Unit 1 Ecclesiology

1.Define:
a. the dogma of the Holy Trinity;

• The Trinity is three persons in one divine substance; they are all fully God

• Each person is distinct from each other

• They are defined by their relationships 

b. "Ecclesiology;"

• “Study of the Church”

c. "sacrament;"

• A sign of grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church by which divine life is dispensed to us.

d. "Church;"

• the people whom God has called together to become His children through faith and Baptism.

 e. "Ekklesia;"

• “Assembly” (greek)

2. Which of the Divine Persons is truly and fully God?

• All of the Divine Persons are fully and truly God

3. How are the three Divine Persons distinguished from the Others?

• They are distinguished through their relationships with each other 

4. Explain the relationships between the Divine Persons.

Father begets the Son

The Son is begotten of the Father

Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son

5. What does the revelation of the Holy Trinity teach us about God?

• The revelation of the Holy Trinity teaches us that God is Love

• Love doesn’t just describe who God is, but God is Love itself 

6. What does it mean to say that man (the human person) is made in the "image and likeness" of God?

• We are made in the image and likeness of God because we are made to love and for relationship. 

• We have an immaterial soul, intellect, and free will

7. What is the "last end" of the human person?

• The last end of the human person is perfect communion with God and all the blessed in Heaven. 

8. Why is the Church called a "mystery?"

• The Church is a mystery because it surpasses the capacity of the finite, and we who are finite, cannot comprehend it fully. 

9. Explain what it means for the Church to be called:
a. the "People of God;" 

The Church is a People of God because they share a common identity.
b. the "Mystical Body of Christ;"

The Church is united with Christ through his body. Together they make up the “whole Christ”. Christ is the head of the body because he rules and governs us. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Body because it gives us life and unites us. The diverse members of the body bring different gifts and functions for the good of the whole.
c. the "Temple of the Holy Spirit;"

The Church is a Temple of the Holy Spirit because it is a visible structure; consisting of “living stones”; joined together to form one structure; in which God dwells in a unique way.
d. the "Bride of Christ;"

Christ and the Church are one but it is possible to distinguish between them and the two are joined in a personal relationship. Christ is the bridegroom and the Church is the Bride. The Church receives the love of the bridegroom and gives life to her children as a Mother. 

e. the "New Israel;"

The promises to Israel are fulfilled in the Catholic Church which is the “new” Israel and shares in the earlier promises.
f. the "Family of God;"

God the Father is the Father. God the Son is the Master of the House. The faithful are the children of the family.  Through sacrificing grace, men and women are able to share in the life of God as children and co-heirs of Heaven.
g. "Sacrament of Salvation;"

The Church is the “Sacrament of Salvation” because she is a sign of man’s union with God and one another; and the cause of that union. 

h. "Perfect Society."

The Church is a “perfect Society” because she possesses all of the means necessary (the fullness of truth and grace) to achieve her end (the salvation of souls).

10. Who is the Head of the Church? 

- Christ
11. Who is the visible head of the Church?

- Pope

12. Who is the Soul of the Church?

-Holy Spirit, unites and gives life

13. Who are the members (parts) of the Mystical Body of Christ?

- The people of God (the faithful and members of the church) are the Mystical Body of Christ 

14. List five common themes among the "images" of the Church studied in the uni

• The Church is both divine and human and not merely human

• The Church is both spiritual and visual

• The Church Is a Communion of Persons

• The Church is one

• The Church is holy