Alister McGrath Theology Basics (2018) Chapter 8: Church

Summary

In this lecture, Alister McGrath from Oxford University explores the Christian understanding of the church, or ecclesiology. He examines the dual use of the term 'church' in the New Testament, distinguishing between local congregations and the universal body of believers. The discussion includes different theological perspectives on the church's unity, holiness, and the challenge of reconciling diverse Christian denominations. McGrath also touches on key historical debates, such as the Donatist controversy and Augustine's contributions, offering insights into the nature of the church and its sacraments in the context of both human imperfection and divine holiness.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ecclesiology is the study of the church, encompassing both its local and universal aspects.
• 😀 The New Testament uses the word 'church' in two senses: local congregations and the total body of Christian believers.
• 😀 The distinction between visible and invisible church was proposed by John Calvin, with visible referring to the local community and invisible to the ideal, universal fellowship of believers.
• 😀 One approach to reconciling the local and universal church is the idea that the universal church is embodied in local communities of believers.
• 😀 The unity of the church is a key theological issue, especially considering the existence of many Christian denominations.
• 😀 The Donatist controversy highlighted the debate about whether church leaders must be morally pure, especially during times of persecution.
• 😀 Augustine of Hippo responded to the Donatist controversy by emphasizing that the church is a mixed body of saints and sinners.
• 😀 Augustine's interpretation of the parable of the wheat and the weeds illustrates that the church includes both good and bad members, with the final separation happening at the end of time.
• 😀 The holiness of the church is not based on the purity of its members but on Christ's sanctification, making the church holy despite its imperfections.
• 😀 Various theological views attempt to explain the church's unity, including the eschatological view (unity will be realized at the end of time) and the biological view (denominations are branches of the same tree, rooted in Christ).
• 😀 The Second Vatican Council took a significant step in recognizing other Christian denominations as separated Christian brothers and sisters, rather than viewing them as entirely separate or false churches.

Q & A

What is ecclesiology and how is it related to the church?

Ecclesiology is the area of theology that focuses on the study of the church. It derives from the Greek word 'ecclesia,' which means 'church.' This field explores the nature, purpose, and structure of the church, addressing both its visible and invisible aspects.

How does the New Testament use the word 'church'?

The New Testament uses the word 'church' in two different ways: to refer to individual Christian congregations (local visible gatherings of believers) and to refer to the universal body of Christian believers (the total church community).

What is the tension between local and universal understandings of the church?

The tension lies in how to reconcile the idea of a single, universal church with the reality of many different local congregations. The challenge is understanding how both the local and universal aspects of the church can be true simultaneously.

What is John Calvin’s distinction between the visible and invisible church?

John Calvin distinguished between the visible church, which is a community of both saints and sinners, and the invisible church, which refers to the fellowship of saints in heaven. The visible church is an imperfect earthly manifestation, while the invisible church represents the perfect, eternal community of believers.

What are the four views on the nature of the church discussed in the script?

The four views are: 1) The belief that there is only one true church and all others are false; 2) A distinction between the empirical church (visible reality) and an ideal church; 3) An eschatological view that sees current disunity as temporary, to be resolved at the end of time; 4) A biological approach, which compares churches to branches of a tree, all rooted in Christ despite their differences.

What was the Donatist controversy and how did it affect the understanding of the church?

The Donatist controversy arose in the 4th century when Christians debated whether church leaders who had compromised their faith under persecution (by handing over Christian books) could still be trusted to administer sacraments. The Donatists argued that the church must be led by morally pure leaders, but Augustine of Hippo rejected this, arguing that the church is a mixed body of saints and sinners.

How did Augustine of Hippo respond to the Donatist view on the purity of the church?

Augustine argued that the church is not meant to be a society of saints but a mixed body of saints and sinners. He used the Biblical parables of the wheat and the weeds to illustrate that the church must accept both good and bad members, and that the separation of these groups will happen at the end of time, not in this world.

What is the significance of the parable of the wheat and the weeds in relation to the church?

The parable of the wheat and the weeds highlights the reality that the church in this world includes both saints and sinners. Augustine used this parable to explain that it is premature and inappropriate to attempt to separate the two before the end of time, when God will make the final judgment.

According to Augustine, how is the church considered holy?

For Augustine, the holiness of the church is not based on the personal holiness of its members but on the sanctifying work of Christ. The church is made holy through Christ, and its holiness will be fully realized at the Last Judgment.

What role do sacraments play in the church according to Augustine’s theology?

In Augustine’s view, sacraments function not because of the moral purity of the individuals administering them but because of the promises of Christ. Despite the sinfulness of its members, the church’s sacraments remain valid because they are grounded in Christ’s promises.