2. SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
• WHAT IS A CHURCH?
• WHERE IS THE CHURCH?
• WHO IS THE CHURCH?
• WHY IS THERE A CHURCH?
• HOW TO BE A CHURCH?
3. WHAT IS THE CHURCH? A “MYSTERY”
CARDINAL AVERY DULLES
DEVELOPED A WAY OF
ANSWERING THIS QUESTION
USING MODELS
4. 1. THE CHURCH AS INSTITUTION
•THIS MODEL OF CHURCH EMPHASIZES THE
STRUCTURE AND ORDER OF THE CHURCH.
•JESUS SAYS TO PETER, “YOU ARE ‘ROCK’, AND
ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.”
•STRENGTH: EASY TO CONTROL
•WEAKNESS: LEGALISM – OVER
EMPHASIS OF THE LAW
5. 2. THE CHURCH AS COMMUNION
•EMPHASIZES THE COMMUNITY
NATURE OF THE CHURCH;
CHURCH AS BODY OF CHRIST
•PARISH AS FAMILY
•BELIEVERS BEING OF ONE MIND
AND HEART, AND SHARING
POSSESSIONS IN COMMON; AND
SHARING POSSESSIONS IN
COMMON.
6. THE CHURCH AS COMMUNION …
• STRENGTH: SENSE OF BELONGING, WARM
AND WELCOMING
• WEAKNESS: OVEREMPHASIS OF
COMMUNITY CAN BE STIFLING; CONFLICTS
CAN BE AVOIDED IN THE NAME OF
BELONGING
7. 3.THE CHURCH AS SACRAMENT
•A VISIBLE SIGN OF THE PRESENCE OF
CHRIST IN THE WORLD
•STRENGTH: CLEAR CONNECTION WITH A
“CATHOLIC WAY OF SEEING THE WORLD”
SACRAMENTALLY IN SIGNS AND SYMBOLS
•WEAKNESS: REQUIRES A HIGH LEVEL OF
CATECHESIS AND THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION;
NOT ALWAYS READILY CLEAR
8. 4. THE CHURCH AS HERALD
•CHURCH IS PRIMARILY THE MESSENGER OF THE
GOSPEL; THE VOICE, THE ANNOUNCER OF THE
KINGDOM OF GOD.
•STRENGTH: WELL-FORMED AND PASSIONATE
MINISTER OF THE WORD OF GOD
•WEAKNESS: CEREBRAL UNDERSTANDING OF
FAITH
9. 5. THE CHURCH AS SERVANT
•PRIMARY COMMITMENT TO THE CREATION
OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHICH IS AT THE
HEART OF THE GOSPEL MISSION.
•STRENGTH: FAITH THAT DOES JUSTICE,
MERCY, COMPASSION
•WEAKNESS: ACTIVITY-ORIENTED, LOSS OF
PROPHETIC DYNAMISM
10. 6. THE CHURCH AS COMMUNITY OF
DISCIPLES
•A COMMUNITY OF DISCIPLES FOLLOWING
JESUS, TAKING JESUS SERIOUSLY
•STRENGTH: SENSE OF CONNECTION WITH
JESUS AND GOD’S MISSION
•WEAKNESS: CAN BE TOO PAROCHIAL,
LACKING UNIVERSAL SENSE OF COMMUNITY
11. EXERCISES: • Gapoc
• GenSan
• Banisilan + Dulawan
• Kidapawan
• Matamis + Trento
1.What are the major concerns of your
Church?
2.Who is/are making decisions?
3.What is the role of the Laity in the
Church?
4.What is the dominant model?
