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Role of church in society Essay
The role of the church in the modern society
The role of the church in the modern society
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Few organizations are as present in our cities and towns than churches. While every municipality has dozens of fraternal organizations, shops, and information centers, it is entirely common to look across a cityscape and see the spires of a steeple peeking out above the surroundings. However, the use of the word “church” to describe this buildings fall short of its original meaning, with the word indicating a body of people, joined for a specific theological purpose. Different Churches see different ways at succeeding at fulfilling this purpose. While the Church often seems antiquated in modern times, I will analyze its importance in the modern world. Finally, I will identify the place of the Church in the modern world. It is important to recognize I will be performing this argument and analysis from a Catholic perspective, and some vocabulary and answers will be distinctly Catholic. In this paper, I will analyze the place of the Church in theological discussion, and in the world. I will argue that the Church is a body of peoples, and that it has a specific purpose, a means for achieving this purpose, and a precise mission and place in the modern world.
The modern world too often views the Church as a singular building, were worship services are held and specific business is taken care of. However, this is not the case, and the Church is better described as group of peoples, with the origin of the word coming from the Greek term for “assembly” . Throughout this essay, I will use capitalization to identify between church: a building, and Church, a group of people. Even when it is understood that the Church is a body of people, it is still easy to only imagine the clergy, or the members of the bureaucracy of that body as being the...
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... mercy is made accessible because of the Church’s special existence in both natural and supernatural reality. Because of this, I conclude that the Church is a body of peoples who are united as the mystical Body of Christ, and exists in the world while simultaneously existing in a supernatural reality, so that it may convert all peoples and lead them to the Beatific Vision through Grace and God’s Mercy.
Works Cited
Boylan, Eugene. This Tremendous Lover. Notre Dame, IN: Christian Classics, 1947.
Catholic Church. Unitatis Redintegratio [Decree on Ecumenism]. Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1964.
Francis. America. By Antonio Spadaro. September 30, 2013. http://americamagazine.org/pope-interview.
Thomas. Summa Theologiæ. Trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Bros., 1947. http://dhspriory.org/thomas/summa/index.html.
Weaver, Natalie Kertes.
Rodriguez makes a point of stating that there are tensions between the “brother religions”, religions that should be unified but instead are “united and divided by the masculine sense of faith”, still this same pattern is shown within the church (146). Rodriguez acknowledges the fact that the church is being divided each day due
In the eyes of the people the church is one place you are spared from judgment and critique. It is the one place you should feel safe, to express your thoughts and opinions, pray to the higher power in which you believe and your faith resides and be free of society qualms, demands, and realism. In a part
The size of the Christian megachurch is manifested in its title, which demonstrates that this typically prodigious and resplendent edifice sustains a weekly attendance of at least two thousand congregants; and that the majority of the mega churches are of the Protestant persuasion, of which its doctrine is basically the antithesis of Catholicism’s authoritarian structures, as well as the other major religions of Islam, Hinduism and Old Testament Judaism (The Hartford Seminary). Over the years, there has not only been an enormous emergence of mega churches here in the US, but also of many disparaging remarks from the public, comedians, books and the news media, about this institution. Some assert that these types of churches are not really concerned about the souls of the people, and they are prodigious only because of the avarice, a misrepresentation of Jesus Christ and a manipulation of the hearts of people, in conjunction with a gross negligence of spiritual leadership. The truth is, that in some instances there is malfeasance, but in others, the church is led by the Spirit of God with vigor and integrity.
One of the three basic pillars of the Roman Catholic Church is Tradition. The Church often uses this pillar of Tradition to validate its actions or to establish its own infallibility. One unspoken foundation that I feel is more essential, however, is that of Love. Love is what is taught in Scripture, another pillar of the Church, and should, therefore be the root of any traditions in the Catholic faith. By judging human actions or the spirit of God by cold laws enforced by the Church, we lose important insight into what our faith and our existence are truly about. Even the Church, in its humanness, sometimes forgets that love of God, others, and ourselves should be the core of every decision we make. The Church that many see as harsh and archaic could easily be refreshed and renewed, not by peppier music or stand-up comic priests, but by emphasis on the spirit of love rather than the letter of the law.
Hammett explains in the introduction that it is his aim to show that the church is the creation of God the Father, is the body of God the Son, and is the instrument through which God the Holy Spirit works in today’s contemporary world. Since the church is such a high priority for God, it should be of great importance to every Christian. In addition, North American Christian’s need to be aware of the dangers associated with focusing on growth, relevancy, and pragmatism instead of focusing on God’s design for the church (11).
Catholicism's Theology as explained above is of an inclusive nature. Therefore, as explained in the Gospel of Christ humanity is called to him and hi...
From the Catholic observation point, the Church presents two parts: One representing its divine nature as the untarnished body of Christ, and one direc...
Norma Everist in the book, The Church as Learning Community maintains heretofore we have viewed equipping teachers for the task of teaching as leaders have the ability with knowledge and skill to provide what is needed to prepare teachers to teach. She alludes that this thinking does not fully encompass the magnitude of “equipping”. While I agree with her that in the equipping process leaders must engage in listening and stirring up the teachers’ gifts, I believe we are all at different stages of our development, therefore some have the capacity and skill to equip others. She uses Ephesians chapter four as the framework for her discussion in chapter six of her book. Specifically, in verse eleven of Ephesians four, which states, the gifts
In an age when culture continues to lower standards of intellect, Marva Dawn makes compelling observations and suggestions for the Church to rethink its’ strategy on impacting society. How do we evangelize without weakening the message of what we are communicating? The majority of her text focuses on the worship environment generally, but later she focuses on music, preaching, and liturgy specifically. According to Dawn, a gathering of believers should emphasize God as the subject and object of worship, challenge each individual to grow in godly character, and accentuate the community of believers (not only in the room, but throughout history as well). Through this grid, she encourages leaders and participants to evaluate each worship element. If these primary goals are accomplished, then worship will not be empty and simpleminded. Instead the worship atmosphere would be held to a higher standard and, she believes, both pleasing to God and attractive to those who do not know God.
The contemporary Church is so often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the arch-supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the Church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the Church's silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved February 21, 2010 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org
The Story of Christianity is a very informative summation; a continuation of Volume 1 which covered the beginning of the church up to the Protestant Reformation, while Vol. 2 dealt with the Protestant Reformation up to more modern time period. This author delivers a more comprehensive and deeper look into the development of Christianity, which includes particular events which had transpired throughout the world; particularly how Christianity has expanded into Central and South America. Gonzalez opens up this book with the “Call for Reformation,” where he shares with his readers the need for reform; the papacy had started to decline and was corrupt, in addition to the Great Schism, which had further weakened the papacy (p.8). The author explains how the church was not the only issue but that the church’s teachings were off track as well, seeing that the people had deviated from...
Ritchie, M. (1999). Community bible chapel. The story of the church – Part 4, Topic 5. The Protestant
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province (New York: Benziger Bros., 1922).
What is the church? This can be a very deep question, or a rather simple one depending on one’s context, theology, and general understanding of Scripture and faith. From my personal experience, most members of the congregations I grew up in if asked this question would point to the church building or sanctuary. This is not that surprising in my opinion when we consider the gorgeous monuments we have built as houses for God. As a child, I would have answered the exact same way as most people in a congregation, and it was not until later in my adulthood that I came to understand “the church” not as a physical building, but as much more. A very common response to this question has been that the church is “the people of God” or even “God’s chosen people.” I, however, prefer the definition of the church as “the community of Christian faith,” a much more inclusive definition than the previous mentioned definitions.