Question | Answer |
Centerpiece of God's plan for the human race | The Church |
Five stages of the development of the Church | 1. Foreshadowed in creation 2. Prepared for the Old Covenant 3. Instituted by Jesus 4. Revealed by the Spirit 5. Perfected in glory |
Foreshadow | To point to |
Development of the Church Stage 1: Foreshadowed in creation | The Trinity's plan was to create human beings who would be invited to share in the Trinity's divine life and love |
Prepare | To make ready |
Development of the Church Stage 2: Prepared for in the Old Covenant | The Trinity prepared to extend its invitation of divine life to all peoples through God's covenant with Moses and his people |
Institute | To set up; to start; to bring into practice |
Development of the Church Stage 3: Instituted by Jesus | Jesus established the Kingdom of God |
Development of the Church Stage 4: Revealed by the Spirit | The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost to reveal the Church to all nations, and to empower the Church to disciple all nations |
Disciple | v. to train; to teach n. one of the 12 personal followers of Christ; one of the 70 followers sent forth by Christ;any other professed follower of Christ in His lifetime. |
Development of the Church Stage 5: Perfected in Glory | The Church will reach perfection in heaven when the "Kingdom of God" will be fully established |
Model | An image that helps us to understand a complex reality |
Three models used to understand the Church | 1. People of God 2. Body of Christ 3. Temple of the Spirit |
People of God | An assembly of Jesus' followers |
How does one join the People of God | By spiritual birth - faith in Christ, and baptism into his Body |
The Church as Body of Christ | Christ and his followers form one body; his followers are members of the body; Christ is their head and source of life |
Vatican | Independent state inside of Rome, Italy; seat of the world Catholic community |
The Church as Temple of the Spirit | The Holy Spirit permeates, unites, and enlivens every part of the Body of Christ, forming it into the Spirit's own Temple |
Curia | Cabinet - a cabinet, or department, of assist the pope |
Cardinal | Honorary title given to a bishop who has distinguished himself |
College of Cardinals | Has the duty of electing the pope |
Monsignor | Honorary title given to a priest who has distinguished himself |
Parish | An ecclesiastical district having its own church and member of the clergy |
Diocese | Cluster of parishes, served by a bishop |
Archdiocese | Cluster of dioceses, overseen by an archbishop |
Four Marks of the Church | 1. One 2. Holy 3. Catholic 4. Apostolic |
Apostolic | Originating with the apostles |
catholic | Universal; involving all |
Two dimensions of the Church | 1. Divine dimension 2. Human dimension |
Divine dimension of the Church | Christ himself, who is the head and life of his body, the Church
The divine dimension is invisible |
Human dimension of the Church | The visible dimension
The members of the Church |