Faith and Reason
1. Definition: Ekklesia
 To call out of the world
 A convocation or assembly
2. Founded by Christ
 Christ’s central message was to proclaim the
Kingdom of God
 Christ endows the Church with his Authority
Ecclesial
Community
Founder
Date
Place
Orthodox Churches
Michael Caerularius
1054
Constantinople
Lutheranism
Martin Luther
1520
Germany
Anglicanism
King Henry VIII
1534
England
Mennonites
Menno Simons
1550
Switzerland
Presbyterianism
John Calvin and Knox
1560
Switzerland and Scotland
Baptists
John Smyth
1606
Amsterdam
Society of Friends
George Fox
1624
England
Methodism
John Wesley
1744
England
Mormonism
Joseph Smith
1830
Fayette, NJ
Adventist
William Miller
1840
Boston, Mass
Christian Scientists
Mary Baker Eddy
1879
Boston, Mass
Denominations
Church Maps
3. Mystical Body of Christ
 Christ and the Church are one
 1 Corinthians 12: Parts of one body
 Church Triumphant
 Church Militant
 Church Suffering
4. Church has the fullness of Truth
 Only one religion has the fullness of truth
 All religions have some truth
5. Church is necessary for Salvation
 No Salvation apart from Jesus, or outside Christ’s
Body, the Church
 There is only one Savior, Jesus
6. Qualities of the Church
 Mother-she guides her children
 Visible-it must be seen (witness)
 Spiritual-there is an unseen aspect
 Authority-which has been endowed by Christ
 Indefectibility-last until the end of time
 One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic
 They are how we identify Christ’s Church
 Essential Qualities of the Catholic Church
Unity is the essence of the Church
1.Profession of faith: Creed
2.Worship and sacraments
3.Authority through Apostolic succession
4.United under one founder
Members are set apart for God and the perfection
of charity
1.The Church is sanctified by Christ, her founder
2.The Church’s purpose is to sanctify her members
by means of the sacraments
3.The Church is holy in:
 Founder
 Doctrine
 Members
1. Catholic = Universal
2. The Church is for all people (for all times
and in all places)
3. Sufficient: everything needed for salvation
1. Christ founded the Church by forming the
Apostles and passing down his authority
through them
 One apostle, Peter, was given special authority.
(Matthew 16:13-20)
 “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Mt
16:18)
 He serves as spokesperson for the Apostles
 He was given the Power of the Keys
 He was given the power to bind and loose
2. Church stands on the foundation of the
apostles
 Apostolic succession: All bishops can trace their
ordination back to an apostle
 What happens if we’re not Apostolic?
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMWs5Ngz9o
Pope Francis
1. Infallibility: Cannot err in matters of faith
and morals (Luke 22:31-34)
a) Papal
 He must speak on a matter of faith and morals
 He must speak in his official capacity as Peter’s
successor
 He must clearly indicate that he is making a solemn,
definitive and final pronouncement on the doctrine at
issue
 He must declare his intention to bind all members of
the Catholic Church to accept the new teaching
b) Collegial: bishops teaching in union with the
Pope
c)
Conciliar: official Church councils called with
approval of the Pope
d) Sensus Fidei: The members of the Church
cannot be deceived as a whole
2. Some things to remember about Petrine
Infallibility
 The Pope is not impeccable, that is, without sin
 The Pope can be wrong on issues besides faith and
morals
 The Pope has a specific charism as the Holy
Father
 Charisms: Graces given for others
3. Church continues the mission of the
apostles – to teach, serve, and sanctify
 Evangelization: bringing the Gospel to others
 Inculturation: part of evangelization that
examines the whole culture, identifies and raises
up what is compatible with the Gospel, removing
only that which is incompatible with the Catholic
faith.
 New Evangelization: efforts to help make inactive
Catholics more active in their faith. (Round 2)
 The Catholic Church either:
 was and still is the true Church
OR
 never was the true Church. Then where was the
true Church for 1600 years?
OR
 once was the true Church and went into error.
Then Christ lied when he promised that:
 “The jaws of death shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18)
 Why am I Catholic?