We Are Church

Introduction

In this essay, I first discuss various models of the Church; then I consider what the purpose of the Church is. I then argue that it is necessary for the life of the Church to be governed in various ways, and briefly describe the form of authority that exists within the Church to discharge this function. Finally, I discuss the contemporary breakdown in Catholic Order and to what extent this undermines the coherence of the case I have attempted to make.

Models of the Church

As a Physicist, I use the word model in a different way. In my language, models are useful approximations, which focus on certain aspects of a complicated system and its behaviour, neglecting some details which may occasionally be important, but which can often be ignored. Different models are appropriate in different circumstances, as different behaviours are elicited by different stimuli or contexts. Moreover, models can be used to give insight into the activity of a system as comparisons with other systems or simple ideas that one is familiar with or can fully analyse. This kind of model is more properly called an "analogy" and is the kind of thing we are dealing with here.

If a behaviour or insight associated with a model in fact corresponds to objective reality, then it is true and the model is useful for explicating this truth. It cannot be arbitrarily set aside just because another model is found to be useful or to be preferred in other circumstances: unless this second model fully reproduces the behaviours predicted by the first. Even when a second model could be used to supersede a less sophisticated predecessor (e.g. General Relativity and Newtonian Gravity) it is often wise to retain use of the simpler model when it can be applied, because it gives a clearer insight into common-place realities which would otherwise be lost like a needle in a huge stack of complicating hay.

I shall next discuss six "Models of the Church". In each case I shall try to explain its origin, its utility and its defects.

The Perfect Society

Obviously, the theologian lecturing me at Westminster all those years ago didn't very much like this paradigm. Equally obviously, I don't like it: as here expressed. It is much too "top down" and "militaristic" in character. However, giving the analogy a different spin transforms it into an altogether more congenial form:

• The Church is an association of individuals with a common aim and purpose.
• Its constitution is divine [Ott IV.2.10.1]:
• The objective is to manifest and mediate the Gospel to everyone. [Mat 28:19-20]
• The governing principle is "Love and do as you will". [St Augustine]
• No account is to be made of wealth, social class, race, nationality or sex. [Gal 3:28]
• Those who do the Will of God are true family. [Mat 12:50]
• "The Spirit will lead you into all truth." [Jn 16:13]
• "What you bind and loose on Earth is bound or loosed in Heaven." [Mt 18:18, Jn 20:23]
• "The greatest among you must be the Servant of All." [Mk 9:35]
• "On Peter will I build my Church." [Mt 16:18]
• This irreformable Divine Constitution (a Platonic ideal) :
• is a blue-print for a Perfect Society.
• However, it is of necessity implemented in practice by fallible human agents.
• Hence its form can only be realized imperfectly,
• and this realization is always capable of improvement.

The Body of Christ

The only deficiency of this model [CCC 787-795] is that it doesn't give any clear guidance as to how the Church (especially as a world wide body) is to be realized in practice, which is where the previous model of "The Perfect Society" scores very highly.

The Family of God

1. It relates to most people's personal experience,
• and so means something specific to them,
• especially in terms of "give and take", mutual respect, support and love.
2. St Paul often calls Christians "brothers" (in what I'm sorry to say is a rather sexist way).
• He does so with the thought that God is their father,
• not himself or some other hierarch.

1. It communicates the idea of parental authority as the basis of the Church.
• It is male dominated.
• It undermines the idea that Christian leadership is that of the servant.
2. It suggests that the main source of the Church's membership is procreation not proselytism.
• Perhaps to the extent that the Church becomes ghettoized.
3. It suggests that the Church is constructed from secular families.
• Perhaps to the extent that family boundaries become fracture lines in the Church Community.
4. Not everyone is as lucky as myself, to have had a generally good experience of family life.
• For those who have not, this model will be alienating, especially for those who have experienced
• divorce, or
• physical, emotional or sexual abuse from members of their family.
5. When coupled with the idea of "Child of God" it encourages the laity to think of themselves as:
• dependent on and passive to the hierarchy, just there "to do as you're told" and "to be seen, but not heard";
• quite properly ignorant of doctrine;

immature, spiritually.

Communion of Saints

In particular, it is applied to the Magisterium. It proposes that the office of Pope is that of the President of the College of Bishops, and that his particular role is to be their definitive spokesman. While a Bishop not "in communion" with the Pope is no real Bishop, a Pope "at odds with" the College of Bishops is no real Pope.

This is all well and good, and those readers familiar with the general tone of my writings will understand that I welcome this paradigm. However, it is just as apt for misuse as "the Perfect Society": but in the opposite direction. It can be used to elevate the governed above the governors, and in particular professional (or, I suppose, amateur :-) theologians above the Magisterium. Now I have argued elsewhere for the rightful place of prophets and teachers to be recognized, alongside that of the priest. Nevertheless, it remains true that it is the role of the priest to "discern the spirits" and rule (sometimes infallibly) on matters of dispute: when the time is opportune. The Church may be a Communion or Fellowship, but it is no more a Commune or Democracy than it is an Autocracy or Monarchy.
 

Pilgrim People of God

Calamitously, these theologians intended far more by it than this and subsequently used it to devastating effect. The image of pilgrimage could be used to justify the rejection of any tradition and in fact Apostolic Tradition itself! The argument would always be that "This tradition that you cling to is baggage weighing the Church down, tying it to the past. It must be discarded on the journey to the Promised Land. What may have been true or helpful in days gone by has to be replaced by New Ideas and New Ways. The Faith is not timeless, but has to be adjusted in order to be conformable with and attractive to modernity."

Hence Modernism, for so long repressed (but never answered or defeated) took possession of the Church, as the "People rose up to play" [Ex 32:6].

Kingdom of God's Friends

Some while ago, Dr Paul Miller pointed out to me that the twelve disciples grouped about Jesus was similar in form to an adolescent friendship group: or indeed a gang! Of course, a major difference was that some (and possibly many of the disciples, though not Jesus) were married. This, together with the penumbra of "women followers" and the "household of Martha, Mary and Lazarus at Bethany" was the nascent Church. Later on it was augmented by "the brethren of Jesus".

The basic human value championed by Christ, the ideal that all else should be judged by and all should aspire to, was friendship [Mat 12:46-50]. Jesus' preaching of the Kingdom of God should be understood in a very simple way: namely the proclamation that the solution to all the world's woes is the general adoption of mankind of the paramount virtue of friendship. Our Lord cautioned that unless we "became as children": for whom friendship is typically second nature, we could not hope to enter the Kingdom of God [Mk 10:14-15]. This is a simple and practical message. One that is comprehensible by all [Mt 11:20] and would be very simple to adopt. I suspect that the reason there has been only a limited uptake of the idea, both within and without the Church is that other strategies of behaviour tend to work better, unless a friendship group has a certain size. Hence the instinct of many who take the faith particularly seriously to adopt the religious style of life, one based on community, commonality and equality rather than on family and hierarchy.

The utility of this model is that:

• It features the interdependence of the "Communion of Saints" paradigm.
• It features the respect and mutual support of the "Family of God" paradigm.
• It focuses on the greatest love [Jn 13:34;15:12-17] as being constitutive of the Church.
• It is not sexist and is altogether inclusive (Catholic).
• It de-emphasizes power structures and authority in favour of persuasion and dialogue.
• It de-emphasizes secular and familiar ties in favour of spiritual affinities.
• It is open to the Divine Constitution of "God's Perfect Society", outlined above.

Functions of the Church

All of the legitimate functions and activity of the Church can be subsumed within the concept of "evangelization". This is the mediation and manifestation of the Life of God to the World (which, of course, includes the members of the Church).

Worship

Worship is for the good and benefit of the worshipper, not the worshipped. Hence it is a form of Evangelization. It manifests and mediates the life of the Trinity to the worshipping community. It is implicated in many of the other activities listed below. If it is properly performed, it will be edifying and inculcate fellowship. Witnessed by outsiders, it will impress on them something of the majesty and wonder of God and be of itself an effective means of evangelism. The synaxis that nowadays always precedes the Eucharist affords opportunity for prophecy, teaching and preaching.

The Eucharist

The Work of Worship

The Divine Office

Personal Prayer

In the western tradition, the Rosary has a special place. In the eastern tradition, the "Jesus prayer" has pride of place.

Edification

The Sacraments

The sacraments are a great help to flawed (wo)men in the sorrows and perils of life. They are moments of commitment: anchoring points by which to tether the tent that is else too liable to be carried off in the gales of uncertainty. As encounters with God, they are all Epiphanies of Grace and contribute to the Evangelization of the Church.

Sacramentals

Teaching

Intellectual belief is only important in as far as it leads to acts of friendship. Of course, as a Platonist, I would argue that perfect knowledge (episteme) is the sole basis of virtue, while sadly accepting that orthodoxy (correct belief) is not at all the same thing.

Spiritual Direction and Discipleship

Fellowship

There is also a place in the Common Life of the Church for simple human Fun. Jesus said that he came so that His followers should have a more abundant life: not that they should be miserable sour pusses! Partying, sports, rambling, amateur dramatics and singing, arts and crafts etc etc are all things that can be shared in simply for the sake of their enjoyment. Moreover, doing so will tend to deepen relationships that already exist and serve as pretexts to develop others that did not previously exist. Again, some of these activities can be turned to specifically religious use: to enhance worship or as means of evangelism or teaching. Still others can be seen as means of serving the local community (e.g. providing a youth club or toddler's play group) and may then accidentally serve as ways to evoke interest in the life of the Church from those who have no prior interest in or knowledge of the Catholic Faith.

Groups should exist for

• common prayer and Bible study;
• social and political action;
• catechesis and religious instruction;
• emotional and practical support;
• spiritual direction and discipleship; and
• the discussion of theology and philosophy.

Moreover, there should be pastoral mechanisms in place to alert the Community to the problems, difficulties, trials and needs of individuals and families. The only problem here is that any mechanism effective enough to respond adequately to the crises that impact upon daily life is likely to be intrusive and risk invasion of privacy. Of course, if the Church was truly "the Perfect Society of God's Friends" there would be no issue of privacy. Unfortunately, it is not: so there is!

Prophecy

Similarly, the Church has a prophetic role as regards the State. She should remind rulers and officials of the demands of justice and equity, both in the making of laws and the execution of policy: and denounce them when they fail to adhere to objective principles. Sometimes She should encourage, or even instruct, her members to take political action: even contrary to the law of the State, if that law is unjust.

Evangelism

The presumption popular in contemporary Catholicism: that it is generally sufficient just "to live a good life, and so set an example to others" is so far from true as to be scandalous. Even within the family, evangelism is often devolved to the school: parents not feeling equipped to give an account of the Faith even to the captive audience of their own children! This manifests the entire deficiency of contemporary catechesis. Recently a corespondent wrote to me:

"I wish you had taught my RICA class. Our director of religious education decided to present catholic teaching on a level suitable for twelve year olds. She was concerned that the people in the class would become confused or bored with a more advanced presentation of the faith. I have been in church since I was a toddler so her presentations had only a little new information for me. My sponsor did help me outside of class with other books but they were basic as well."

"It's true, we have lost so much in all the confusion. Does anyone know what a real Catholic is anymore? I had an argument with a lay Carmelite last week along these lines. Apparently no-one has any backbone to stand up and say 'this is not my tradition or my belief'. How far away will the Spirit let us drift away before towing us back in?"

Service

Authority within the Church

The only authentic Christian Authority is that of the Servant, the pagan concept of "Lord and Master" has no place in the Christian Religion. Even Our God and Lord Jesus Christ showed that His Kingship was a form of service when he washed his Apostle's feet at their last supper and then called them his friends. Jesus provided for His Church's need for governance in two ways. First: by the commissioning of Apostles, with the authority to sacramentally ordain helpers and successors [Ott IV.2.4]; and second: by a more general bestowal of Holy Spirit on the Church [Ott IV.2.11, CCC 797-798].

Holy Orders

It should be noted the authority granted by Holy Orders has two (quite distinct) roles:

• The first is the authority to confect the sacraments.
• This kind of authority is enabling.
• Without it something is impossible.
• With it the thing becomes possible.
• The second species of authority within the Church is "regulatory" authority.
• This might also be termed "pastoral" or "juridical".
• In the last analysis, it is disabling.
• It is easier to stop something bad from happening,

by issuing a condemnation; than to initiate something good!
• This is the prime role of hierarchical authority:

to warn that certain ideas are dangerous and to forbid certain actions.

The Papacy

In the pre 1960's Church, the Pope was often portrayed as an Absolute Monarch, though he rarely behaved in such a manner. 
More recently, the papal office is generally portrayed in a cosy, friendly, consensual terms. Unfortunately, both Pope Paul VI: regarding both hormonal contraception and the imposition of the Novus Ordo Missae, and Pope John Paul II: most especially regarding "women priests", have tended to act imperiously.

Prophets and Teachers

The Contemporary Situation

• The only Western Rite Bishop that ever acts like one is the Pope, all the rest act like "administrators".
• I recall that when Maurice Coeve de Murville was appointed Archbishop of Birmingham, he told me that his first response to the Apostolic Delegate had been to ask him:

"But what do I know about administration?"
• There is considerable tension between the Episcopate and the Papal Civil Service: "the Curia".
• Generally over petty issues of who is in charge of what.
• The Curia is generally populated with conservatives.
• The Episcopate is polarized between liberals and conservatives.
• The Presbyterate is overwhelmingly liberal.
• The vast majority of theologians are modernists.
• A substantial number of orthodox "Traditionalist" Catholics have been excommunicated by the Pope.
• There is a general atmosphere of fear, distrust and acrimony, which makes open constructive debate and dialogue impossible. Hence this web site!
• The focus is on managing decline, not renewing the Life of the Church.
• At the same time, little acknowledgement is made that the Church is in decline!
• Because this would mean admitting that the Post Vatican II experience has generally been negative and much of what was implemented in the name of that synod was pastorally disastrous.
• The Parish is seen as a sacrament production line, rather than a Christian Community.
• Very few of the functions that I outlined above are being discharged.
• The Church's worship is a cause of dissension, not fellowship.
• Catechesis and Discipleship training is utterly inadequate.
• Preaching is of an abysmal quality.
• Evangelism is hardly ever attempted.
• Fellowship and mutual support is generally neglected.
• Significant lay involvement in ministry is generally impeded.
• Clericalism is still rife.
• The rapid decline in the number of presbyters is being addressed in expedient terms.
• The only doctrinal matters on which the Papacy seems willing to take a stand are related to sex, gender or reproduction. In most of these matters, I fear it is largely mistaken.
• Hormonal Contraception.
• In vitro fertilization.
• Abortion.
• Divorce and Remarriage.
• Sexuality.
• The Ordination of Women.
• It has backpedalled on the Defined Teaching of the Oecumenical Council of Trent regarding Justification.
• The Pope has toyed with syncretism by hosting the two Assisi congresses of "World Religions" and by kissing a copy of the Koran!
• There is a general break-down in the rule of law, with most Bishops acting as arbitrary tyrants.
• When liturgical abuses are brought to Episcopal attention,

the complainant is generally ignored, vilified or told to shut up.
• When sexual abuses are brought to Episcopal attention,

the complainant is bribed to keep quiet and the offences covered up.
• The only exception being in the area of sex and the laity, where the rules are rigidly applied, at least formally.
• However even here, all that matters is a profession of faithfulness to the rules, not actually keeping them!

Pope Paul VI, who was largely to blame for all the above, had the decency to admit the truth publicly on three occasions:

"The Church finds herself in an hour of anxiety, a disturbed period of self-criticism, or what would even better be called auto-destruction. It is an acute and complicated upheaval, which nobody could have expected after the Council. It is almost as if the Church were attacking herself.
We looked forward to a flowering, a serene expansion of concepts which matured in the great sessions of the council ... one must notice above all the sorrowful aspect. It is as if the Church were destroying herself." [Pope Paul VI, 7 December 1968, Address to the Lombard College]

"We have the impression that through some cracks in the wall the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God: it is doubt, uncertainty, questioning, dissatisfaction, confrontation ..... We thought that after the Council a day of sunshine would have dawned for the history of the Church. What dawned, instead, was a day of clouds and storms, of darkness, of searching and uncertainties."
[Pope Paul VI, 29 June 1972, Daily Audience: on the occasion of the 9th anniversary of his pontificate.]

“The tail of the devil is functioning in the disintegration of the Catholic world. The darkness of Satan has entered and spread throughout the Catholic Church even to its summit. Apostasy, the loss of the faith, is spreading throughout the world and into the highest levels within the Church.”
[Pope Paul VI,  October 13, 1977, Address on the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions.]

"There is, at the present time, a great disorder in the Church, and it is the Faith that is at stake. When I consider the Catholic world, what frightens me is that it seems that a non-Catholic way of thinking seems to be becoming prevalent within Catholicism itself, and that it could even happen that this non-Catholic way of thinking could take over in the future, although it will never represent the mind of the Church."'

"The Church, rightly or wrongly seems more focused on keeping itself going, as though passing out the Sacraments is its raison d'être, along with taking stances on human issues (like sex and sexuality that it knows nothing about) that have very little to do with religion: while a church should be about bringing us closer to God, in my view."

".... the more I discovered what the life of a typical parish priest is like, the more turned off it I became. Remember that my main experience of the Church has been through the new movements and through St Mary Moorfields, not through typical parishes, which I've now discovered are primarily non-stop Mass / baptism / confirmation / marriage / funeral / counselling factories."

This is because apart from all her mundane blemishes, She is the best manifestation there is of the Perfect Society of the Friends of God. To purposefully separate oneself from Her is to purposefully separate oneself from that Divine Fellowship and the sacramental means of grace that She offers. To join Her Communion is neither to approve of nor participate in Her imperfections: but only in the ideal that informs Her and gives Her life. Outside Her boundaries there is no true worship, no justification, no charity: for wherever these are She is invisibly present at least.

In the end, as a (wo)man of faith and good-will you will be joined to Her. This is inevitable, as you are a friend of God, and the Church knows Herself as nothing other than The Kingdom of God's Friends. Remain outside Her boundaries while you live and you give free reign to those who even now further corrupt Her life: either purposefully or through ignorance.

I grant that She is in a parlous state at the moment: perhaps you will be able to contribute to Her healing!

I grant that association with Her will be a cause of trial for you: but Our Lord asks each of His disciples to take up the cross set before them and carry it faithfully.

In any case it is not too great a burden to bear, if only one keeps a proper perspective. Our Lord's call to St Francis of Assisi was "Francis, rebuild my Church", and that holy man did not flinch at the enormity of the task set before him.