ecclesiology test

the study of the church

• the church is essential to christianity & christian spirituality.

church community

spiritual, religious

• “ekklesia”

• greek verb “ek-ka-lein”=”to call out”

• refers to a group of people who are called and gathered together by God to have communion with him.

• group

• communion w/ God

• called & gathered together by God

a relation of unity that preserves good difference.

• sharing together in a common unity

• unity of love

called “communion” because thats what the eucharist makes.

in the christian usage, the word “church” has 3 meanings:

1.) Entire community

2.) A local community

3.) A community

• God’s people around the world

• “universal church”

• they are united in faith & baptism

• “local church”

• referred to as a “diocese”

• often a “parish”

• gathered for the celebration of mass

a particular area that has a bishop in charge of priests working with him.

communion

• all of catholicism is about God seeking communion with you and you responding to form communion w/ God and each other.

God and others

establish the church

the church was created first of all, for this reason she is old. and for her sake the world was made.

• gathering creation into communion/relationship with him and each other.

the story of the church

• foreshadowed in OT Israel

• revealed on pentecost

• completed at end

passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

• the church as the gathering together of all people cannot fully appear until after this.

• sin is the cause of the scattering of humankind (the fall to Babel).

• sin must be defeated before humans can be gathered together.

God is the father, the son, and the holy spirit.

• 3 divine persons, 1 divine essence.

• each person is equally divine.

• each divine person is entirely distinct as a person.

• each person is because of relationship with other two.

• the father is because he eternally generates the son out of love.

• the son is because he is eternally generated out of love.

• the spirit is because he is eternally ‘breathed’ by father and son out of love.

• eternal ‘whirlpool’ of love.

• then God’s being is one of communion, relationship, and love.

• then God creates to gather us into trinitarian communion/relationship/love.

the mission and of being

• shape lives of members of the church.

• church on the way

• bringing others into the communion of God and humankind.

• the church as it is in its heart and will be entirely.

• simply being the communion of God and humankind.

the fullness of communion w/ God and one another.

• we are saved from sin and death and for eternal love/life.

the visible sign of the church

the invisible sign of the church

“holy order”

• maintains the unity and mission.

it has within herself the fullness of the means of salvation (grace).

• sacraments

• revelation

• holy orders

• evangelize

• initiate

• combat evil

• to bring salvation (communion) to the world.

the church is salvation

• there is no salvation outside of the invisible communion that the visible church reveals.

“God desires that all be saved and come to knowledge of the truth”. Timothy 2:4

• why?

• Christ died for all

• grace precedes entry into the church

• all desire communion with God

• all can live well, make decisions according to conscience

• rays of truth found throughout the world and human cultures

you become a part of Christ

• helps God to dwell in us, and us to dwell in God.

• Changing of reality of bread & wine into body and blood of Christ

• So that

• People can be changed into members of Christ’s body

• Jesus + Church= “whole Christ”

the church is the body of Christ

• our union with Christ and one another is invisible

• eucharist makes the church

habits of excellence being a good person of temperance.

• Spirit animates and sanctifies the church

• Active in liturgy and sacraments

• Empowers members to grow in virtue

• Soul;human body;spirit;church