Church: a Reflection of the Triune God: An Introduction to Trinitarian Ecclesiology

By Patrick Akponevwe Otor

InChurch: A Reflection of the Triune God, Father Patrick Akponevwe Otor, MSP offers a new way of looking at the Church. He sees the nature and mission of the Church as an offshoot of the communion and love that binds together the persons of the Trinity. He shows how the three-tiered leadership structure of the Church mirrors the persons of the Trinity. Father Otor took time to explore and expand the term mission as it is understood in todays Church to include evangelization, inculturation, struggle for justice and liberation, ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue, protecting the earth, missio Dei, and many more.

The book illustrates the person and roles of the pastor or pastoral leader both within the church and in the world. It will be a valuable resource for both teachers and students of theology, pastors, priests, pastoral leaders, missionaries, and ordinary Christians who are interested in learning more about their church and faith. Church: A Reflection of the Triune God, will inform, inspire, and challenge anyone and everyone who reads it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 29, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449724030

Patrick Akponevwe Otor

Father Patrick Akponevwe Otor, MSP, is a Catholic priest and a member of The Missionary Society of St. Paul, (MSP) also known as Missionaries of St. Paul. Father Otor worked as a missionary in Mombasa, Kenya, and has been pastor or parish priest in several parishes in Nigeria and the United States. Father Otor holds a PhD in theology. He is currently the pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Waynesboro, Georgia, and St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Louisville, Georgia.

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 Patrick Akponevwe Otor, M.S.P.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-2362-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-2403-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011913644

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1-[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/23/2011

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Church: A Reflection of the Triune God

Chapter One

The Church as a Divine institution

Chapter 2

Church as Communion

Chapter Three

The Church as the Sacrament of the Presence of God in the World

Chapter Four

Structure and Leadership in the Church

Chapter Five

The Mission of the Church

Chapter Six

The Church: the vehicle of

Salvation for all people

Conclusion

Bibliography

Dedication

To my parents, John Emojero and Theresa Omotoyinbo Otor and to Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Acknowledgement

I thank my parents, Mr. John Dennis Emojero Otor and Mrs. Theresa Omotoyinbo Otor, who fed me with the Catholic faith and instilled in me the values of hard work and study. Thanks to my brothers and sisters for their prayers and encouragement. Many thanks to all my friends, particularly, those who helped me gather some of the material for this work and proofread part or the whole work especially Sister Immaculata Owhotemu, OSF, The Gauthreauxs and Mrs. Tish Patricia Easterlin.

Thanks to all my teachers at The National Missionary Seminary of St. Paul, Nigeria; University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas; Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana; and the Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend, Indiana. Special thanks to my Thesis Supervisor, Rev. Dr. Jorge R. Colon, C.Ss.R., S.T.D., Ph.D. for his patience and support.

Thanks to all my Religious Superior Generals, past and present, for giving me the opportunity to do graduate studies. Above all, I give thanks to God for His goodness to me, thanks to the Father who created me in love, to the Son, my Savior and Lord, and to the Holy Spirit, who comforts me in all my troubles.

Church: A Reflection of the Triune God

Introduction

This book aims to explore Trinitarian ecclesiology, an area on which very little work has been done by theologians. While it is true that some theologians have undertaken and done extensive work on communion ecclesiology and the sacramentality of the Church (Sacramental ecclesiology). These are but only parts of Trinitarian ecclesiology, so far not much has been done to explore and establish the roots of the Church in the core or central mystery of the Christian faith, the Trinity (the Triune God). This book attempts to engage in a holistic exposé of the truth that the Church is rooted in the Trinity both in its nature and mission. That is why it is the reflection of the triune God.

Images are always a reflection of reality, so too is the Church a reflection of the author of all realities, the triune God. There are many images of the Church in Scripture that show how the Church is a reflection of the triune God. The Second Vatican Council both reiterated some of those images as well as offered Christians new insights to understanding them in relation to the Church.

The Church is described as the kingdom that the Father gives to the little flock. As such it is laboring in exile, here on earth. It (the Church) carries in its heart the grace and truth that flow from its divine master, Jesus Christ. As a result of which it shares in the divine nature. The Church is the temple of God, where the Spirit of the Father and the Son dwells. It is a pilgrim, journeying towards its eternal destination. It is the kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The Church is also a vine, as the vine and its branches are joined together, so must its members be in close relationship with its divine master. For apart from him, the members can do nothing. It is the Body of Christ. Just as the human body has many members yet remains one, so too is the Church, with many members performing different functions yet form one body with Christ as the head. There is a strong love relationship between the Church and Christ hence the Church is called the bride of Christ. That is why Christ loves the Church to the extent of giving up his life for her. This relation makes the Church the family of God (people of God). The Church is the family of God because its members have been adopted into the family of God, the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit (Trinity) when they were baptized. For this reason, all Christian people can legitimately call God, ‘Abba’, meaning ‘Father’. They are now made children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ (the God-Man), and instruments and homes of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Church is a reflection of Christ and the God whom he has made known to the World.

The task of this book is also to examine and explore these images of the Church and from them establish that the Church is a divine or mystical institution, a communion, a sacrament and how these go to show that the Church is rooted in the Trinity or a reflection of the triune God. It will as well examine and explore the mission of the Church, together with the leadership structure of the Church, as springing from the Trinity. This study draws the conclusion that the Church is the vehicle of salvation for all people and the reflection of the Triune God (the God who saves).

The Church is a divine institution because it is the Body of Christ, inhabited by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in it, and directing and moving it to the glory of the Father. Thus the Church shares in the mystery of the three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

The Church is Communion because it is a fellowshipping community united by the love of the Father and of the Son and of Holy Spirit. This love is exemplified in the love of the Head (Jesus Christ – the God made Man) and the disciples, and lived out daily in the love of the members. This love is open to all in the world, meaning it is universal, because God is offering his reconciliation to the whole world. Trinitarian love and communion demonstrates God’s sovereign freedom and fidelity, and God’s universal intent and community-forming power that is manifested in history in the death and resurrection of his Son. In the Church, a community is formed by this love. God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) continues to offer himself to humanity and the world through the instrumentality (Sacramentality) of the Church.

The Church is a Sacrament because it continues to point out to the world, the God who created it in love (Father), the God who redeems the world out of love (Son), and the God who sustained it, is still sustaining it and will continue to sustain it by his love (Holy Spirit).

The Church is therefore, called to engage the world and its people in dialogue (mission). This engagement must be holistic, if it will be able to reach every person, culture and corner of the world. Hence, it must engage in evangelization, inculturation, reconciliation, ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, an option for the poor, a struggle for justice, protection of the earth, promotion of peace and unity of the human family, preaching of the universality of God’s benevolence and advocate for the equality of all human beings wherever they are.

Part 1:

Nature Of Church

Chapter One

The Church as a Divine institution

When one takes a look at the Church one can see it, from varied perspectives; first of all, the person looking at the Church as a mere historian of religions or a statistician would see it as a human society, one like any other human society or one among many in the world, or even describe it a religious society. He or she might try to distinguish it from other religious societies. This person might try to delineate its system of government, structures, teachings, forms of worship and prayers (sacrifice, sacraments, rituals, symbols, etc). While another person looking more keenly might be able to recognize some exceptional qualities that make the church a special kind of society among all the others in the world. This one might even go as far as to discern in the church its steadfastness, in its unity and universality, in its effects of sanctity, and some of its miraculous characteristics. ¹ Charles Cardinal Journet, classifying the former Protestant pastor Friedrich von Hurter as one of the persons in this category states: While still a Protestant pastor and, he says, wishing to judge only as a historian, Friedrich von Hurter saw in the medieval papacy a ‘spiritual power whose origins, development, growth, and influence comprise the most extraordinary phenomenon in the history of the world.’ ² A third person looking at the church with the eyes of faith will certainly not just see what the other two persons saw but much more. This person will see the hand of God as it moves and shapes the church. He sees it as a divine institution or organization. About this person and others like him, Charles Cardinal Journet writes:

The Church is seen in her mystery, in her profound reality, as the Body of Christ, inhabited by the Holy Spirit, who directs her and dwells in her as her Guest. The Church is a mystery of faith. This is what the assembly of Christians solemnly proclaims each Sunday: ‘Credo unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.’ It is by the light of faith that one explains the exteriorly certifiable miraculous character of this religious society and grasps this living paradox which never ceases to astonish the world.³

That the Church is divine institution is affirmed in Scripture in its use of the following images: (i) The people of God, (ii) The Body of Christ, (iii) The Bride of Christ, (iv) The Kingdom of God, (v) The City of God, (vi) Temple, Building/House, (vii) Vine or vineyard, (viii) The Family of God, (ix) The Sheepfold/flock.

A. Images of the Church

Here the focus has two aspects: Biblical images and images from Lumen Gentium.

1. Biblical Images

In John 15: 1-8, the Church is called the Vine or Vineyard; here the point that is being made is the need for a close relationship between the members of the Church with its founder, Jesus Christ, if they are to be fruitful. Just as the branch of the vine cannot bear fruit without being attached to the vine, so the Christian cannot be productive or fruitful without a strong relationship with his or her Lord Jesus Christ. Thus for the Christian to have a fruitful life, he or she must be in union with Christ.

In Luke 12:32, the Church is the Kingdom that God the Father gives to the little flock: Fear not, Little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. The little flock is the Church, which is laboring in exile, here on earth. She carries in her heart the grace and truth that flow from her divine master, Jesus Christ. As such she is participating in the divine nature of her divine master. She is the temple of God, where God’s Holy Spirit has made his dwelling place. The Church is the kingdom as a pilgrim, journeying towards her eternal destination. She need not fear, because one day, as she goes on, in the journey, the sun of eternal life, which is concealed in her as in a fog, will shine forth in its fullness and put to flight all her trials and tribulations. Thus this suffering kingdom will be transformed into a glorious one.

While in Romans 14:17, the church is a kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (NRSV). It is important to note here that this image of the Kingdom is of special significance because it is the major theme of the preaching and teaching of both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near (Matthew 3:2 and 4:17). Jesus so stressed the good news of the kingdom to the point that all the miracles he performed were signs of the presence of the kingdom that is now in the midst of the people. Leon-Dufour Xavier notes: Accompanying the preaching, the miracles are the signs of the kingdom’s presence and they make us glimpse its meaning. With its coming the domination of Satan, of sin and of death over man (woman) is at the end.⁴

John 10:1-16 and Acts 20:28-29, describe the church as the sheepfold or flock. Christians are the flock that is led by Jesus Christ, who is the Good Shepherd. To stay with Jesus Christ means to be sure of green pasture.

Revelation 19:7 describes the church as the bride of Christ. This bride is different from the mother of whores in chapter 17:5 because she has been made pure and holy through a washing in the blood of the Lamb. As such, this bride is now capable of loving her husband (the Lamb of God). In using this image, the bible brings out the love relations that should exist both between the bride (the Church) and her husband (the Lamb), and that of the children (the members of the Church) and the Lamb, as well as that of one member for another. Just as a bride has for her head a bridegroom, so also the Church is considered bride of Christ who is her head. St. Paul drew a clear comparison about the Church and Christ and the bride and bridegroom in Ephesians 5: 28 and 29. He wrote: So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church. That the Church is the bride of Christ is meant to bring out the special relationship that exists between the Church and Christ. Just as a young man chooses a young lady, and asks her for marriage, and she freely agrees to marry him, so too did Christ freely chose the Church to continue his mission of salvation in the world. As a result of this choice the Church is now cleansed of her sins and defilements and elevated to a marvelous intimacy with Christ, her Bridegroom. Hence the Church is the spotless spouse of the Spotless Lamb. (Rev.19:7).

The Church is the Family of God (Galatians 3: 26 and 4: 6-7). God is our father because in baptism we are adopted into the family of the triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), as in Matthew 28: 19. As a result of this we can now confidently say with Jesus Christ, our Big Brother, Abba, Father something our sins have prevented us from doing for so long. We are Children of God, and brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

The Church is a Temple or Building/House (1 Corinthians 3: 16). In this house, Jesus Christ is the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), and we, the members are the stones with which the house is built. The Apostle Peter wrote: Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (I Peter 2: 5). In this house, Jesus Christ, who is both the wisdom of God and the word of God comes to dwell among us, as the Word made flesh, full of truth and grace. And from him we receive grace upon grace (John 1: 14-16). It is important to note here that when the New Testament mentions building, it does not refer to a lifeless building but a living people, a people called out to be the people of God through faith in Jesus Christ. They are called to make known the saving grace and power of God in Jesus Christ. They are called to serve other people in the name of God through Christ Jesus in the Holy Spirit.

In 1 Peter 2: 9-10, the Church is described as the People of God. This is to say the Church is the new Israel, the Chosen people of God. Like Israel, the Church is set apart from the rest of the world because of the mystery of its calling which has religious meaning as well as an essential aspect of the plan of salvation. In his book, Theology of the Church, Cardinal Charles Journet writes:

Jesus appeared as the Messiah, the Son of Man announced in the Old Testament, who would gather together around himself the people of God. In biblical language, the Hebrew Qehal yahve was the people of God, chosen from among the infidel nations to adore and serve the Most High. The Church of God (εχχλησια του Θεου), the Church of the New Testament, is its correspondent. It represents the new government of humanity, where God intends to establish his reign: the Holy people or new Israel of messianic times. The Church is the Israel of the New Alliance. She is the inheritor of the promises made to Abraham, which found their fulfillment in the new