1. Introductory comments

2.  Explore the nature and function of Church  reflect on, and be challenged by, different models of Church;  be introduced to and challenged by the requirements of collaborative ministry and the role of the laity;  reflect on the relationship of Christian traditions to each other and to other major faith traditions and to the secular world.

3.  What would YOU like to get out of this module?

4. What is your experience of belonging to the church? How is the Church perceived by others? What does the Church do?

5.  What does this mean?  How is this expressed?

6.  Derives from the Greek meaning ‘thing belonging to the Lord’  ‘kurios’ – Grk - master, lord, king  Old English: cirice; circe;  Middle English: chereche-chiriche-chirche- churche ...church and Church

7.  Originally a legislative assembly of citizens  Only citizens who enjoyed full rights could belong  So the significance of ekklesia implies both legality of the assembly and the dignity of membership  Ecclesial.....ecclesiology

8.  The ongoing self-communication of God  God’s irreversible and historically tangible offer of himself  The actualising of salvation history in and through Jesus Christ

9.  The central role of church in mediating salvation  The mediating function of certain ministries, structures, institutional forms e.g. Bishop  Sacraments – God’s life communicated  The Petrine office; The role of Mary  Visible organisation

10.  ‘Mysterion’ = ‘sacramentum’  Impossible to fully understand  A mystery to be dwelt on

11.  ‘faith seeking understanding’  A reality which eludes definition  Both human and divine  “The Church….at once holy and in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal.” (Lumen Gentium N8) 1964

12.  One  Holy  Catholic  Apostolic

13.  ‘One’ The Catholic Church is one because of her source: CCC 813  ‘Holy’ The Church is holy because of her essential link with her founder Jesus Christ

14.  A community of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour  Who are baptised  Who participate in the Church’s worship and sacramental life  Who broadly ‘love their neighbour’  So ‘the Church’ is the whole body of baptised Christians worldwide regardless of denominational differences

15.  Word Kerygma  Worship Leitourgia  Witness Marturia  Service Diakonia

16.  ‘Catholic’ – as in ‘universal’  The universal significance of Christ  Jesus / Paul in Galatians  LG13 – diversity supports catholicity  ‘belong to’ and ‘related to it’  Jews and Muslims are related to it - CCC 839

17.  ‘Apostolic’  The Church is rooted in the first apostles and has an uninterrupted succession since that time.  The issue of succession is of course a controversial one in Christian communities.

18.  Institutional  Community / People of God  Sacrament  Servant  Herald  Discipleship

19.  A vine?  A petrol station?  Penguin colony?  Supermarket?  Sheepfold?  Body of Christ  Bride of Christ [ Eph 5:21-33 ]

20.  Traditionally, the problem is not the existence of church but its origin  What connection exists between Jesus and the Church?  But now we might be asking why the church exists at all?

21.  The idea of church is seen to develop through many stages  Interpretation of various presentations is a delicate and subtle matter  Diversity of ecclesiological approaches within the NT  Also within modern-day theologians

22. What is the Church for ?