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What is the Church, exactly? It has certainly been talked about in lots of different ways: as both the ‘body’ of Christ and the ‘bride of Christ’; as a ‘perfect society’ and as the ‘pilgrim people of God’. And people have very different encounters with church: vibrant, life-restoring encounters; dreary, mundane encounters; sometimes even terrifying, destructive encounters. Each week, millions of Christians profess their belief in ‘one, holy, catholic and apostolic church’ - but what does it mean to say that the church is ‘holy’, when is it sinful, or ‘one’ when it is divided and at odds with itself?
This course introduces ‘ecclesiology’ – the theology of Church – in view of these, and other questions. We ask what Church is, what it should be, and what it has to do with the other essential elements of Christian belief. Participants will explore some of the most influential figures that have shaped recent ecclesiology, read some key theological texts, and reflect on how to connect these ideas with their own experience of, and encounters with the Church.
1. Mystery and Models of Church
This session introduces two themes to which we will return throughout the course: the idea that the church is a mystery; the different ‘models’ that might be used to understand it. It is often said that the Church is a mystery; but in what sense? Is it because of its ‘unholy holiness’; because it is both visible and invisible; or because it is ‘one’ despite being fractured in many ways, and changing from age to age? We look at Avery Dulles’ influential book Models of the Church, which explores how these models shape our understanding and practice, as well as some of the limitations that accompany each.We also begin to reflect on how we each understandChurch, in terms of four questions that we might ask (see exercise below).
2. Church in the New Testament
In this session we examine the origins of the church in the New Testament, and explore how different New Testament writers use the term. We also think about a central problem in any ecclesiology: the connection between the ‘Kingdom of God’ and church. The idea of the Kingdom of God is the central theme of the preaching of Jesus. So what is the relationship between kingdom and the Church? As the French theologian Alfred Loisy expressed the situation: ‘Jesus foretold the kingdom, and it was the Church that came.’ Does this mean that the Church is the kingdom? Or does the Church exist for the Kingdom?
3. The People of God: On Vatican II
Lumen gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the most important documents of the Second Vatican Council. It put forward the idea of the Church as ‘the People of God’, a theme which drew more heavily on Scripture, especially the Old Testament, than a more institutional, and hierarchical model of Church. In this session we examine some of the key ideas of Lumen gentium, as well as some of the controversies which it is linked.
4. Communion and the Body of Christ
St Paul uses the image of a body to explain how Christian believers should think of their belonging to the Church. The idea that the Church is the ‘Body of Christ’ implies something like an organic unity, or communion. In this session we explore this theme, with particular attention to Yves Congar, who despite being prevented from teaching at one point by Pope Pius XII, was a central figure in the theology of Vatican II. Finally, we can then take a final look at the role of the Holy Spirit, especially in the idea of ‘synodality’, and the current synodal process underway in the Roman Catholic Church.
Questions for reflection
Using the model described in the talk (Aristotle’s four questions, or ‘causes’), think about the following four questions:
1. What is the Church made up of, or from?
2. What brings the Church into existence? What causes it to exist?
3. What makes Church Church? What is Church, essentially?
4. What is Church for? What is its goal, or purpose?
Lumen gentium is available in its entirety below, and there is another pdf which contains a few of the selections that I make reference to in session.
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Word, Witness and Spirit
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Stuart is the Theology Lead at LJC. He graduated with a degree in Literature and Theology from the University of Hull in 2000. From 2003-9 he studied Philosophical Theology part-time at the University of Nottingham, whilst continuing to work in the third sector with vulnerably-housed or homeless people, and young asylum seekers (as well as pulling pints in a pub). He was Lecturer at York St John University for almost a decade, before moving to London Jesuit Centre in 2021. He now lives in South East London, and spends as much time as he can in the woods.
