Understanding the Church: Its Origins, Mission, and Structure
Understanding the Church
Key Concepts
Chrism
Oil set (Ash Wednesday at the Chrism Mass)
Eucharist
Thanksgiving
Sacramento
Visible reality that contains a higher, invisible reality.
Religion
Source: Lahti, RE = re, Reboot = link, link
Back to unite two realities: the divinity and humanity, the transcendent with the immanent, the higher and lower. The fact is specifically human, has its origins in the recognition of a superior being that transcends and gives meaning to their fundamental questions:
- Where did I come from? = Source
- Where do I go? = Goal
- Why this path? = Mission
Religious Experience
- Existence of a superior being
- Demonstration of the higher
- Mediation of the higher
- Experience with the higher saving
Faith
Gift, a theological virtue
Religious Phenomenon
- Religion = concept, origin
- Questions = direction, finding meaning in life
- Religious Experience
- Faith and Reason = search for truth, search for meaning
The Search for Truth
SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH ———> God is truth, man seeks —-> —-> “Know thyself”
| Your own truth
|
|
wings of knowledge
Pope and Church Science ——> <——-
FAITH REASON philosophical
| |
_________ | |________
Rightly = wisely, the Church = With faith we can find the truth
can communicate the truth in all areas, 100%
the gospel.
No reason = the experience becomes No faith = agnosticism and relativism.
in ritualism and does not change There are a number of
our lives. positions where everything
is reduced to only opinions and
attitudes of widespread distrust
in man.
Other Important Terms
Pentecost
The beginning of the Church (when the Holy Spirit descended as flames and the apostles began speaking in other languages)
Memorial
Make present an event already passed
Church (Ekklesia = Assembly)
It is in all persons, professing the same faith, celebrating with concrete practices. All baptized make up the Church.
Founding Moment of the Church
- Jesus announced the Kingdom from the time He was born; the Kingdom comes, but not yet fully manifested.
- Jesus invites His disciples = these are all the followers of a teacher. Until the coming of Jesus, the teacher was John the Baptist.
- Jesus chooses His 12 apostles = these are the chosen disciples sent on a mission. (Simon, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Jude Thaddeus, Judas Iscariot, Simon the Canaanite, and Matthias)
- Election of Peter as head of the Church = becoming the first Pope (Petrus Augustus Pontifices Apostol)
- Conclusion of the Last Supper, origin of the Church and the Christian life center.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
- **One:** God is one, one faith, one baptism, one body, one spirit, one hope.
- **Holy:** God is its author, is HOLY, Christ gave himself for her to sanctify it in the Spirit of St. quickened, but she includes sinners, is “EX MACULATIS IMMACULATA” immaculate without blemish.
- **Catholic:** Universal, announces the full faith, is sent to all the people, is addressed to all men and covers ALL TIMES, is by its nature MISSIONARY.
- **Apostolic:** Is built on solid seeds “apostles of the Lamb” (Jesus), in holding to the truth, Christ governs her through Peter and through their successors, the Pope and the bishops.
The Church as Sacrament of Salvation
The sacraments are celebrated in community, in the Church. A Church that is the sacrament of salvation, a community which proclaims the Kingdom of God and makes it known in the world.
Church, Community Continues to Jesus
The Church is the community of followers of Jesus, a community that wishes to announce, with its life, the gospel of Jesus Christ as salvation.
The Image of the Church
- Church, People of God
- Church, the Body of Christ
- Church, Temple of the Holy Spirit
Traits of a Christian Community
Are united by faith in Jesus Christ, is in communion with the universal church, proclaims the Gospel, trains its members to live the Christian life.
One Body and Miscellaneous Responsibilities
- **Lay:** Largest group that includes all the Christian faithful living family life and trying to improve our world.
- **Hierarchy:** Pope, bishops, priests, deacons.
- **Religious:** They live in community, take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Organized Community: Diocesan and Parish
**Diocese:** Group of believers that reside in a given territory and have been entrusted to a bishop. Are divided into parishes that mean neighborhood.
**Parishes:** All believers in a diocese that has been entrusted to a priest named pastor.
Four Ways in Which the Communities Proclaim Jesus
- Celebrates the memory of Jesus
- Serves the most needy
- Proclaims the Gospel
- Lives in communion