Unit 4 The Church

Vocab

pope- the successor of peter, the bishop of rome and the head of the entire catholic church

apostolic succession- the term used to describe that the authority to lead and teach the church can be traced through the centuries from the apostles to their successors, the pope and bishops

magisterium- the teaching office of the church, which is all of the bishops in union within the pope. the magisterium has the teaching authority to interpret the word of god found in sacred scripture and sacred tradition

infallible- the quality of being free from error. a teaching is infallible when the pope, as head of the magisterium, speaks officially on a matter of faith or morals that is to be believed by everyone in the church

nicene creed- a summary of foundational truths about the holy trinity, the church, and eternal life

The Church is Apostolic

St. Ignatius of Antioch (35 A.D. - 1803 A.D.)

known for a series of letters in Colosseum. Some of those letters were written to encourage Christian leaders, express his excitement to meet Christ, or challenge false teachings

student of St. John the Apostle

Pope Saint Clement I (35 A.D. - 98 A.D.)

fourth pope of the catholic church, clement is believed to have first been appointed to be a bishop by st. peter and to have worked alongside St. Paul. Clement is a great Church Father to know because of his intense defense of the authority of bishops

Saint Polycarp (69 A.D. - 155 A.D.)

like st. Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp was a student of St. john the apostle. He was a bishop and a friend of st. Ignatius. he dedicated a lot of energy to defending the church against groups that were in danger of damaging the teachings of the apostles

Saint Athanasius (296 A.D. - 373 A.D.)

Athanasius was an extremely passionate and theologically brilliant defender of the faith. He is best known for On the Incarnation a reason based step by step explanation of why Christ became a man for the sake of humanity. He is also known for his battles with a group of heretics known as Arians

Saint Ambrose (339 A.D. - 397 A.D.)

As bishop a Milan, Ambrose bravely confronted Arian heretics and went head-to-head with emperors Ambrose also played a big role in helping Saint Augustine convert to Catholicism. Tradition has it that a rowdy crowd began cheering for his ordination in the streets

Apostolic Succession

The Apostles: When Jesus was on Earth, he chose twelve close friends called the apostles.

• they were like the first leaders of the church. after jesus went back to heaven, the apostles continued to teach people about him and spread his message

Passing on the leadership: the apostles didn’t just keep this important job to themselves. they chose other leaders to help them, and these leaders were called bishops

this is where apostolic succession comes in. It means that the authority and mission given to the apostles by Jesus are passed down to the bishops through a special ceremony called ordination

Why it Matters?

Apostolic succession is important because it ensures the church remains true to the teachings of jesus. it helps the church stay united and guided by the same beliefs that the apostles taught

What is the Magisterium

• Teaching Authority:

the magisterium is the official teaching authority of the church

made up of the pope and the bishops who are in communion with him

• Role of Bishops and Popes:

the pope is the leader of the church, bishops who oversee local churches, work together to explain and protect the teachings of Jesus and the church

• Guiding Beliefs:

the magisterium helps catholics know what to believe about God, Jesus and how to live a good life

when there are questions or disagreements about faith, the magisterium steps in to provide clear answers

Upon This Rock

things that identify us as catholics:

• making the sign of the cross

• not eating meat on fridays of lent and making a sacrifice every friday of the year

sacred tradition is sacred because it is one source of the word of god

jesus gave his apostles and their successors the authority to act in his name

jesus chose simon who was a fisherman to be the leader of the apostles and his church

• he gave him the name “peter” which means rock

jesus gave the church a visible head, saint peter, who was his vicar (a representative on earth)

jesus formed the apostles into a permanent gathering or assembly which is also called a college

Leaders of the Church

the pope is the successor of saint peter, he is the bishop of rome and leader of the church

the pope is also called the “vicar of christ”

another title the pope received from st. peter was “pastor of the universal church”

jesus not only gave peter authority over the church, but he also told peter to be a pastor, or shepherd, and to “feed my sheep”

the holy spirit helps us to know the truth that Jesus came to reveal through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension

• we call this truth sacred tradition of the church- the truth that guides the decisions of each member of the catholic church

Teaching from the Apostles

• our sacred tradition starts with jesus

• jesus entrusted everything to the apostles

• the church faithfully hands down his teachings to all generations

• the college of bishops, in union with the pope, makes up the authentic teachers who pass on the faith to the people of god

• the pope is the head of the magisterium

• the church’s teaching is infallible

• this infallibility also extends to the full body of bishops when they teach, in union with the pope, about faith and morals, most especially in ecumenical councils

Creeds

• we have two main creeds: Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed

• the nicene creed was written at the council of nicaea in A.D. 325

• the council of constantinople added more detail to the creed later in A.D. 381

Unity and Diversity

• the christian churches of the world can be called a world christian family

• only the catholic church contains all the teachings of christ handed directly to us from peter and the apostles to the pope and the bishops

• we work toward unity among all christians by praying together, discussing what we have in common, respecting one another, and learning more about other christians faith

• down through the ages, the church was grown to be a worldwide community and there is still a lot of diversity in the ways people worship and express their faith

• all churches in communion with the pope and the catholic church are united by fidelity to apostolic tradition: they are in union with the pope and bishops

• the pope and bishops carry on the faith and the seven sacraments that came from christ through his apotles

The Work of the Apostles

• saint paul reminds us that god wills that everyone be saved

• the sacrament of holy orders is “the sacrament of apostolic ministry”

• holy orders are conferred in three degrees: bishops, presbyters (priests), and deacons

• bishops receive the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders

  • first ordained by a deacon and then a priest

  • under the authority of the pope, he is the visible head of the particular church entrusted to him

  • chief teacher, shepherd, and priest for his particular church (diocese)

  • each diocese is divided into smaller faith communities called parishes

  • acts as christ’s representative

• presbyters (priests) belong to the second degree of holy orders

  • can celebrate most of the seven sacraments

  • cannot confer the sacrament of holy orders

  • share the dignity of priesthood with their bishops, but they also depend on the bishops to delegate them to act as priests in the diocese

  • called to be the bishops’ co-workers

  • receives the charge of a parish or some other ministry

• deacons belong to the third degree of holy orders

  • ordained for tasks of service to the church

  • special role within the ministry of the word (scripture), the worship of the church, works of charity and service, and outreach to the community

  • can preside at the sacrament of baptism and witness at matrimony

• all three degrees/roles are necessary for the catholic church’s mission to be carried out

Ordained Ministry in the Church

• the pope leads the church

• a bishop leads a diocese

• a priest leads a church

• a deacon serves in a parish

Our Catholic Life

• the nicene creed is a summary of the foundational truths of the catholic faith

  • we profess our belief in the triune god

  • we end the nicene creed with “amen” which in hebrew means believe

  • by saying amen we are saying god is faithful to us and we trust in him and his faithfulness

People of Faith: St. Peter Damien

• he was a benedictine monk in ravenna, italy

• he lashed out at corrupt practices, and defended celibacy at a time when many priests and bishops were married and had families

• peter’s intelligence made several popes ask for his help

• he helped keep the church intact during a time of schism

• he was declared doctor of the church in 1828

• feast day: February 21

Handouts

Sacramentality

• Sacramentality means experiencing God everywhere

  • nature, sunsets, art, each other

Catholic Influence on History

• The Church has influenced

  • the creation of the first universities/hospitals

  • the development of art and science

• notable catholics in history include

  • st. augustine

  • pope john paul II

  • Mother Teresa

Understanding Church Rules

• Rules in Catholicism are like rules in a game

• they protect and help catholics live a moral life

Review

• The teaching office of the church is the pope and all of the bishops in union with him

• the nicene creed was written at the council of nicea

• the most important teachings form the church are ,infallible, free from error

• the sacrament of holy orders is the sacrament of apostolic ministry

• the magisterium has the teaching authority to interpret the word of god found in sacred scripture and sacred tradition