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"By what authority are you acting like this?" was the question posed to Jesus by the religious leaders. (Mark 11:27) This question of authority, in matters of religion, is at the basis of most of our controversies in the church today. The word authority comes from the Latin word "auctoritas," which, in turn, comes from the word "auctor," meaning one who causes to grow. There are two forms of authority: external and internal. External authority is signified by the Latin word "imperium," and refers to the right to be obeyed.