Church History and Ecclesiology Vocabulary

Vocabulary based on lecture notes covering the definition of the Church, its theological models, scriptural images, and the Four Marks of the Church.

Living Tradition

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

church

Used in the Christian Scriptures to refer to a gathering of believers who follow Christ; a group who 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 identifying the Church as the visible sign of the hidden presence of God revealed in Jesus, who is the touchstone for its message and mission.

Five Models of Church

A way of understanding the mystery of the Church through the lenses of Herald, People of God, Institution, Sacrament, and Servant.

Herald

One who receives an official message with the commission to pass it on to others; in this model, the Church is the messenger of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Sacrament

A model of the Church that describes it as a visible sign of God’s presence in the world and a source of God’s grace.

Institution

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

People of God / Community of Faith

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

Servant

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

Sacred Tradition

Refers to 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, where different parts work together as one like human body parts.

Temple of the Holy Spirit

A scriptural image based on the Spirit’s action that began the Church at Pentecost and the Holy Spirit’s continued indwelling within the Church.

People of God

The most common scriptural image used to describe the Church, referring to all those who are called to follow Jesus.

Four Marks of the Church

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

Apostolic

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

Holy

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

Catholic

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

One

The characteristic of the Church where all members are united by a set of common beliefs and a common mission.

Evangelise

The act of bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to others.