Research

Though Jesus was sinless and undeserving of death, he offered himself as a sacrifice in atonement for all sin (Invitation to World Religions, pg.418). Paul was always emphatic in maintaining that salvation cannot be earned by “works”, whether humans’ effort to obey the commandments in the Torah or excellent work in general. Instead, he taught that the salvation made possible by Christ’s sacrifice is a gift, the ultimate expression of God’s love and grace. Salvation is given to those who respond to God’s grace in faith, the conviction that God has acted through Jesus Christ to amend for human sin. Although Paul was very clear in teaching that salvation depends on God’s grace and the individual’s turning to God in faith, he did not dismiss the importance of works (Invitation to World Religions, pg.419). For Paul, faith does more than bringing salvation; it unites the believers with Christ in a “newness of life”. He believed that the spirit lives in believers and brings them into union with God. As a divine presence within, the spirit encourages the growth of spiritual virtues, the greatest which is love and makes all Christians one in the church often called “the body of Christ”.

For the Life of the World authored by Fr. Alexander Schmemann an Orthodox priest was originally intended as a “study guide” in the 1970’s for students preparing themselves for Missionary work, giving them a “world view”, helping to speak about Christian view points along with an approach to how they coalesce through the eyes of the Orthodox Church. A key theme Fr. Schmemann discussed is Secularism, which he believes developed from our progressive alienation of the Christian culture. Additionally, he presents his interpretation of the transforming biblical themes of creation, fall, and redemption through a sacramental understanding. Fr. Schmemann’s experiences within the Orthodox Church liturgy reveal unity in the meanings of these three themes. It is through these understandings he believes can effectively offset the disastrous effects of secularism while revitalizing the sacramental understanding of the world.

John Wesley wrote in his Sermon 16 that the means of grace are understood as “outward signs, words, or actions ordained by God… to be the ordinary channels whereby (God) might convey to men preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace.” Means are what happen outside of oneself and the grace is what does the work inside of ourselves or another way to say this is to say the ways we receive and experience grace. When we speak of the sacraments we refer to them as outward signs of an inward and spiritual grace. The means of grace in the sacraments, means are the bread and cup of communion and the water of the baptism and the liturgy spoken. These act in an outward and physical way, but the real work is that of the invisible grace we receive.

Often held as a rite of passage and entrance into the Christian church, baptism is much more than just symbolic ritual. Baptism was commanded by Jesus Christ in the Great Commission recounted in the book of Matthew. Even though we are simplistically called to be obedient by being baptized the Christian church has long debated the aspects of this ordinance. Denominations are divided on the basic meaning, types and modes of baptism even two thousand years after the founding of the Christian church. Just as the other ordinance, the Lord’s Supper, congregations find themselves at odd with tradition, biblical interpretation and even individual understanding. However, the simple message of this awe inspiring act can be explained out of the

Within the context of American society, we have strayed from the true purpose and identity of what the church was originally created to be. When we hear the word, “church,” we think of a building, a mere location where believers gather together every Sunday. The church of America might believe the essential elements of the church are an air-conditioned sanctuary, ten different ministry opportunities, and a full band to lead worship. While none of these things are necessarily bad, they do not comprise the biblical model of what the church was created to be. The church can be divided into two components: the Universal Church and the local church. Once a person becomes a believer, they are part of the Universal Church, the body of believers

The sacraments are religious rites regarded as outward sign of an inward, spiritual grace. They are not the automatic transmission of divine grace (Bible Dictionary, 2003: 1428). Wesley quoted the Bible: “By grace are ye saved”, we are saved not by our own strength or wisdom but by the poor of the Holy Ghost (Dunning, n.d).

This idea calls all people to him as Lord not just those who are part of the church, it is the “assembly called by God, and therefore requiring the attendance of all.” The third part of the commitment is that Jesus choses us before we ever chose him. “You did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit” (John

Many people today, especially from emerging generations don’t necessarily resonate with a church or organized Christianity. Most are leaving their church and some were probably not even a part of one to begin with. Sometimes this may be due to the misperceptions about the Christian church and sometimes they have been taught on a very strict basis that they simply rebel against the church. However, often many of these people are still spiritually open and are engaged in having a relationship with Jesus and Him alone. In “They Like Jesus but not the Church” six of the most common misperceptions and misunderstandings that the emerging generations have about the church and Christianity are discussed and explored. The resources are based on conversations

The church is both human and divine. Its members are naturally capable of saints as well as sinful

For the Lord laid down His life to “give new life to the...human race and unify it” so “that they all may be one” even as He is one with the Father. Based on the next sentence in the same article it is clear that the unity spoken of is a sharing in the divine nature via the Eucharist. It is this unity that the baptized are born into, for there is one Body, and one Spirit dwelling within. The power for humanity to share in the Divine Nature was entrusted, by Christ, to the “College of the Twelve”, with Peter, the rock on whom the Church is built, who possesses the keys of the Kingdom, whom Christ entrusted the sheep to be “confirmed in faith and sheppard in perfect unity.” The Lord entrusted the one Church to them to teach, govern, and sanctify the “family of God” in “fraternal harmony.” The Decree expressly makes clear that the Church is “God’s only flock.” For it is only in full communion with teh CHurch that one can have full communion with the Trinity, the source of the

The church has developed a posture of accommodation and an attitude of compromise. And the church wants to be in the prevailing culture more than living in divine flow of God's favor and presence.

“Baptism is the gate which puts the converted Christian on the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life. To gain the promised inheritance in the celestial world it is necessary to travel the length

Wesley pictures baptism as essential for the Church and baptism is a holy observance for

The word ‘theology’ has different meanings to all different people because of their culture, background and religious beliefs. Not everyone in the world is Catholic but this certain religion makes up a good portion of people throughout the country. I never imagined that one of the seven sacraments can be done outside of church, but after reading chapter two of Sacramental Theology, by Kurt Stasiak, I have learned and can understand that the sacraments are so much more complex than what I have ever considered them to be.

The meaning of the word Catholic is universal. The church is catholic in two senses. The first is that Christ is present in her so she possesses the fullness of Christ and has received from him the fullness of the means of salvation. The second is Christ sent her on a mission to gather all people into the people of God. The church feels connected to all people because all are made in the image and likeness of God. Despite this, the perfect union with God and all people will not take place till the end of time. Churches are completely and fully Catholic when they are in communion with the Church of Rome, meaning they recognize the Pope’s authority as the visible foundation for the unity of all members of the church and church leaders. The Seven Sacraments are also a huge part of what makes the church Catholic as they touch the totality of a persons life and Catholic journey from Baptism in the beginning as a sacrament of initiation to Annointing of the Sick at the