The Spirit & The Bride

Dr. Schreck reviews how the Catholic catechesis on the Church follows the order of Vatican II's "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church" (Lumen Gentium). He then describes how the Church's bishops, as successors of the apostles, continue Jesus' three-fold ministry of priest, prophet, and king/shepherd (based on chapter 3 of Lumen Gentium).

The final 'mark' of the Church is "apostolic." What does that mean? Certainly, it refers to the apostles and their mission and ministry. But who carried on this mission and ministry in the Church after the apostles died? The Catholic Church believes there is an unbroken line of successors who fulfill this leadership role in the Church to this day. 

What does it mean that "the Church is holy?" Some think it means perfect or sinless, which is obviously not the case for the Church on earth. Dr. Schreck explains what Catholics mean in professing this mark of the Church and how God's call to "be holy, for I am holy" (1 Pt. 1:16; Lev. 11:44-45) extends to each and every follower of Christ.

Dr. Schreck explores the meaning of the Apostles' Creed's profession of belief in the Church as catholic. He also explains the relation of the Catholic Church to non-Christian religions and Christ's mandate to proclaim the Gospel to all people.

Dr. Schreck begins a study of the four marks of the Church, which we profess in the Apostles' Creed. We begin with our belief that the Church is one—the perfect unity modeled on the Blessed Trinity and for which Christ prayed (Jn. 17:21). In response, the Catholic Church calls all her members to actively engage in ecumenism: "a movement, fostered by the grace of the Holy Spirit, for the restoration of unity among all Christians" (Vatican II, "Decree on Ecumenism" art. 1).

The central image of the Church presented at the Second Vatican Council is as the people of God. God has chosen to save us, not as individuals, but as a people.
Dr. Alan Schreck begins to explore the Catholic understanding of the Church as a priestly, prophetic, and kingly people and the first "mark" or characteristic of the Church—that the Church is "one."
 
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Dr. Alan Schreck begins to explore the Catholic Church's belief in and understanding of the Church.
The Church is the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, established to draw the human race back into communion with himself. Dr. Schreck discusses the meaning of the word "church," the Church as a mystery and sacrament of salvation, and the rich biblical images of the Church.
 
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The teaching on the Holy Spirit continues with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Dr. Alan Schreck also discusses the Holy Spirit's action in the lives of individual Christians and in the Church, as well as how we can recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.
 
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The creeds profess Christian belief in the Holy Spirit, but many do not understand who the Holy Spirit is and his importance in God's plan of salvation and in their lives.
In this first of two podcast episodes on the Holy Spirit, Dr. Alan Schreck explores images of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and how a fuller revelation of the Spirit is given by Jesus and in New Testament writings. The divinity of the Holy Spirit is confirmed by the First Council of Constantinople in 381, as expressed in the Nicene Creed.
 
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After his Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples until he was taken up to heaven—the Ascension—where he, as the Apostles' Creed professes, "sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty" and "from thence he will come to judge the living and the dead."
Dr. Alan Schreck reflects on the meaning of these events and mysteries of our Christian faith. 
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