While it is generally recognized that differences in ecclesiology are the ones that constitute the most stubborn obstacles to Christian reunion, there are good grounds for hope in the fact that most Christians do agree in professing their faith in "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church." Indeed, honest facing up to the contradiction between our common faith in the "one church" and the divided state of Christianity is a prime motive for the ecumenical movement.
It is true, of course, that the mere fact that Christians use the same words in professing their faith about the church does not eliminate their deep differences in ecclesiology. Profoundly divergent answers will be given when one asks: What do you mean when you say "the church"? and How do you understand it to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic? Ecumenical progress, then, calls for the effort to reach a common under- standing of the faith we profess. Theology has an important role to play here, because theology is defined as "faith seeking understanding." Ecumenical dialogue is most fruitful when it is a concerted effort, on the part of people coming from different theological traditions, to seek a deeper understanding of the creed in which they already profess a common faith, in the hopes that such a deeper understanding will get beneath their differences to the common ground where they are at one.
An essential step in this process is for Christians to seek to deepen and clarify their understanding of their faith to the light of their own respective traditions. Such is the purpose of this book. What we are seeking here is an understanding of our profession of faith concerning the church, in the light of the Roman Catholic tradition.
PRODUCT DETAILS
Publisher: Paulist Press Pub. Date: 1st January 1988 Catalog: Book Media: Paperback Number Of Pages: 256 Ean: 9780809130399 Isbn: 0809130394
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USER REVIEWS
THE MARKS OF THE CHURCH ~ Written on Mar 12, 2007. 2 out of 2 users found this review helpful.
Catholics who have been brought up with the belief that the Four Marks of the Church are; One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic and would like to be better informed about these four marks have the book they have been waiting. I would recommend it to students and teachers of ecclesiology, catechists converts to Catholicism and people are are enquiring into the Catholic Church.
Excellent survey of Catholic ecclesiology ~ Written on Sep 22, 2000. 13 out of 13 users found this review helpful.
Fr Sullivan provides a superb overview here of Catholic ecclesiology. He goes in to detail about how the Church of Christ is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, yet in still an imperfect/incomplete sense. This work is inundated with references to Magisterial documents and Ecumenical Councils, especially Vatican II. The Catholic doctrine of "Outside the Church there is no salvation" is well elucidated with an emphaisis on the culpability of the individual. Without denying this doctrine Fr Sullivan recommends the more current understanding of the Church as the "Universal Sacrament of Salvation".
Questions such as "Who belongs to the Church?", "How are Protestants related to the Catholic Church?" and issues regarding the Catholic Church's eucharistic communion with the Orthodox Churches of the east are answered in detail with copius citations to Church documents.
This work also offers a thorough explanation of why the Church that Jesus established soley "subsists in" the Catholic Church. A must for either any Catholic wanting to find out more about the Church's beliefs or inquiring non-Catholics.
(2 customer reviews)
Excellent survey of Catholic ecclesiology
