Marks of the Church

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Marks of the Church
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Timed Round Robin

• Go around in a circle.
• Each person shares for 20 seconds
• Do not go to the next person until the time
  buzzes
• Name a mark of the Church and say what it means.

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One

• Rooted in the unity of the Trinity
• Unity is not threatened by diversity but marked
  by true peace
• Disturbing true peace and unity distance from
  Christ
• Must be one b/c Jesus came to restore unity b/t
  men and men w/ God
• The true Church subsists in the Catholic Church
  which is governed by the pope and the bishops
• true Church the same one est. by Jesus and
  entrusted to Peter
• governed by pope, etc - successors of Peter (to
  whom the Church was entrusted) and the apostles

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Role of Formal structures in One

• Existence underscores the importance of unity
• Makes unity visible in our daily lives
• Enables us to be united by common profession of
  faith
• Common worship especially in sacraments

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Unity Conformity

• Catholic ? encompasses wide variety of cultures
  and ways of being Catholic
• 7 non-Roman ecclesial traditions in union with
  Rome
• Armenian Byzantine Coptic Ethiopian
• East Syrian (Chaldean) West Syrian Maronite
• Essence is the same, form is different
• Does not cause us to lose our identity ? calls us
  to develop our individuality while maintaining
  our commitment to unity

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Wounds to Unity

1. Heresy- any belief that opposes, deviates from,
   or rejects established tradition or dogma.
   Example Arianism
2. Schisms- the rupture of ecclesiastical union and
   unity. Example Great Schism (11. c.)
3. Apostasy-A complete and voluntary rejection or
   abandonment of the religion or faith. Example
   Julian the Apostate

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Towards Unity

• Ecumenism refers to the desire and initiatives
  to reestablish communion amongst the different
  sects of Christianity.
• -Christ deeply wants his disciples to be
  unified.
• -The fullness of Christs Church subsists in
  the Catholic Church and hopes for a reconciling
  of all Christian sects.

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Ships and Sailors

1. Go West All must run to their right.
2. Go East All must run to their left.
3. Mop the Deck All must quickly pretend to mop the
   deck.
4. Captain's Coming! Everyone stands at "attention"
   (in a salute), DO NOT move until you hear "At
   Ease!"
5. Man Overboard Sailors must find a partner. One
   person drops to one knee the other stands behind
   them, puts a hand on their shoulder. Both scan
   the ocean for the overboard man.
6. Three Men Eating Sailors are to form groups of
   three and sit at a pretend table while pretend
   eating.
7. Four Men Rowing Sailors are to form groups of
   four and sit in a row on the floor. They are to
   swing their arms as if they are rowing.
8. Walk the Plank! Five people stand in a single
   file row hands on the shoulders of person in
   front of them

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Holy

• Why?
• The body of Christ ? HOLY! (the holy one of God/
  Israel)
• The HSp dwells within
• OT concept Gods holiness was only made known to
  those who drew close enough to be made holy
  (sanctified) ? not a barrier
• Those who were sanctified were changed, set a
  part for the task of expressing the holiness of
  God
• Early on Christianity understands itself as
  Judaism fulfilled.

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Role of the Church

• Assembly est. by Christ to continue Christs
  presence and work now that he is not physically
  present
• Partner (bride) of Christ in bringing the K oG
  to birth
• Reveal to the world that everything was changed
  by the incarnation and continues to be different
  b/c he is present in the HSp
• Reveal the God of love ? soul of holiness love

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Holy perfect

• We have and will continue to obscure holiness
• but that doesnt change what were meant to be!
• Some people have done horrible things in the name
  of the Church/ with Church support
• We as individuals have failed
• Fortunately.
• In every age there have been people in the Church
  who showed tremendous love theyre what were
  called to be

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• Kingdom of God Perfect
• Kingdom of God Church
• Church Perfect
• Church Sign and reality of the Kingdom of
  God

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Relationship of Church to Kingdom

• Kingdom of God broke into history through the
  Incarnation
• Barrier between human and divine destroyed
  forever united
• Jesus established the Church and proclaimed the
  coming of the kingdom
• Church is the focal point of the kingdom on earth
  but NOT its fullness
• We are in an already but not yet reality

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How does the Church Support Holiness?

• 1 Moral teachings of the Church
• practical directions on how we ought to live as
  a community set apart by our call to be the body
  of Christ
• 2 Evangelical counsels and those who live them
• Vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience
• Lived by those who seek to belong completely to
  God in service of the Kingdom because they are
  how Christ lived.
• 3 Sacraments (most important!!!!!)
• All make present the action of Christ and make
  him present. A concrete expression of holiness.
  Have the power to change people and build the
  Church

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Thinking Thursday

• You are driving down the road in your car on a
  wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop
  and you see three people waiting for the bus
• 1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to
  die.2. An old friend who once saved your
  life.3. The perfect partner you have been
  dreaming about.
• Knowing that there can only be one passenger in
  your car, whom would you choose?

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Solution

• The old lady of course! After helping the old
  lady into the car, you can give your keys to your
  friend, and wait with your perfect partner for
  the bus.

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Catholic

• A little Greek
• Universal
• In totality
• In keeping with the whole
• A little English used as a proper noun to refer
  to the Church in union with the pope, the bishop
  of Rome.

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Interesting Fact

• The Church started calling itself Catholic in
  order to distinguish itself from heretical groups
  especially Gnostics.
• Gnostics claimed to have secret knowledge and as
  a result denied the goodness of creation and the
  humanity of Christ.
• In defense of the orthodox teaching we relied on
  a broad base to refute the teachinghence in
  keeping with the whole
• Later we used the name in a broader sense to talk
  about the universality.

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The Universal Element

• Christ came for salvation for all
• Christ established the Church to be the universal
  sacrament of salvation.
• The Church is the means to salvation for all
  people and for all time!
• Salvation is found in the truth
• Hence the Churchs missionary mandate to make
  disciples of all nations making salvation
  through truth accessible to all people.
• Continues the mission of Christ as his body while
  being lead by the HSp.
• Salvation is found in the Church ? the Church is
  necessary for salvation
• All who recognize and understand this are
  obligated to live within the Church. To
  knowingly reject the body of Christ is to
  knowingly reject God apostasy (bad!!!!!)

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What about non-members of the Church?!

• The Catholic Church maintains that Baptism is
  necessary for salvation.
• Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ,
  the Church. Therefore only baptized members of
  the Church can have salvation.
• HOWEVER
• Undoubtedly, God in His infinite mercy and power
  can extend salvation to those not baptized but
  live lives of Goodness and Truth (the Gospel) are
  indeed saved. (i.e. infants before baptism, those
  who have not heard the Gospel.)

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Are Non-Catholics Saved?

• Again we must remember Gods unlimited mercy and
  power.
• God is Truth, the Roman Catholic Church subsists
  in the fullness of that Truth, other religions in
  some and certain ways come to know Truth (aka
  God) and therefore are a part of the Church!

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Church Necessary for Salvation

• Salvation is comes to the world through Jesus
• Jesus began and remains present in the Church
• Thereforethe Church is necessary
• outside the Church there is no salvation
• extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
• Harsh?
• All who recognize that the Church the Body of
  Christ are called to be a part
• To reject the Church is to reject the Body of
  Christ is to reject salvation (Bad idea!)
• People who do not know Jesus or the Church are
  NOT rejecting him

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In Keeping with the wholeOf Revelation

• Scripture the written word of God in human
  words
• Tradition the teachings of the apostles and the
  understanding and witness of Christianity
• Like a relationship develops with time
• The RCC says the way our understanding has
  deepend of what God has revealed throughout all
  generations is important because the Holy Spirit
  has been active throughout and were not free to
  disregard him.

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PLAY TELEPHONE!!!
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Apostolic

• Greek apostolos one who is sent
• Jesus was sent from God,
• Jesus sent the apostles to transform the world
• Our identity and purpose exist in our mission.
• The nature of the Church is apostolic if we
  cease being apostolic, we cease to be the
  Churchwed just be a group of people

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Ways we are faithful to our apostolic Nature

• 1 Recognizing that the Church is built on the
  foundation of the apostles sent by Christ ? we
  point to Jesus as the source and point of
  everything we do!
• 2 Living in a manner that follows the guidance
  of the HSp and remains faithful to the foundation
  est. by the apostles and scripture.
• 3 Accepting guidance through the successors of
  the apostles (bishops)

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Apostolic Succession

• Grew in importance as Christianity rapidly grew
  and spread
• A quality control of sorts as
• 1. The original apostles died and the work
  became to great
• 2. Less than orthodox teaching spread it
  answered the question of who spoke with the
  authority of Jesus and who would decide who was
  right.

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Apostolic Succession Today

• Bishops can trace their succession
• Practically speaking no bishop may teach
  anything contrary to what has been passed down by
  his successors.
• A form of protection keeps us from being too
  swayed by what is less than holy

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So why the pope?

• He is the perpetual and visible source and
  foundation of the unity of the bishops and the
  faithful
• Keeps us strong and independent
• Maintains unity
• Continually reminds us of what/who we are called
  to be

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The Great Commission

• As Disciples of Christ, members of the Church,
  under the guidance of the Pope and Holy Spirit we
  must respond to Jesus call
•  And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying,
  All authority has been given to Me in heaven and
  on earth. 19 aGo therefore and make disciples
  of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
  the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
  20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded
  you and lo, I am with you balways, even to the
  end of the age. Matthew2818-20

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• Holy Spirits role
• Make Gods will known in the Church
• Reveal God through signs and symbols Church
  makes them available and understandable
• Transform people through the signs and symbols

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Church as culmination of Salvation History

• Salvation History story of Gods action in
  human history
• Original plan from the beginning humans able to
  share in the divine life
• Through Church
• Invited into relationship with the father he
  wont abandon uscontrary to his plan!
• We are co-creators through use of talents
• Live the covenant
• We are the body of Christ on Earth