrating the Christological unity and complementarity of all three degrees. The hypothesis concludes with key contributions demonstrating how it provides new insights into a more integrated theology of Orders.

 

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