Guardian Angels News

Part 2: Mystical Communion

Last week we began our investigation into Cardinal Dulles’ Models of the Church by looking at the Institutional Model. This week we will look at the “Mystical Communion Model”.

The Mystical Communion model, proposed by Avery Dulles as one of his five models for understanding the nature and mission of the Catholic Church, emphasizes the Church as a spiritual community or fellowship. Here is an explanation of this model:

According to the Mystical Communion model, the Church is more than just a hierarchical institution; it is a community of people who are united by their faith in Jesus Christ and their participation in the sacraments. This model stresses the spiritual and relational aspects of the Church, rather than just its organizational structure. The Church is seen as a "mystical body of Christ," where all members are connected to one another through their relationship with Christ.

Some key aspects of this model include:

• Emphasis on the Church as a spiritual community rather than just an institutional one.
• Recognition of the importance of personal faith and spiritual experience in the life of the Church.
• Focus on the sacraments as a means of spiritual communion and participation in the life of Christ and the Church.
• Acknowledgment of the diversity of the Church's members, while also emphasizing their unity in Christ.

Strengths:

• Emphasizes the importance of spiritual experience and personal relationship with Christ as essential components of the Church's life.
• Encourages a sense of unity and interdependence among members of the Church, as they are united by their shared faith in Christ.
• Allows for a more inclusive understanding of the Church, as it does not focus exclusively on its institutional or hierarchical aspects.
• Highlights the role of the sacraments in creating and sustaining spiritual communion among members of the Church.

Weaknesses:

• May downplay the importance of the institutional and hierarchical aspects of the Church, which can be essential for maintaining order and consistency in its teachings and practices.
• May be less accessible to those who do not have a strong sense of personal faith or who are not participating in the sacraments.

Overall, while the Mystical Communion Model has its strengths, it is important to recognize that it is just one of several models that can be used to understand the Catholic Church. It should be used in conjunction with other models to provide a more complete and nuanced understanding of the Church and its mission.

Next week we will investigate the third model of the Church, “The Sacramental Model.”