Dulles Proposed Five Models of the Church Essay

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Dulles proposed five models of the Church in his former book "models of the Church.' The first model sees the Church as "a divinely established society with definite articles of belief and binding law" (254). As a single, organized, visible order, salvation can be found in only one place -- the Church, inside it and not external to it, and to Roman Catholics inside one place and one place only and that is the RC church.

The second model postulates that the church is the communal site for an atmosphere of love and grace that is wrought through the Holy Spirit and is evidenced both between the community members themselves (between fellow and fellow) and also between worshipper and God.

According to the third model, the Church embodies within itself the Grace and spirit of Christ. In that sense, it serves -- or is -- a sacrament, a visible sacred symbol that, as tangible representative of Christ, makes itself felt, via the holy Spirit, within the soul of each worshipper.

The fourth axiom posits the church as mediator between Christ and the world. In other words, it serves to introduce the word of God to the world. It is a representation and manifestation of Christ and, as such, serves to enlighten people of his presence and bring them closer to serving God.

The fifth and final precept posits the church to expound and disseminate Christ's virtues and attributes to the world. Christ personifies peace and justice. To that effect, the Church, too, should seek to disseminate peace and justice outside its walls and it does so by seeking to facilitate the aims of all organizations -- religious or not - who seek to promote those aims. It does not stand apart but rather co-exists with the vagaries and the just and significant crusades of this world.

These five different precepts, according to Dulles, parallel five conceptual models of ministry and both concepts of ministry (or priesthood) and the five models of the Church need to be differently conceived and conceptualized as one overarching and distinct model of the Church for effective priesthood to be formulated and shaped.

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The Five Ministerial Models

There is the ministerial model that sees the minister as servant of the Church in other words as representative or cleric of Christ.

The communitarian model of the church sees the minister as pastor, namely as loving, respectful officiator of concerns within his community. The onus is placed on the aspect of love towards the community.

The sacramental model perceives the minister as absorbed within the mysteries of Christ and, in fact, serving as his mediator in this regards, particularly when the priest performs his mysteries.

The herald model sees the minister as one who proclaims the glories and significance of the church primarily by preaching. Preaching serves as the vehicle where the faith of the believers will be sharpened in God's words and where the minister will be able to reach out and affect the non-believer.

Finally, the fifth ministerial model of the Church is the servant model where the Christian minister will be able to interact and work with secular associations to work towards similar and congruent ends, namely to augment a sense of justice and uprightness in the world.

The Council of Trent model of priesthood perceived the ministry as 'sacrament' where the priest stands as mediator between God and His people, solitary, clothed in special robes to represent his exalted station and performing particular sacrifices (today, this may be the Eucharist) in order to forge a transition between the Lord on high and His people below. .

Vatican II, however, distinguished between three forms of priesthood and integrated them as one: (a) the high priestly office of Christ; (b) the common priesthood of the faithful; (c) the ministerial priesthood of the ordained. In this way, they expanded the mission of the….....

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