Catholic Christianity

1
Catholic Christianity

• 25 of US population
• Largest single faith community

2
Catholic Christianity

• SACRAMENTALITY
• (sacrament an sensible sign of the sacred)
• God
• ? Jesus
• ? Church
• ? Churchs activity
• ? individual believer
• The visible, tangible, finite, and historical
  reveals the God who is invisible, intangible,
  infinite, and eternal (p. 124)
• Danger idolatry the symbol too identical with
  the reality

3
Catholic Christianity

• MEDIATION
• Sacraments actually bring about the reality they
  signify God is effectively present.
• Danger a magical view
• (Protestants more inclined to speak of signifying
  or representing Gods presence)

4
Catholic Christianity

• COMMUNION
• Individuals relationship with God is mediated
  through the community of faith
• One is a member of the People of God
• Communion of Saints
• past, present, future

5
Catholic Christianity

• Vatican II (1962-1965)
• Aggiornamento (Pope John XXIII)
• affirmed separation of church/state and religious
  liberty
• Called the Church People of God
• Earlier Mystical Body of Christ
• And moved toward more participative governance
• Renewed the liturgy in vernacular
• Promoted ecumenism
• More attention to biblical scholarship

6
Catholic Christianity

• Salvation by grace of God
• Church official agent and mediator of the grace
  of God.
• Sources of Revelation
• Scripture and Tradition

7
Catholic Christianity

• Papal infallibility
• A function of the broader notion of the
  Magisterium
• Apostolic Succession (Matt. 1617-19)
• As the Bishop of Rome, the Pope is leader of the
  college of bishops
• Primus inter pares (1st among equals)

8
Catholic Christianity

• Mary and the Saints
• Tied to the notion of Communion or Community
• Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory

9
Catholic Christianity

• The Mass (missa) the celebration of the
  Eucharist
• Liturgy of the Word
• Liturgy of the Eucharist
• transubstantiation

10
Catholic Christianity

• Seven Sacraments
• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Eucharist
• Reconciliation
• Anointing the Sick
• Marriage
• Holy Orders

11
Catholic Lifestyles

• Moral views essentially consistent with other
  Christians
• Contextualized differently at times
• e.g. a consistent ethic of life (p.131)
• Education
• Parochial (Parish) schools
• Colleges and Universities

12
The Catholic Church

• A hierarchical institution
• ? Local parishes (pastors)
• ? Diocese (bishops)
• Metropolitan See (Archdiocese e.g. Atlanta is
  Metropolitan see for Charlotte, Raleigh,
  Charleston, etc.)
• ? Universal Church (pope bishop of Rome)