Thesis

                                                                     THESIS NO.15

            The Second Vatican Council teaches that everything that has been said of the People of God is addressed equally to laity, religious and clergy (LG 30).  The faithful who by baptism are incorporated into Christ, are placed in the People of God, and in their own way share the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ and, according to their calling carry on the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world (LG 31).  There is a true equality between all with regard to the dignity and to the activity which is common to all the faithful in the building up of the Body of Christ (LG 32).

INTRODUCTION

            God has willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness. He therefore chose the Israelite race to be his own people and established a covenant with it. He gradually instructed this people - in its history manifesting both himself and the decree of his will - and make it holy unto himself. All these things, however happened as a preparation and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ and of the fuller revelation which was to be given through the Word of God made Flesh. Christ instituted this new covenant, namely the new covenant in his blood (cf. 1Cor. 11,25); he called a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the spirit, and this race would be the new People of God. That Messianic people has as its head Christ, "Who was delivered up for our sins and rose again for our justification"(Rom.4,25).The state of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit swells as in a temple. Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us (cf.Jn. 13,34). Its destiny is the kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth. Established by Christ as a communion of life, love and truth, it is taken up by him also as the instrument for the salvation of all; as the light of the world and the salt of the earth (cf. Mt. 5,13-16) it is seen forth into whole world.

            As Israel wandered in the desert was already called the church of God (2Esd. 13.1; cf.Mum. 20,4; Deut.23,1ff.) so too the new Israel which advances in this present era in search of a future and permanent city is called also the church of Christ (cf.Mt.16,18). It is christ indeed who has purchased it with his own blood; he has filled it with his Spirit; he has provided means adapted to its visible and social union.. All those who in faith look towards Jesus, the author of Salvation and principle of unity and peace, God has gathered and established as the church, that it may be for each and everyone the visible sacrament of this saving unity.

            The faithful by virtue of their royal priesthood participate in the offering of the Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, abnegation and active charity. The holy people of God share in christ prophetic office; it spreads abroad a living witness to him, especially by a life of faith and love dan by offering to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips praising his name.

            Second Vatican teaches that everything that has been said of the People of God is addressed equal to the laity, religious and clergy. Because of their situation and mission, however, certain things pertain particularly to the laity, both men and women, the foundations of which must be more fully examined owning to the special circumstances of our time. The pastors, indeed, know well how much the laity contribute to the welfare of the whole church. For they know that they themselves were not established by christ to undertake alone the whole salvific mission of the church to the world, but that it is their exalted office so to be shepherds of the faithful and also recognize the latter's contribution and charism that everyone in his own way will, with one mind, cooperate in the common task. (LG 30)

            The mission of Jesus christ as understood by the early church was confined only to the Israel. Mentions about the gathering the twelve by Jesus seem to be an allusion to the twelve tribes of Israel. Mt. 15,14 answers, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them. "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This kind of understanding of Jesus' mission by the Apostolic church was closely related to its understanding of its own identity. The Jerusalem Church continued to follow the Jewish law and accepted the Old Testament as the Holy Scripture. Moreover, the Christians of Jerusalem continued to worship in the Jerusalem    temple. In short, the Apostolic church considered itself as aa part of Israel. Consequently, there was no gentile mission in the early stages of Jerusalem Christianity (Act. 19-90).

            But when the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed (70 AD), the Christians were thrown out of the Synagogues, and a predominant gentile Christian community was existing at Antioch, the Apostolic church started to consider itself as the New Israel. What were said of Israel, now applied to Christians (Gal.6,16) =>Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, And you  shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel. 1 Pet. 2,9-10 => But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now you are God's people;  once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy. 1 Cor. 11.25 => In same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

CHURCH AS PEOPLE OF GOD IN TRADITION

            As we have seen from the time of NT, the church claims that it is the people of God. This idea of the Church as the people of God is preserved in the Eucharistic celebration or liturgy. St. Cyprian of Carthage (250) assured that he would not decide anything without the consultation with the clergy and the people. Also, Innocent III (1215) and Boniface VIII (1290), though they were most rude dictators, said, "Whatever affects everyone, must be corporately decided."

THE CHURCH AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN VATICAN II (LG.2 NOS.9-17)

            The new understanding of the Revelation that God's saving intervention takes place in the human history, leads to the rediscovery that the church as the people of God. salvation is in and through community (LG. 9).

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND

            Old Testament presents the Israelites as the people of God. The Israelites became people of God through the covenant. The promise of the new covenant is realized in Jesus Christ. Through the new covenant(1Cor. 11,25 => in the same way also the cup after the supper. The church is the fellowship of life, charity and truth.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Its head                       =>                    Jesus Christ

Its Heritage     =>                    The dignity and freedom of the children of God

Its Soul                        =>                    The Holy Spirit who dwells in the hearts of everyone

Its Law                        =>                    The commandment of love

Its Gaol                       =>                    The Kingdom of God

            According to the traditional format, Jesus Christ is presented as the priest, prophet and king of the people of God. These three fold roles of Jesus Christ are applied to Bishop (LG ch.3), Laity (LG 31), Priests (PO Nos.4-6), and the entire people (LG 10-12).

UNIVERSALITY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD (LG 13)

            Christianity is not a racial religion. But birth nobody becomes a christian. Only through faith and baptism one become a christian. Therefore, relationship is of vital importance.

LG 14  The catholic faithful are fully incorporated to the people of God.

LG 15  Non-catholic faithful are linked or related to the people of God in many ways.

LG 16  All those who believe in God are some way related to the people of God.

LG 17  Speaks about the mission of the church. According to it, all those who are earnestly following their conscience will be saved. The idea of the mission of the church is further developed in Ad Gentes.

            Juridical Ecclesiology was very much legalistic and used the juridical sense of the expression `Jesus Christ founded the church.' But, the modern theologians wanted to go beyond the Juridical Ecclesiology. They considered the Sacred scriptures as the development of God's plan of salvation and found out a basis for the wider application of the concept of the church from old testament and new testament. As a result, they began to locate the church in the larger context of the salvation history. This is possible through a new understanding of Revelation from the historical dimension. Revelation is not the communication of timeless truth, but it is God's saving intervention in human history through words and deeds (Dei Verbum No.2). According to L. Cerfausx, the central idea concerning the church in St. Paul is that the church is the People of God ("The Church in the Theology of St. Paul", 1937).

            The People of God corresponds to the Kingdom of God. It was visible in the life of Jesus and in the community. The lives of the people were transformed through their response of God. Close relation between the kingdom of God and the People of God(church) stresses the element of life against the cultic, juridical and sacramental elements. According to LG 9, Church is the fellowship of life, charity and truth. But life is more important than any other law. Jn. 10,10 => the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Irenaeus says, "Glory of God is man fully alive." LG 11 - Eucharist is the source and summit of christian life. The source of the christian life is faith in Jesus and commitment to Him. Eucharist is the expression of our commitment to God and his mission. It has meaning only in relation to the commitment. It is a means to foster fuller and richer life. Each Eucharist is an expression of life lived.

            The church is not primarily an institution, but a people. This understanding shows the elements of unity, commonality, and equality. Since the church is primarily the people of God, people are to be considered as subjects and not as objects of administration. People are the masters of their destiny, makers of history, and agents in creating history. The difference we see in the church are only functional.

HISTORICITY

            The church as historical reality can grow, flourish and decline. The history of the church, which is the unfolding of itself what it meant to be, has a theological significance. As it is a wondering church, it can sometimes go wrong. Therefore, it is in need of reform (both in its head and members) and penance (LG 8,15 GS 43). Though the church primarily has a religious mission, out of this it gathers strength to engage in the secular mission too. In Vatican II, the religious and the social missions meet but don't converge. To be in service of the world is to help to realize the kingdom of God. In the face of experience of meaninglessness and search for meaning, the Gospel must be essentially of freedom and liberation. Catholicity means universality. So the church must be able to unite the people in all places and in all times. (The ability of the church is to be chinese in china and Indian in India).

6. LAITY (L.G.30-38)  Role of Laity:

            (LG 30) => The laity means all the faithful except those in holy orders and religious. They are the faithful, who by baptism are incorporated into Christ, are placed as the people of God and in their own way they share the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ and to their best they carry on the mission of Christ.

Historical Evolution

            The division of the laity and clergy came in the church in the middle ages due to the fusion between secular involvement and spiritual function. This was further strengthened by the counter reformation and finally Vat I declared that the church to be a society of unequal. But Vat II has a very positive outlook towards laity.

            Until Vat II the role of the laity was ignored and subdued, confined passively, regarded  as appendix of the church without any participation in the ruling of the church. Their role was only to pray,

Vat.II; AG 21/1 speaks of the necessity to have a mature Christian laity.

            The church is not fully established nor has she full life nor is a perfect sign of Christ unless there is a genuine laity existing and working alongside the hierarchy.  The gospel cannot be deeply embedded in the minds, in the life and the work of any people without the active presence of the lay people. Hence right at the foundation of the church great care must be taken to ensure a mature christian laity.

            Minister of the church should greatly value the arduous apostolate of the laity. They should spread the faith of Christ among those with whom they are connected by social and professional ties. Some areas where laity can be active members - parish council, Financial committee.

            The faithful who baptism are incorporated into Christ, are placed in the people of God. and in their own way share the priestly, prophetic and Kingly office of Christ, and to the best of their ability carry on the mission of the whole christian people in the church and in the world. Their secular character is proper and peculiar to the laity. Religious give outstanding and striking testimony that the world cannot be transfigured and offered to God without the spirit of Beatitudes. But by reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will. They live and are engaged in each and every work and business of the earth and in the ordinary circumstance of social and family life which, as it were, constitute their very existence. There they are called by God that, being led by the spirit of the Gospel, they may contribute to the sanctification of the world, as from within like leaven, by fulfilling their own particular duties. It pertains to them in a special way so to illuminate and order all temporal things with which they are so closely associated that these may be effected and grow according to christ and may be to the glory of he creator and redeemer. (LG 31)

TRUE EQUALITY IN DIGNITY (LG 32)

            By divine institution holy church is ordered and governed with a wonderful diversity. "For just as in one body we have many members, yet all the members have not the same function, so we the many members are one body in christ,, but severally member one of another.'(Rom. 12,4-5)

            There is therefore, one chosen people of God : "one lord, one faith, one baptism"(Eph. 4,5); there is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth in christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one salvation, one hope and undivided charity. In christ and in the church there is,then no inequality arising from race or nationality, social condition or sex, for "there is neither jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor freeman;there is neither male nor  female. For you are all one in Christ (Cal. 3,28).

            In the church not everyone marches along the same path, yet all are called to sanctify and have obtained an equal privilege of faith through the justice of God. (cf 2Pet. 1,1). Although by christ, will some are established as teachers, dispensers of the mysteries and pastors for the others there remains a true equality between all with regard to the dignity nd to the activity which is common  to all the faithful in building up of the body of christ. The very diversity of graces, of ministries and of works gathers the sons of God into one, for "all these are the work of the one and the same spirit" (1Cor. 12,11).

            As the laity through the divine choice have christ as their brother, who, though lord of all, came not to be served but to serve (cf.Mt. 20.28) they also have as brothers those in the sacred ministry who by teaching, by sanctifying and by ruling with the authority of christ so nourish the family of God that the new commandment of love may be fulfilled by all.

ACCORDING TO CANON LAW

            Book III of canon law, which is on the teaching office of the church, deals with church's mission, and the responsibilities entrusted to all its members, as on body of Christ. c.759, clearly states the call of laity to be witness of the Good News and participate in the three fold mission of christ i.e. Prophetic, Priestly And Kingly, along with the Bishops and Priests.

            All the baptized must concern themselves with the PROCLAMATION of the gospel (LG 12,31,33), with  canon 766 giving provision to laity to preach.

            Every member, especially the parents, share in the vital responsibility for the CATECHETICAL effort, to the health and vigour to the church c.774.

            The preaching of the gospel by the testimony of the word is the principle MISSIONARY activity. c.781 assures that the missionary activity rests with each individual member of the church.

            Canons 793,797,798,799 state that the parents have a duty towards their children to give them basic CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

Canon 822 lays provision for faithful to help the church in spreading the name and values of the christianity. MODERN MEANS of media can be employed.

            Therefore, we see in short that the canon too, tries to give maximum equality to its members (lay people) by allowing them to participate in the works of Bishop and Priests.