CHRIST PANTOCRATOR

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THE ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW ON THE POSITION OF THE CHURCH

By Hubert Luns This article was inspired by Dr. Gregg R. Allison’s article “Roman Catholic Theology and Practice”, written in December 2014, which in turn was adapted from his book “Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment”, released the same year, with the purpose to prove that from an Evangelical point of view the Roman Catholic theology and practice are on the wrong track. Instead, he happened to prove the contrary. There are two major themes on this playing field: the nature-grace interdependence, and the Christ-Church interconnection. • The first one departs from the idea that nature and grace are designed by God to operate in reliance upon one another. Indeed, nature is to be a channel of grace, and grace is to perfect our fallen human nature that was redeemed and continues to be re-deemed for as long as it has not reached its ultimate perfection and remains liable to sin, which latter is only shaken off in the after-life. For instance, water (in the realm of nature) is capable of receiving and becoming a vehicle of grace that can be used for the sacrament of baptism (any water can do; it does not need to be consecrated), which confers to its recipient a certain nature (that of Christ - Col. 2:12), who then becomes more receptive to grace and less to the curses of the evil one. The same is true of the Sacrament of Holy Unction or Chrism* (in the realm of nature) that through grace conveys a particular nature to someone being anoin-ted – in such a way that his new nature makes him a person for the receiving and dis-pensation of certain types of grace. In the same way bread and wine (in the realm of nature) are capable of being trans-substantiated: that is to say that they are reincarnated by the embodiment of Christ, thus nourishing the faithful through grace if they consume this embodiment of Jesus Christ (body and blood) and desire so to be nourished that way (an act of faith is necessary to receive its beneficial effects). This sounds strange, but we should realize that he uni-verse in its totallity is a reincarnation of Christ (Col. 1:15-17), but so was the body of Christ when conceived in the Virgin Mary, and so is in comparable fashion the conse-crated bread or Holy Host a reincarnation of Christ. The theme of the nature-grace interdependence helps to understand why the sacra-ments of the Holy Catholic Church are the most effective for our salvation. Grace is al-ways communicated to the ‘flesh’ through concrete means of nature, and this even holds for those beneficiaries who remain outside the Roman Catholic institute. At the other end of the spectrum lies super-spiritualization that lurks through New Age prac-tices, which therefore should be avoided. • The second theme comprehends the Christ-Church interconnection. Grace meets nature, and it is through nature that the church on earth – represented by its pope, bi-shops and the other priests (they feed the flock and intercede with God) – allows that in a special way the life-giving grace flows on (there is also a general way, because God’s grace is like the water that invades each chink). This operation is nothing other than an extension or fanning out of Jesus’ incarnation, though the Church has always remained an imperfect replica of Jesus, if only because priests are humans too, except for the fact that a true pope has always been free from error in matters of moral and doctrine, if

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officially proclaimed. Yet, although the outward appearance of the Church through hu-man frailty is imperfect, the spiritual core always remains perfect, which is comparable to the outward appearance of Christ during his suffering on the Cross whilst his divine core remained untouched. It is Christ who makes Himself infinitesimal small to enter in each and everyone of the faithful, who together represent the Church as a natural and spiritual reality in order to open the way for each one to enter in the infinitesimal great-ness of God. There is of course also the church of the communion of saints, which includes both the earthly realm and the departed souls in blissful perfection, but also those suf-fering in Purgatory. We should not forget the saints on earth who are situated within the Protestant denominations, but are separated from the Catholic Church; instead of being nourished by the Holy Host they are nourished by the Word of God. All these categories constitute the one Church; in the Reign of Peace they will have been fused together into the one Triumphant Church. Two thousand years ago, the incarnate God-man, Jesus Christ, mediated grace to nature, His nature, as He came to save the sinful human beings. As a prolongation of the incarnation of Christ, the Church mediates grace to nature, that of us. Indeed, in the ideal condition the Church acts as another Christ-person, standing between the world (the realm of nature) and God (the realm of grace). The key principle of the Christ-Church interconnection helps to understand why the Catholic Church is an institution wanted by God that came into being as ‘a’ means for the dispensation of graces and to act as an intercessory partner. Both are meant for the salvation and betterment of each individual as well as for the salvation of communi-ties and thier political systems, until finally the whole world is being saved according to the promise of the Millennium Age. This explains why the Roman Church is the se-lect choice to guide the faithful on the path to perfection and final salvation. Let us give a few examples of the practical results of the nature-grace interdependence and the Christ-Church interconnection: Doctrine of salvation and perfection Catholic theology views the process by which God rescues fallen human beings as being synergistic, that is, a cooperative venture between divine grace and human effort (the realm of nature), to work in someone so that he can be a blessing to the world and attain the best conditions for his eternal life. It considers the operation of salvation to be an infusion of divine grace by which one’s very nature progressively improves towards the ideal. This point dovetails with Catholic theology’s understanding of the goal of salvation in terms of deification, that is the process by which human nature through grace becomes ever more in the likeness of Christ. If this is interrupted through enga-ging in venal or even mortal sin, it can be renewed through the Sacrament of Penance by which the state of grace returns and grace is increasingly conveyed for the perfec-tion of human nature. If this process remains too much on the surface, because in fact the person has not earnestly devoted himself – that is, if grace has not been allowed to elevate his human nature to true communion with God – a sojourn in Purgatory pro-mises to finish the purification. However, even if the deceased has no need to go through Purgatory, the elevation to higher grades of perfection is commendable. Actu-ally, the elevation to ever higher grades of perfection in the hereafter, is a process that can go on for very long, but that is not our topic. Catholic Priesthood Grace is concretely communicated to nature, and the highest tangible expression of grace, after the Lord Himself, is the communion of priests within the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. This aspect is especially seen in the forgiveness of

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sins (Jonn 20:23) and the Holy Mass. Indeed, by the sacrament of Holy Orders, humans (the realm of nature) are consecrated so as to be able to administer the sacraments (the realm of grace). Because of the communion of priests within the Church(es), it is Christ himself who through the Church(es) transsubstantiates, teaches, ordains, wards off de-monic powers (very important), etc., though it must be said that God’s grace extends to all people on earth, but not as powerful and comprehensive as within and by the Roman Catholic Church. In its specific form the Church is the extension of the incarnation, and so a priest acts in Persona Christi, the head, when he engages as a member of that body. Doctrine of the most Holy Virgin Mary The most Holy Virgin Mary, and the doctrines associated with her, illustrate the nature-grace interdependence. Mary, as a fully human being, is in the realm of nature. How-ever, due to her immaculate conception, her human nature was not fallen and, through her cooperation with grace, it remained untouched throughout her life. Accordingly, in Mary’s nature, grace found complete openness and full capacity for cooperation that fa-cilitated the incarnation of the Son of God and gave her meritorious suffering at the foot of the Cross. And because she never once sinned (attested to by her perpetual vir-ginity), at the end of her days her body and soul were assumed (taken up) into heaven. Additionally, the Church acknowledges her particular mediatorial role in the distribu-tion of graces, reason why Maria received the title Mediatrix, derived from her Son, the Mediator. The one true Church Because the Catholic Church represents through its priests and faithful a prolongation of the incarnation of Jesus, it understands itself as the one true Church, meaning that Protestant and Orthodox denominations are seen as gatherings, not as actual churches. For the Catholic system, the universal church is equated with the visible Roman Church. This understanding, however, disregards that the only true Church is Christ Himself and that sheep outside the common flock, in whom Christ lives and who live in Him, belong to the Church too. Remains that the institute on earth, known as the Ro-man Catholic Church, is both a mother and a teacher. As the supreme mediator of grace in the realm of nature, the institute is called to be a most useful expedient on our path to become in the likeness of Christ. Woe to the world if she does not attend to her task! A final remark is in order here. The Church is meant for the multitudes, for whom texts like Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19 remain out of reach: “Let us come boldy to the throne of grace (…) and enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.” Of course, as Romans 5:1 teaches, we are justified by faith, but the question arises whether our faith is firmly footed, a question also dealt with by Saint Theresia of Lisieux when a fellow sister asked her about Purgatory. She answered that if one believes in God’s mercy and redemption, the Purgatory can be skipped. In final resort we get what we want. ------ * Chrism (from Greek chrisma: anointing): The Chrism is made from oil of olives mixed with perfume. Chrism is blessed by the bishop every year at the Chrism Mass, which usually takes place on Holy Thursday, although it may be celebrated at some other convenient time during the Holy Week. Chrism is used in the postbaptismal anointing, confirmation, priestly and episcopal ordinations, and during the dedication of churches and altars. Long treated with great reverence by the Church, Chrism was often reserved in a a special place in the church sanctuary together with the oil of the sick and the oil of catechumens. The strengthening effect and fragrance of the oil re-flect the presence of the Holy Spirit when one is anointed with it. According to legend, it was Christ Himself who taught his disciples how to prepare the Chrism.