Transcript The Fullness of Time

THE CHURCH
Ecclesiology: the study of the
Church.
“Church”: a language lesson
• Kyriake (Greek): belonging to the Lord
• Ekklesia (Greek) :“those called out,” a
convocation or assembly
▫ Secular: legislative assembly
▫ NT: community called out of the world
to live differently
 We are summoned to:
▫ Be different (holy!)
▫ Be in the world but not of the world
▫ Gather to act on behalf of/in the name of God
▫ Be united with Christ
Church:
What does it mean
1. Catholics who gather at liturgy
liturgy – “the work of the people”
2. Local parish community
Ex: St. Michael’s, Our Lady of Lourdes
3. Universal community of believers
catholic: Greek for universal
Catholic: Proper noun referring to Roman
Catholic Church
Symbols and Images of the Church
Sheepfold -“The flock of which
God himself foretold that he
would be the shepherd…”
(CCC 754).
Cultivated field –
“That land like a
choice vineyard has
been planted by the
heavenly cultivator”
(CCC 755)
Symbols and Images Continued
• Building of God – “The Lord compared himself
to the stone which the builders rejected, but
which was made into the cornerstone, on this
foundation the Church is built by the apostles
and from it the Church receives solidity and
unity” (CCC 756)
Images and Symbols
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Body of Christ
Bride of Christ
Vine and Branches
Marian Images
People of God
Church as Mystery
• Theologically: inexhaustible – not
unknowable
• Images (models) help us to describe what we
already understand
Ex: church as servant, bride of Christ
• A reality imbued with the hidden presence of
God
▫ Emphasizes ongoing work of Jesus in
human history
Church’s Mission/Purpose
“The Church’s first purpose is to be the sacrament of the
inner union of men with God” (CCC 775).
• To continues the work and presence of Jesus Christ in
the world with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Goal: unite all things – human and divine realities in
Him.
• The Church aims to create and nourish the
relationship between each individual soul and its
Creator.
“The Church is the visible plan of God’s love for humanity
because God desires that the whole human may become one
People of God, form one Body of Christ, and be built up into
one temple of the Holy Spirit.” (Lumen Gentium)
Who makes up the Church?
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Jesus Christ
Apostles
Holy Spirit
US! All human beings
▫ Religious: Bishops, priests, nuns, etc.
▫ Lay people: everyone else
Where
EVERYWHERE
Physical (visible): structures, governance, and
people exist within the world as a part of the
Church.
Spiritual(invisible): Mystical Body of Christ;
Church in heaven.
*We are a Pilgrim Church, “We are made of the
world but not of the world.” (John 15:19)
-Complex reality of the visible and invisible
church
When
FOREVER
From the beginning of time into eternity!
God created the world to enjoy communion with
Him.
Convocation of men with Christ  convocation is
the Church
The Church, at the end of time, will be perfected in
Glory within heaven (eternal).
Visible Church: 33 A.D. – present
Invisible Church: ∞
Church History
Theological ideal vs. Reality within history
• The “how” of the Church is recorded throughout
history including all of its failures and successes.