Church

General Information
In Christian theology, the church is defined as the community of those who are called to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ and to collaborate in his historic mission for the coming of the kingdom, or reign, of God. The word church is derived from two Greek words, kuriake and ekklesia, the one meaning "belonging to the Lord," and the other "an assembly called forth." Etymologically, therefore, the church is God's holy people summoned to worship.

The church of the New Testament was described through various images drawn from pastoral life, agriculture, building construction, and even from family and married life. Thus the church is called a sheepfold (John 10:1 - 10), the field of God (1 Cor. 3:9), a vineyard (Matt. 21:33 - 43), God's building (1 Cor. 3:9), God's household in the Spirit (Eph. 2:19 - 22), God's dwelling place among humankind (Rev. 21:3), the Lord's spotless spouse (Rev. 19:7), and the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12 - 28).

In addition to designating the entire body of Christians, church is used to denote the individual Christian denominations, as well as the building used for Christian worship.

Bibliography
H Kung, The Church (1967); R McBrien, Church: The Continuing Quest (1970).

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Church, Church Visible, Church Invisible

Advanced Information
The word Church was derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., "the Lord's house"), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can only be known from the connection in which the word is found. There is no clear instance of its being used for a place of meeting or of worship, although in post-apostolic times it early received this meaning. Nor is this word ever used to denote the inhabitants of a country united in the same profession, as when we say the "Church of England," the "Church of Scotland," etc.

We find the word ecclesia used in the following senses in the New Testament:

• (1.) It is translated "assembly" in the ordinary classical sense (Acts 19:32, 39, 41).
• (2.) It denotes the whole body of the redeemed, all those whom the Father has given to Christ, the invisible catholic church (Eph. 5:23, 25, 27, 29; Heb. 12: 23).
• (3.) A few Christians associated together in observing the ordinances of the gospel are an eccesia (Rom. 16:5; Col. 4:15).
• (4.) All the Christians in a particular city, whether they assembled together in one place or in several places for religious worship, were an ecclesia. Thus all the disciples in Antioch, forming several congregations, were one church (Acts 13:1); so also we read of the "church of God at Corinth" (1 Cor. 1:2), "the church at Jerusalem" (Acts 8:1), "the church of Ephesus" (Rev. 2:1), etc.
• (5.) The whole body of professing Christians throughout the world (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Matt. 16:18) are the church of Christ.

The church visible "consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children." It is called "visible" because its members are known and its assemblies are public. Here there is a mixture of "wheat and chaff," of saints and sinners. "God has commanded his people to organize themselves into distinct visible ecclesiastical communities, with constitutions, laws, and officers, badges, ordinances, and discipline, for the great purpose of giving visibility to his kingdom, of making known the gospel of that kingdom, and of gathering in all its elect subjects. Each one of these distinct organized communities which is faithful to the great King is an integral part of the visible church, and all together constitute the catholic or universal visible church."
A credible profession of the true religion constitutes a person a member of this church. This is "the kingdom of heaven," whose character and progress are set forth in the parables recorded in Matt. 13. The children of all who thus profess the true religion are members of the visible church along with their parents. Children are included in every covenant God ever made with man. They go along with their parents (Gen. 9:9-17; 12:1-3; 17:7; Ex. 20:5; Deut. 29:10-13).

Peter, on the day of Pentecost, at the beginning of the New Testament dispensation, announces the same great principle. "The promise [just as to Abraham and his seed the promises were made] is unto you, and to your children" (Acts 2:38, 39). The children of believing parents are "holy", i.e., are "saints", a title which designates the members of the Christian church (1 Cor. 7:14). (See Baptism.)

The church invisible "consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ, the head thereof." This is a pure society, the church in which Christ dwells. It is the body of Christ. it is called "invisible" because the greater part of those who constitute it are already in heaven or are yet unborn, and also because its members still on earth cannot certainly be distinguished. The qualifications of membership in it are internal and are hidden. It is unseen except by Him who "searches the heart." "The Lord knoweth them that are his" (2 Tnn. 2:19). The church to which the attributes, prerogatives, and promises appertaining to Christ's kingdom belong, is a spiritual body consisting of all true believers, i.e., the church invisible.

(1.) Its unity. God has ever had only one church on earth. We sometimes speak of the Old Testament Church and of the New Testament church, but they are one and the same. The Old Testament church was not to be changed but enlarged (Isa. 49:13-23; 60:1-14). When the Jews are at length restored, they will not enter a new church, but will be grafted again into "their own olive tree" (Rom. 11:18-24; comp. Eph. 2:11-22). The apostles did not set up a new organization. Under their ministry disciples were "added" to the "church" already existing (Acts 2:47).

(2.) Its universality. It is the "catholic" church; not confined to any particular country or outward organization, but comprehending all believers throughout the whole world.

(3.) Its perpetuity. It will continue through all ages to the end of the world. It can never be destroyed. It is an "everlasting kindgdom."

(Easton Illustrated Dictionary)

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The Church

Advanced Information
The English word "church" derives from the late Greek word kyriakon, the Lord's house, a church building. In the NT the word translates the Greek word ekklesia. In secular Greek ekklesia designated a public assembly, and this meaning is still retained in the NT (Acts 19:32, 39, 41).

In the Hebrew OT the word qahal designates the assembly of God's people (e.g., Deut. 10:4; 23:2 - 3; 31:30; Ps. 22:23), and the LXX, the Greek translation of the OT, translated this word with both ekklesia and synagoge. Even in the NT ekklesia may signify the assembly of the realites (Acts 7:38; Heb. 2:12); but apart from these exceptions, the word ekklesia in the NT designates the Christian church, both the local church (e.g., Matt. 18:17; Acts 15:41; Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17; 14:33; Col. 4:15) and the universal church (e.g., Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:28; 15:9; Eph. 1:22).

Origin
According to Matthew, the only Gospel to use the word "church," the origin of the church goes back to Jesus himself (Matt. 16:18). Historical problems, though, arise in regard to this passage. For only in Matt. 16:18 and 18:17 does Jesus use the word "church," and there are no good reasons that Mark would omit the words of Matt. 16:17 - 19 if they were spoken by Jesus. Further, if Jesus expected God to establish his kingdom soon (cf. Mark 9:1; 13:30), then he would not have foreseen the need to establish a church with regulations for binding and loosing, i.e., to decide which actions are permissible and not permissible according to the teachings of Jesus. Matt. 16:18 - 19 may well be the Syrian church's declaration of independence from the synagogue and may derive from that early community which identified itself with Peter.
The question thus arises: Did Jesus intend to establish the church? The answer to this question must be based not on statements of church dogma but on careful interpretation of the NT writings. Here one's conclusions will be affected by the degree to which one assigns various statements of Jesus to Jesus himself or to the postresurrection church and by one's interpretation of terms such as "Son of man" and parables such as the fish net, the leaven, and seeds of growth (Matt. 13:47 - 50; 13:33; Mark 4:1 - 20). Critical study of the Gospels reveals that Jesus probably did not give teachings for the purpose of establishing and ordering the church. Rather his whole life and teaching provide the foundations upon which the church was created and called into being through its faith in the risen Lord.

Nature
Throughout most of history the nature of the church has been defined by divided Christians trying to establish the validity of their own existence. The Donatists of North Africa in the early centuries focused on the purity of the church and claimed to be the only church that measured up to the biblical standard. In the Middle Ages various sects defined the church in such ways as to claim that they, and not the Roman Catholic Church, were the true church. The Arnoldists emphasized poverty and identification with the masses; the Waldenses stressed literal obedience to Jesus' teachings and emphasized evangelical preaching. Roman Catholics claimed that the only true church was that over which the pope was supreme as successor of the apostle Peter. The Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin, following John Wycliffe, distinguished between the visible and invisible church, claiming that the invisible church consists of the elect only. Thus an individual, including the pope, might be a part of the visible church but not a part of the invisible and true church.
If one is to be true to the NT testimony, it must be acknowledged that there is a multiplicity of images and concepts that contribute to an understanding of the nature of the church. In the appendix of Images of the Church in the New Testament, Paul Minear lists ninety six images which he classifies as (1) minor images, (2) the people of God, (3) the new creation, (4) the fellowship in faith, and (5) the body of Christ. Listing only a few of these will demonstrate the great diversity of images: the salt of the earth, a letter from Christ, branches of the vine, the elect lady, the bride of Christ, exiles, ambassadors, a chosen race, the holy temple, priesthood, the new creation, fighters against Satan, the sanctified slaves, friends, sons of God, household of God, members of Christ, spiritual body.

Though such a plethora of images exists, it is nonetheless possible and useful to find the major concepts that hold these many images together. From the Council of Constantinople in 381 and reaffirmed at Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451) the church has affirmed itself to be "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic."

The Church Is One
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia (1982), there were an estimated 1,900 church denominations at the beginning of the twentieth century. Today there are an estimated 22,000. Do not such numbers effectively refute the theological assertion that the church is one? The answer must be no.
First of all, the NT witness is clear regarding the unity of the church. In 1 Cor. 1:10 - 30 Paul warns against divisions in the church and urges the people to be united in Christ. In this same letter (ch. 12), he states that while there are many gifts, there is one body (cf. Rom. 12:3 - 8). The Gospel of John speaks of the one shepherd and the one flock (10:16), and Jesus prays that his followers may be one even as Father and Son are one (17:20 - 26). In Gal. 3:27 - 28 Paul declares that in Christ all are one, with no distinction of race, social status, or sex. Acts 2:42 and 4:32 are likewise eloquent testimony to the oneness of the church. Perhaps the most stirring passage on this point is Eph. 4:1 - 6: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all" (vss. 4 - 6).

Unity, however, does not demand uniformity. Indeed, from the beginning the church has manifested itself in many local churches (in Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, etc.); and the one NT church had neither uniformity of worship nor structures, or even a uniform theology. Certainly the ecumenical movement which arose in this century out of the missionary movement of the nineteenth century has challenged the church today to recognize that "God wills unity" (Faith and Order Conference, Lausanne, 1927). The challenge for Christians today is to live in unity without insisting that our worship, structure, and theology be more uniform than that of the NT church. Unity is possible when we stop thinking of our church or denomination as the vine and all others as the branches. Rather, Jesus is the vine and all of us are branches.

The Church Is Holy
According to 1 Cor., Christians there were guilty of incest (5:1), suing one another in pagan courts (6:6), defrauding each other (6:8), having sexual relations with prostitutes (6:16). In Rome the weak Christians were judging the strong Christians, and the latter despised the former (Rom. 14:10). Such is the partial testimony of the NT concerning the reality of sin in the church, but then one scarcely needs to leave the twentieth century church to verify this reality. Does not the presence of sin refute the theological assertion that the church is holy? Again, the answer is no.
Various solutions have been proposed in the history of the church to reconcile the fact that the holy church is a sinful church. Donatists as well as Gnostics, Novationists, Montanists, Cathari, and other sects solved the problem by claiming that they alone were holy while all others were not really members of the church. But 1 John 1:8 reminds one that the church which has no sin to confess simply does not exist. Others have claimed that the members are sinful but the church is holy. But the church does not exist in the abstract; it is sinful people who constitute the church. Gnostics claimed that the body was sinful while the soul was holy. But biblical anthropology declares that it is the whole, undivided human being who is sinful.

The solution lies in the awareness of what "holy" means in the Bible. To be holy is to be separated from what is profane and to be dedicated to the service of God. It does not mean that the Christian is free of sin. The apostle Paul said of himself: "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect" (Phil. 3:12a), and in the greetings to the Corinthian Christians he calls them "sanctified" and "saints." Christians are holy in that they are separated for God's service and set apart by God (2 Thess. 2:13; Col. 3:12, etc.).

The Church Is Catholic
The word "catholic" derives from the Latin catholicus, which in turn derives from the Greek katholikos, meaning "universal." Although the word is not used in the NT to describe the church, the concept which it expresses is biblical. Ignatius of Antioch wrote in the early second century, "Wherever the bishop is, there his people should be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church" (Smyr. 8:2). Only from the third century on was "catholic" used in a polemical sense to refer to those who were "orthodox" Christians as opposed to schismatics and heretics. To speak of the catholicity of the church is thus to refer to the entire church, which is universal and which has a common identity of origin, lordship, and purpose.
While the local church is an entire church, it is not the entire church. As catholic, the church includes believers of past generations and believers of all cultures and societies. It is unfortunate that the church in the Western world has for far too long formulated theology and mission strategy in isolation from the churches of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the churches of the two thirds world. The World Christian Encyclopedia shows that whites now represent 47.4 percent of the Christian population of the world, the first time in 1,200 years that whites are not the majority. Two hundred eight million Christians speak Spanish, 196 million speak English, 128 million speak Portuguese, followed by German, French, Italian, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, and Dutch.

The Church Is Apostolic
Eph. 2:20 states that the church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." Apostles are those who were eyewitnesses of the ministry of Jesus, and prophets are Christian prophets who were spokesmen for the risen Jesus. Previous centuries of Christians assumed that the NT manuscripts were written by the apostles or else by someone who was closely associated with them. Many critical scholars today question apostolic authorship for all four Gospels, Acts, James, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, and further question or reject Pauline authorship of Ephesians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and Hebrews. Yet the truth is that regardless of who wrote these Gospels and letters, the church canonized these writings and accepted them as normative for faith and practice. The message of these documents is thus the norm by which the life of the church is to be measured; and the church can be one, holy, and catholic only if it is an apostolic church.
To claim that the church is apostolic is not to assert a direct line of succession through specific individuals. It is to recognize that the message and the mission of the apostles as mediated through Scripture must be that of the whole church.

The adjectives "one, holy, catholic, apostolic" are terms specific enough to describe the essential nature of the church and yet allow for differences within denominations and churches in the ways in which each fulfills the mission and ministry of the church in the world. As previously mentioned, the NT uses nearly a hundred images that relate to the church. One major image, the body of Christ, is especially rich in what it communicates about the nature of the church.

The Body of Christ
Of the NT writers only Paul uses this term. It is significant that he speaks of the church as the body of Christ but never as a body of Christians. Scholars debate how literally Paul intended this phrase to be understood. One may safely say that though the image may perhaps be taken too literally, it cannot be taken too seriously.
Christians are one body in Christ with many members (Rom. 12:4 - 5; I Cor. 12:27). Indeed, the church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22 - 23; 4:12), who is the head of the body (Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18); and the body is dependent on its head for its life and growth (Col. 2:19). The church is never directly called the bride of Christ, but is so understood by Paul's analogy in which the husband - wife relationship is said to be like the Christ - church relationship (Eph. 5:22 - 33). Husband and wife are to be one flesh, and this is the same regarding Christ and the church (Eph. 5:31 - 32).

Through this image several important theological concepts are expressed concerning the church. Christians form a unity both with Christ and with one another, and Christ is acknowledged as both the authority who stands over the church and the one who gives life and growth. Also, this image is a strong assertion regarding the need for and proper appreciation of the diverse gifts that God gives to the church.

Purpose
God has called the church out of the world for a purpose. He intended for his creation to have fellowship with him. When that fellowship was broken, God called the people of Israel to be "a light to the nations" (Isa. 42:5 - 8); but when Israel failed, God called a remnant (Isa. 10:20 - 22). In the fullness of time God himself entered fully into human history in the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Simeon at the temple called "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel" (Luke 2:32). Jesus then called twelve disciples as symbolic of the new Israel of the end time which he was creating (Matt. 19:28). These twelve formed the nucleus of God's new people, the church, which like Israel of old has been called into being to be the means by which all of humanity is restored to fellowship with its creator (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:18 - 20).
The church has a dual purpose; it is to be a holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5) and is to "declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). It is the whole church in relationship to the world which is to exercise the tasks of priesthood. As a priesthood the church is entrusted with the responsibility of bringing God's word to mankind and of interceding with God on behalf of mankind.

In addition to the priestly function the church also has a missionary function of declaring God's wonderful deeds. The missionary task of the church is not optional, for by its very nature the church is mission. Furthermore, mission is in and to the world, not in and to itself.

R L Omanson
(Elwell Evangelical Dictionary)

Bibliography
K Barth, Church Dogmatics IV; G C Berkouwer, The Church; E Brunner, The Christian Doctrine of the Church, Faith, and the Consummation; R N Flew, Jesus and His Church; H Kung, The Church; J H Leith, ed., Creeds of the Church; P Minear, Images of the Church in the NT ; K L Schmidt, T D N T, III; H Schwaz, The Christian Church; E Schweizer, The Church As the Body of Christ; D D Bannerman, The Scripture Doctrine of the Church; E G Jay, The Church; D Watson, I Believe in the Church; F J A Hort, The Christian Ecclesia; A Cole, The Body of Christ.

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