Ecclesiology and the Nature of the Church

Vocabulary flashcards covering the theological definitions, models, scriptural images, and marks of the Church based on the lecture notes.

Living Tradition

Being in faithful continuity to the past while meeting the needs of the present and thinking about the future; the perpetual handing on of the teachings of the Apostles from one generation to the next.

church

In Christian Scriptures, a gathering of believers who follow Christ and have been ‘called out’ by God to live as his people under the authority of Jesus Christ.

The Church

A visible society of baptised Christians professing the same faith under the authority of the invisible head (Christ) and the authority of the visible head (the pope and the bishops in communion with him).

The Church as Mystery

A description used by Pope Paul VI stating the Church is the visible sign of the hidden presence of God, revealed in Jesus, the word of God, who became human.

Five Models of Church

Lenses for focusing on different ways of being Church in the modern world: Herald, People of God, Institution, Sacrament and Servant.

Herald

A model of the Church where it acts as one who receives an official message with the commission to pass it on as a messenger of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Sacrament

A model of the Church indicating it is a visible sign of God’s presence in the world and a source of God’s grace.

Institution

A model of the Church defined primarily in terms of its visible structures, especially the rights and powers of its hierarchy.

People of God / Community of Faith

A model of the Church consisting of people united by common faith, participation, identity, and external bonds of creed, worship, and ecclesiastical fellowship.

Servant

A model where the Church is called to serve others, especially the poor, as part of the total human family sharing the same concerns as the rest of mankind.

Sacred Tradition

The ongoing transmission of the Gospels from the Apostles through their successors to each generation.

Body of Christ

A scriptural image used by Saint Paul to show unity amid diversity in the Church, comparing it to how different human body parts work together as one.

Temple of the Holy Spirit

A scriptural image of the Church representing how the Spirit’s action began the Church at Pentecost and continues to dwell within it.

People of God (Scriptural Image)

The most common image used to describe the Church, referring to all those who are called to follow Jesus and are part of his Church.

Four Marks of the Church

Four visible characteristics (One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic) that reflect the Catholic Church’s nature and mission.

Apostolic

A term meaning pertaining to, or coming from, the twelve apostles and the authority given to them by Jesus.

Holy

A word meaning set apart for a special purpose by and for God; the Church is holy because Jesus Christ instituted it.

Catholic

A term derived from the Greek word meaning "universal," first used in the early 2nd century to distinguish the Church from other groups.

One

A mark of the Church referring to all members being united by a set of common beliefs and a common mission.

Evangelise

Bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to others.