Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction

Chapter 15

The Doctrine of the Church

Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Biblical Models of the Church

• The Old Testament (Israel)– “Common commitment to Israel’s central story”– Monarchy– Postexilic/second temple

• The New Testament– The church as the people of God– The church as a community of salvation– The church as the body of Christ– The church as a servant people– The church as the community of the Spirit

The Early Development of Ecclesiology

• Elements of consensus• The conversion of Constantine• The “pope” Wiley-Blackwell 2010

The Donatist Controversy

• Persecution and the traditores • Cyprian of Carthage

– Schism is never justified– Lapsed or schismatic bishops lose their spiritual gifts and authority

• Donatists• Augustine

– Church as a “mixed body”– The parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13:24-31)– Theology of the sacraments– The church as a hospital

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Early Protestant Doctrines of the Church

• Martin Luther (1483-1546)– The preaching of the Word of God– The historical institution of the church as a means of grace

• John Calvin (1509-64)– The collapse of the Colloquy of Ratisbon, 1541– The marks of the true church

• Gospel rightly preached• Sacraments rightly administered

– The visible and invisible church– Sanctification of the elect

• The radical Reformation– The true church in heaven– The church as alternative society– The assembly of the righteous– Noninvolvement, nonresistance– The “ban” Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Christ and the Church: Some Twentieth-Century Themes

• Christ is present sacramentally– Second Vatican Council (1962-5)– Henri de Lubac (1896-1991)– Edward Schillebeeckx (1914-2009)– Karl Rahner (1904-84)

• Christ is present through the word– Karl Barth (1886-1968)

• Christ is present through the Spirit– Leonardo Boff (b.1938)– John Zizioulas (b.1930)

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The Second Vatican Council on the Church

• Pre-Vatican II– The church as a “perfect society”– Distinction between the clergy and laity

• The church as communion– Fellowship: sharing in a common life

• The church as the people of God– Continuity with Israel

• The church as a charismatic community– The importance of the charismatic gifts

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The “Notes” of the Church

• One– Problem of lapses under persecution– Cyprian of Carthage, On the Unity of the Catholic Church– The Reformation– Approaches to the unity of the church

• An imperialist approach• A Platonic approach• An eschatological approach• A biological approach• Theological unity

– Anglicanism– Evangelicalism

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• Holy– Donatism and Anabaptism– Eschatological perspective– Old and New Testaments

• Holiness as being “set apart”– The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994)

• Catholic– Universal, general– Conversion of Constantine– Stages of meaning

• A universal and all-embracing church• A church which is orthodox in its theology• A church which extends throughout the world

– Cyril of Jerusalem– Thomas Aquinas– The Reformation: catholic and reformed– Orthodox churches

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• Apostolic– Originating with the apostles– Having a direct link to the apostles– Apostle:

• Commissioned by Christ• Witness to the risen Christ

– H.B. Swete (1835-1917)• Origins of the church• Teaching of the church• Ministry of the church

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