The Nature of the Church

[irenaeuslyons]

It is my understanding that the Church is the “Mystical Body of Christ”. This is underscored in many Church documents and scripture ( i.e. Acts 26:14-16).

Does it follow that the nature of the Church is both human and Divine like our Blessed Lord?

 

[dmar198]

It is my understanding that the Church is the “Mystical Body of Christ”. This is underscored in many Church documents and scripture ( i.e. Acts 26:14-16).

Does it follow that the nature of the Church is both human and Divine like our Blessed Lord?

I think it is correct to say that it has divine elements and human elements. Divine elements include its Head, the Lord Jesus, and its doctrinal and moral teachings. Human elements include its members and its rites, at least those that are changeable. Anyway, that is how I understand it.

 

[fhansen]

From the Catechism:
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III. THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

770 The Church is in history, but at the same time she transcends it. It is only "with the eyes of faith"183 that one can see her in her visible reality and at the same time in her spiritual reality as bearer of divine life.

The Church - both visible and spiritual

771 "The one mediator, Christ, established and ever sustains here on earth his holy Church, the community of faith, hope, and charity, as a visible organization through which he communicates truth and grace to all men."184 The Church is at the same time:

• a "society structured with hierarchical organs and the mystical body of Christ;
• the visible society and the spiritual community;
• the earthly Church and the Church endowed with heavenly riches."185

These dimensions together constitute “one complex reality which comes together from a human and a divine element”:186

The Church is essentially both human and divine, visible but endowed with invisible realities, zealous in action and dedicated to contemplation, present in the world, but as a pilgrim, so constituted that in her the human is directed toward and subordinated to the divine, the visible to the invisible, action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet to come, the object of our quest.187
O humility! O sublimity! Both tabernacle of cedar and sanctuary of God; earthly dwelling and celestial palace; house of clay and royal hall; body of death and temple of light; and at last both object of scorn to the proud and bride of Christ! She is black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, for even if the labor and pain of her long exile may have discolored her, yet heaven’s beauty has adorned her.188

775 "The Church, in Christ, is like a sacrament - a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of unity among all men."197 The Church’s first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God. Because men’s communion with one another is rooted in that union with God, the Church is also the sacrament of the unity of the human race. In her, this unity is already begun, since she gathers men “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues”;198 at the same time, the Church is the “sign and instrument” of the full realization of the unity yet to come.
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[irenaeuslyons]

Thank you for your responses. The reason i asked this is because I am trying to understand whether the Church has always existed (eternal) because of its Divine elements, or does it really begin at Pentecost because of its human elements. Or is it both or neither.