威

威德

Authority. As a theological concept, authority is much misunderstood. In contrast to, say, political or military authority, which is vested with powers to secure obedience, if necessary, by force, authority in religion is a spiritually compelling person, book, or tradition that so fundamentally affects and influences us that we recognize in him or her or it a spiritual power which, in the Quaker phrase, "speaks to our condition" and to which therefore we look for guidance. It is contrasted with yet cannot be totally divorced from, our personal experience of spiritual realities. It arises from an unfolding to us ("revelation") of spiritual truth that we have found, for example, in a particular literature such as the Bible or in a particular teacher. For Christians, Jesus Christ is accepted as the supreme revelation of God to humankind.

Geddes MacGregor, Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy, New York: Paragon House, 1989

authority : (nt.) issariya; ādhipacca; pabhutta.

A.P. Buddhadatta Mahathera, Concise Pali-English and English-Pali Dictionary [available as digital version from Metta Net, Sri Lanka]