Reflections ont he Church - Joseph Mukubira 11075

Christ Teaching His Church through the Councils

History has had much for the church especially as far as creation and the birth and life of Christ. The story however does not seem stop there and it will not stop in our age. The Holy Ghost that Christ promised and his presence where two or three are gathered in his name is a powerful evidence of the continuity that Jesus seem to have intended. Their ages where on would have expected the church to have come to an end especially those ages when it sinking low into sin, great persecutions especially of Nero and Diocletian. Having survived all these the church came into the hardest moment of its existence with the rise of heresies. These erroneous teachings stated early enough during the time of the Apostles when the Jewish Christians wanted to impose their practices on non Jewish converts prompting the first council in Jerusalem (Acts 15 and Galatians 2). This council judged that the converts need no to be burdened although a few essential requirements were to be observed. The twenty one councils of the church from Nicea in 325 to Vatican II 1962-1965 have been ways through which Christ has continued to teach his church and to ensure its continuity till it reaches the ends of the earth. Something we can fail to note that the council fathers ensured with the guidance of the Holy Spirit there is continuity and consistence in there teachings. It was on very few occasions when the council fathers redefined or absolutely discarded a certain formula of faith. An example of this harmony that can only be ensured by the church’s own founder Christ is with the Nicene Creed. This formula of our faith was always carried forward. Once in a while when controversies rose on how to define and understand certain statements the church would intervene through these councils. Therefore the councils to a large extent kept the tradition, corrected misunderstandings and ensured that Christ’s words of a universal church keeps on course.

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The ‘Bad’ Reformation that Healed the Church

The protestant reformation of the 16^th century has on several occasions been scorned by catholic authors. Truly the reformation had a dark side which might some time look irreconcilable. First and foremost it culminated into the protestant schism. The religious ideas of the reformers were contradicting the orthodox teachings of the Catholic Church. The emphasis on scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone are some of the ‘unforgivable sins’ of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and other leaders of the protestant reformation. They did cast doubt on the liturgy, saints and the sacraments. The authority of the successor of Peter, the Pope was put to question and the ‘claims’ that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ was also not spared not mentioning the loss of property and lives during the clashes between the reformers and the anti reform people especially Catholics. The Catholic Church in this period was experiencing various challenges. It was experiencing evils like simony where by ecclesiastical offices would be bought by those who have money and sometimes these were incompetent. History has it that pope Alexander VI bought the papacy by bribing with gold. While appointing bishops and other high ranking church officials, several popes could start with their relatives. For example Pope Sixtus II elevated six of his relatives some of whom were incompetent. Immorality and worldliness was at an increasing rate for example some popes not counting priests and religious had concubines and children for example Alexander VI, Innocent VIII, all had children. Due to nepotism and corruption, there were several cases of persons holding more than one ecclesiastical office that is to say one person being a bishop of two dioceses as well being an abbot of a monastery in doing so there were lots of pastoral problems in those jurisdictions as the pastors were not readily available to deal with them. It should be noted that when the reformers raised these issues the church at first acted defensively but latter there was a general move towards rectifying the mistakes. The council of Trent was one of the great out comes. It came up with reform procedures that were not only focus on the present challenges but also the future. The formation of priests and establishment of seminaries was a blessing that later prepared the church to many later challenges. Strengthening of the church teaching on celibacy helped to solve some issues to do with clerical concubinage. The catholic reforms also involved dealing with cases of nepotism and simony which had taken toll in the church. Church leaders were also to avoid there absenteeism from the places of assignment or risk losing those offices if there absent for more than six months. The reformation therefore became a blessing in disguise to the church which was heading to the worst of the worst. 

                   THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CHURCH STRUCTURES.

In the gospels especial that of Saint Luke, the emphasis on the activity of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of Jesus and of His disciples is paramount. Jesus was born by the power of the Holy Spirit; the ministry he carried out was initiated and sustained by the same dynamism. The early Church was not exceptional. Jesus promises the same power that was at work in him during his earthly ministry. It is only after receiving this Spirit that the disciple would be able to break barriers of every sort to preach not only to Jews but also gentiles and above all the Samaritans (Acts1:8). To underline the centrality of the third person of the Trinity in this age of the early church some examples can shade light. For example the decisions on who to do what and when in ministry, “...the holy Spirit said, ‘set apart for me Barnabas and soul for the work to which I have called them. (Acts 13:2c, 13:2-4)”. It is the Holy Spirit who admitted the gentiles into the Church (Act 10:44-49), Paul is stopped from proceeding to Asia by the Holy Spirit. These instances and many others underline the day today interventions of the Spirit in the ministry of the early church. Although structures of authority existed, with the apostles taking the lead, other offices were also occupied by Spirit filled men and sometime women. For example the elders (presbetroi), deacon such as Saint Stephen were men with charisms and vigor. After the dispersion and death of the first apostles and disciples, different communities found themselves into confusion related to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The result was the rise of heresies for example Montanism. These led the church to strengthen its structures and some what at the cost of the charisms. Several church councils would later deal with such groups and a number of schisms would take place. One of the immediate effects of this confusion was the turning of  emphasis issues like to the supremacy of the pope, devotions to our Lady and the sacrament especially the Eucharist. The reversal of this emphasis on authority and structures is often times credited to Pope John XXIII and the Vatican II fathers. They point out that an emphasis on one siphons the other and puts the church at a loss and therefore a blend of the two ought to be emphasized side by side. The post Vatican II church continues in its efforts to encourage the charisms and structural realities working together but not without opposition and fear.

HOLY SPIRIT VERSES STRUCTURE AN ETERNAL TENSION

In the gospels especial that of Saint Luke’s, the emphasis on the activity of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of Jesus and of His disciples is paramount. Part from Jesus being born of the Holy Spirit, the ministry he carried out was initiated and sustained by the same dynamism. The early Church was not exceptional. Jesus promises the same power that was at work in him during his earthly ministry. It is only after receiving this Spirit that the disciple would be able to break barriers of every sort to preach not only to Jews but also gentiles and above all the Samaritans (Acts1:8). To underline the centrality of the third person of the Trinity in this age of the early church some examples shade some light. The decisions on where to go for ministry, “...the holy Spirit said, ‘set apart for me Barnabas and soul for the work to which I have called them. (Acts 13:2c, 13:2-4)”, it is the Holy Spirit who admitted the gentiles into the Church (Act 10:44-49), Paul is stopped from proceeding to Asia by the Holy Spirit. These instances and many more underline the day today interventions of the Spirit in the ministry of the early church. Although structures of authority existed with the apostles taking the lead, other offices were also occupied by Spirit filled men and sometime women. For example the elders (presbetroi), deacon such as Saint Stephen were men with charisms and vigor. After the dispersion and death of the first apostles and disciples, different communities found themselves into confusion related to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The result was the rise of heresies for example Montanism which forced the church to strengthen its structures at the cost of the charisms. Several church councils would later deal with them and a number of schisms would take place. In light of this, emphasis was turned to the supremacy of the pope, devotions to our Lady and the sacrament especially the Eucharist. The reversal of this emphasis on authority and structures is credited to Pope John XXIII and the Vatican II fathers. They point out that an emphasis on one siphons the other and puts the church at a loss and therefore a blend of the two ought to be emphasized side by side. The church continues in its efforts to encourage the charisms and structural realities working together but not without opposition and fear. The church leaders in different areas of the world are still opposed to the work of the Spirit especially among the lay faithful however the struggle continues and the battle belongs to the Lord.

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Women in the Church before and after Vatican II.

Joseph Mukubira 11075T

Woman participation since the time of the early church was very significant yet limited by a male dominated society. Paul himself rebukes those who could ask questions in the prayer meeting and tell them to ask their husbands when they are at home. Church history also asserts that despite many rich Roman women housing the churches in its infant stage, their authority was highly limited. Apart from the heretical movements such as Montanism where Montanus was working hand in hand with two women, Maximilla and Priscilla, the main stream church never had women so high in any of its ranks. Historians assert that Mary, apart from the respect she received as the Mother of Jesus the Christ, there is no other special role that she seem to have played as far as leadership of the early church was concern. Therefore despite the fact that some women saints defied the old order to rise to greater heights, it should be noted that they were not many who managed to rise above such well organized patriarchal church. However the historical period following the Second Vatican Council witnessed a great interest and appreciation of women. There has also been a great rise in the feminist culture. Post Vatican II popes have in several of their writings supported and encouraged the women to take up different roles in the Church. The church has continued to protect women from technologies of birth control that might endanger Pope Paul VI (Humanae Vitae,1978). Pope John Paul II in Mulieris Dignitatem  which was issued in 1988 to clarify that women were equally important and complementary just as men in the work of the Church. In the reflections of the second African synod presented in Africa Munus, African bishops and Pope Benedict XVI, recognize in a special way the contribution of women in the Church. The synod fathers on behalf of the whole Church in Africa pledged to support and empower them in all possible ways. They assert that in the ‘local Churches’, the women act as a backbone, because of their numbers, active presence and their organizations which are of great support to church’s mission. Jesus Christ himself never sidelined them in any way, shape or form. . The Church has also been able to make use of the hermeneutics of suspicion on its own tradition, culture. The word of God is also being interpreted with new vigor that is open to gender sensitivity. The Church is doing a good job in this area but more is demanded of each one of us.