THE EARLY CHURCH

The description of the nascent church that we find in Acts 2:42-47 tells us
It provides a basic outline of what God wants the church to be:
And the members of the emerging church persevered in the doctrine of the
apostles, in communion with one another, in the breaking of bread and in the
And fear came upon every person; and many wonders and signs
were made by the apostles. All who had believed were together, and
they had in common all things; and they sold their properties and their goods, and it
they distributed to everyone according to the need of each one. And persevering unanimously
Every day in the temple, and breaking bread in the house, they ate together with joy.
and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And
The Lord added to the church daily those who were to be saved.

The true church, the body of Christ, consists of those who love Christ.
Jesus. We belong to the collective body of Christ, whether we are alive or
in glory. The Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means 'a
assembly of those called outside”. The church is made up of people
calls by God to be His children. We have remained united with all the
other believers through faith in Christ.

The world cannot detect the invisible church composed of true ones.
Christians. They only see the visible church, which includes those who only profess.
to be Christians. The Lord's intention was to establish a visible church
for testimony to the world. When we gather on the Lord's day, we are a
testimony to the world that Christ has truly risen. Some
People say that we actually don't need buildings or structures.
organizational. However, I don't think Christ would agree with that.
In Matthew 18, for example, Christ implies that the church has a form
specific since it congregates in a determined place: 'Therefore, if your
If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him when you are alone with him; if he hears you, you have won.

You have gained your brother. But if he does not hear you, take one or two with you, to
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he does not hear them,

Tell it to the church” (vv. 15-17, italics added).

The church has three aspects: Its foundation, its ministry, and its leadership.
Although today we have new forms of communication in the 21st century, new
methods to use and new problems to face, I believe that the Lord
I had the purpose that the church of our time follows the same principles.
what we see functioning in the church of the first century.
 THE CHURCH AS A SACRAMENT OF SALVATION

The Second Vatican Council defined the Church as a sacrament. With this, it does not
I wanted to affirm the Council that, in addition to the seven sacraments, there would be a

sacrament more. But rather, just as the sacraments are true

instruments of Christ to distribute the grace of God and the life of children of God
among men, in a similar way, the whole Church is an institution
visible that serves Christ as an instrument to carry out his work of salvation
universal.

It is clear, as the Council itself states, that at all times and places are
Those who fear God and practice justice are accepted by Him (Acts 10:35); but it is not
It is less certain that Christ is the only mediator between God and men (cf. 1
Tim 2:5) and that he instituted his Church as a necessary instrument of
salvation. Therefore, "those who, knowing that the Church could not be saved
Catholicism was instituted by Jesus Christ as necessary, they will disdain entering into it.
or they would not want to stay

in her.

Now, Christ did not give just the sacraments to his Church for them to be
the means of grace that will perpetuate their salvific work in the world, but rather,
above all and especially, he gave him his Word, that is, the entirety of his message
so that I could convey it faithfully to all men of all
generations: Preach the Gospel to all men (Mk 16:15),
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Mt 28:20).

This means that the word of God is the same as the sacramental grace of
baptism and the other sacraments, it reaches us channeled through the conduit of
human instruments. And this is nothing strange since the moment in
that God himself sought the encounter with men by means of the
humanity of Jesus as an instrument of universal redemption.
 THE FIRST CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

The first Christians, as they are described in the New Testament

(especially in the Acts of the Apostles), they were Jews, whether from
birth or by conversion, for which the biblical term was used
proselyte, and referred to by historians as Judeo-Christians. Facts
from the Apostles and the Epistle to the Galatians gather that the first community
Christianity was centered in Jerusalem and among its leaders were Peter,
Santiago and Juan. Paul of Tarsus, after his conversion to Christianity, claimed
for himself the title of "Apostle of the Gentiles." The influence of Paul on the
Christian thought is recognized as more significant than that of any.
another writer of the New Testament. By the end of the 1st century, Christianity
began to be recognized internally and externally as a different religion
of Judaism, which was refined and developed after the destruction
of the Second Temple of Jerusalem.

As it is recorded in numerous quotes from the New Testament, so

as in other Christian texts from the first century of our era, the early
Christians generally used and revered the Jewish Bible as their book.
sacred, fundamentally through the Greek translations (Septuagint)
the Aramaic (Targum), a good part of which is written in form
narrative where "in the biblical story God is the protagonist, Satan (or the
evil beings or powers are the antagonist, and the people of God are the
agonist.

The primitive communities of Christianity emerge as a sect.

apocalypticism of Judaism (Acts 24:5) which historians refer to
Judeo-Christianity. These early Christians call themselves
Nazarenes" or "those of the Way." The first Christians go to the
synagogues, like all other groups within traditional Judaism (time
of the second temple). Its proclamation is of a prophetic nature and teaches that Yeshua

the Nazarene, Jesus of Nazareth, is the Messiah announced by the prophets. A

Jesus, whom the Roman and Jewish authorities had crucified, Yahweh him
he has risen (according to the New Testament). As a rule of life, they teach the
Torah and the works of the Holy Spirit, according to the teachings of Jesus.
ARGUMENTATIVE TEXT THE EMERGING CHURCH

When we look back in history and see towards the early Church,
we can observe a powerful Church (filled with the Holy Spirit), united,
pursued, but above all fervent in communion with Christ and in the
sentence.

The last words of Jesus on earth before his Ascension indicate to his
disciples what their life and mission will be. It is the beginning of the activity of the
Church founded by Jesus. These are times of great evangelizing activity and the
tradition has passed on to us the mission that they all carried out after
carry out their work in Palestine.

Since the times of the early Church, the Christian community has sought
to commit socially, giving preference to those in greatest need.
This was recognized by Emperor Julian the Apostate (332-363), who was
a strong opponent of the Church. Once Jesus left this planet. His
disciples began to share the teachings that were given to them
entrusted. This group is commonly referred to as 'the primitive church'
well, it was made up of people who were gathering around the
teachings of the disciples of Jesus and so on. This church
primitive lived and practiced the teachings given through Jesus and his
disciples. We are talking about a time when there were no priests or
Christian leaders, in fact Christianity was almost lived in secret as it was
persecuted and for the Roman State the growing number of people who
accepting the teachings of Jesus frightened them as they could lose the
control of your subjects.

In conclusion, we can say that the Catholic Church is wonderful.

work that Jesus left us here on earth so that we may know Him deeply,
let's love Him better, get excited about Him, and spread His Name across
to the ends of the earth. It is, therefore, in the Church where we were born to life
divine, to the life of faith. It is the Church that, as Mother, nourishes our faith in
the liturgy and in the sacraments. It is the Church that protects us with its arms
maternal, when we feel unprotected. It is the Church that reaches out to us.
his hands when we have fallen on the path of life. It is in the Church where
we want to live and die in peace.

ARGUMENTATIVE TEXT FIRST CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

We find in primitive Christianity, from an existential point of view,

three concrete realizations of the Church with clear characteristics and
defined that emphasize diverse and always important aspects: they are the
Communities of Jerusalem, Corinth, and Antioch.

The first Christian community arises in the land where the Master had
fundamentally developed his messianic activity and more specifically
in the city where he had died and risen again. We find, then, in
Jerusalem, a community composed mainly of converted Jews:
a closed-minded community because it believed that salvation
it exclusively affected the Jews as God's chosen people (cf Acts)
11, 1-3.18).

The Community of Corinth, an open and cosmopolitan community, formed

predominantly by men and women, coming from the environments
marginals of the city (1 Cor 1:26-28). Another pole around which revolves the
the believing community of Corinth is the worship, which is influenced by
elements coming from the hysterical cults inherent to the numerous
pagan religions that coexisted in Corinth. Both the charisms and the worship
they actually lent themselves to serious disorders, against which Paul had to
intervene by establishing a series of norms and criteria that had to be
regarding the community.

The Community of Antioquia was founded by Bernabé, a "man of good", full of

of the Holy Spirit and of faith (Acts 11:24), an open and missionary spirit that, with its
testimony and activity, managed to gather a considerable crowd that joined the
Sir. This community was composed almost entirely of Greeks,
men completely disassociated from Judaism Appears as a
vibrant community, so much so that the disciples of Jesus began in it to
to be called
"Christians" (Acts 11:26).
We conclude by saying that the different views and behaviors offered to
Based on the writings of the New Testament about the Church, they are neither
they can be, conflicting visions or proposals: they are necessarily
complementary. But they clearly and unequivocally highlight that not
there is a unique vision and from this reality, the Church, which being mysterious,
it escapes any attempt to limit it or to box it into an exclusive model
and exclusive.
ARGUMENTATIVE TEXT THE CHURCH AS A SACRAMENT OF
SALVATION

The Church, sacrament of salvation, is built and nourished by the sacraments.

To say that the Church is a sacrament is to affirm that salvation is realized in it.
in a visible and effective form, community-oriented and historical. The salvific action of Christ,
through the Holy Spirit, is present in the Church, in a particular way
in its sacraments. The Church, with its seven sacraments, is the visible sign and
effective, chosen by God, to fulfill His eternal will in history
save all of humanity. The Holy Spirit and the Church make present in the
the saving will of God.

With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the time of the
Church, in which Christ manifests, makes present and communicates his work of
salvation through the sacraments. Christ lives and acts in the Church,
communicating to the believers the fruits of his paschal mystery: "Seated at the
right of the Father and pouring out the Holy Spirit upon His Body which is the
Church, Christ acts now through the sacraments instituted by Him.
to communicate his grace. The sacraments are sensible signs (words and
actions), accessible to our current humanity.

The Catholic Church, being the universal sacrament of salvation, is

likewise its unique sacrament. Only she, in principle, is capable of putting the
men in communion with God. When speaking of the Church as a sacrament, it does not
use the word in 'strict sense' but in 'broad sense'. And what is the
broad sense"? If we define the sacraments as: "sacred signs
characteristics of the Church, in which it unites believers to the mystery of
Christ and prolongs the sanctifying action of Christ, that is, the sacrament
as an effective sign of the grace of Christ; or as a sign and instrument of
the intimate union with God, we can affirm that the humanity of Christ is the first
my "sacrament", the "radical sacrament".
Indeed, the human nature of Christ, assumed by the Word of God, is a
sacrament in eminent sense and that is why it has been said that Christ is the
sacramento of the union of God with men, for supernatural grace has
received in Christ the most perfect incarnation. The man - God is the figure in
the God who lacks any figure has become visible.
THE EARLY CHURCH

QUESTIONS:

1. In the Early Church, who constitutes the true Church?

It is made up of those who love Christ Jesus. We belong to the body.
collective of Christ, whether we are alive or in glory.

What was the Lord's intention in the Early Church?

The Lord's intention was to establish a visible church as a testimony.
to the world. When we gather on the Lord's day, we are a testimony to
world that Christ has certainly risen. Some people say that
In reality, we do not need buildings or organizational structure.

3. What can we observe throughout history in the Early Church?

When we look back in history and see the early Church,

we can observe a powerful Church (filled with the Holy Spirit), united,
persecuted, but above all fervent in communion with Christ and in
sentence.

4. What is the church made of?

It is made up of people called by God to be His children. We have
stayed united with all other believers through faith in Christ.

5. What are the aspects of the church?

The church has three aspects: its foundation, its ministry, and its leadership.

6. What was the Lord's purpose?

The Lord intended for the church of our time to follow the
the same principles that we see functioning in the church of the first century.

7. What has the early church sought?

Since the times of the nascent Church, the Christian community has sought
to commit socially, with a preference for those in greatest need.
8. What did the early church practice?
This primitive church lived and practiced the teachings given through
Jesus and his disciples. We are talking about a time when not
there were priests or Christian leaders

9. Who made up the early church?

They were made up of people who were gathering around the
teachings of the disciples of Jesus and so on.

10. What does the church provide or transmit to us?

It is the Church that, as a Mother, nourishes our faith in the liturgy and in the
sacraments. It is the Church that protects us with its maternal arms,
when we feel unprotected. It is the Church that extends its
hands when we have fallen on the path of life. It is in the Church where
we want to live and die in peace.
FIRST CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

QUESTIONS:

1. How did the Second Vatican Council define the Church?

I defined the Church as a sacrament. With this, I did not want to assert that,
In addition to the seven sacraments, there would be one more sacrament. Rather, this way

as the sacraments are true instruments of Christ, in a way

the whole Church is a visible institution that serves Christ of
instrument for carrying out his work of universal salvation.

What did Christ give to his Church?

Christ did not give only the sacraments to his Church so that they would be the
means of grace that will perpetuate his salvific work in the world, but,
above all and, above all, he gave him his Word

3. Who were the first Christians?

The first Christians, as described in the New Testament
(especially in the Acts of the Apostles), they were Jews, whether from
birth or by conversion

4. How does the Christian community emerge?

The first Christian community arises in the land where the Master had
fundamentally developed his messianic activity and more specifically
in the city where he had died and resurrected.

5. Who founded the community of Antioch and what did they achieve?
The Community of Antioquia was founded by Bernabé 'man of good',
full of the Holy Spirit and of faith (Acts 11:24), an open and missionary spirit that,
with his testimony and activity, he managed to gather a considerable crowd
adhere to the Lord.

6. Who is the community of Antioquia composed of?

This community was almost entirely made up of Greeks,
men completely disconnected from Judaism appears as a
 vibrant community, so much so that in it the disciples of Jesus began to
to call themselves 'Christians'.

7. How do primitive communities arise?

The primitive communities of Christianity emerge as a sect.
apocalyptic of Judaism (Acts 24:5) to which historians
they call Judeo-Christianity.

8. What are the characteristics of the church?

We find in primitive Christianity, from a point of view
existential, three concrete realizations of the Church with certain characteristics
clear and defined that emphasize diverse and always important aspects:
they are the Communities of Jerusalem, Corinth, and Antioch.

9. Who makes up the community of Corinth?

The Community of Corinth, an open and cosmopolitan community, formed
predominantly by men and women, coming from the environments
marginalized of the city (1 Cor 1:26-28).

10. Why is the church mysterious?

But they clearly and unequivocally emphasize that there is no vision.
unique and of this reality, the Church, which, being mysterious, escapes
any attempt to limit it or to confine it to an exclusive model and
exclusive.
THE CHURCH AS A SACRAMENT OF SALVATION

QUESTIONS

1. What does the church feed on?

The Church, sacrament of salvation, is built and nourished with the
sacraments.

2. How was the Catholic Church established?

they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was instituted
through Jesus Christ as necessary, they will disdain to enter it or would not want to

to remain in it.

3. Why did Christ give the sacraments to his church?

Now, Christ did not give only the sacraments to his Church so that
they were the means of grace that would perpetuate their salvific work in the world,
but, above all, he gave him his Word,

4. What happened with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?

With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost, the time of
the Church, in which Christ manifests, makes present and communicates his work of
salvation through the sacraments.

5. Why is the church a sacrament?

The Catholic Church, being the universal sacrament of salvation, is
likewise its unique sacrament.

6. What is the broad meaning?

When talking about the Church as a sacrament, the word is not used in a "sense
strictly" but in "broad sense". And what is the "broad sense"? If the
sacraments we define as: "characteristic sacred signs of the
Church, in which it unites believers to the mystery of Christ and prolongs
that is, the sacrament as a sign
effective of the grace of Christ; or as a sign and instrument of the intimate u-
union with God, we can affirm that the humanity of Christ is the first
"sacrament", the "radical sacrament".
What does the church represent with its sacraments?
The Church, with its seven sacraments, is the visible and effective sign, chosen
for God, to carry out in history his eternal will to save all
humanity. The Holy Spirit and the Church make present in the world the
saving will of God.

8. Why is it a sacrament in the eminent sense?

Indeed, the human nature of Christ, assumed by the Word of God,
it is a sacrament in an eminent sense and that is why it has been said that Christ is
the sacrament of union of God with men, for grace
the supernatural has received in Christ the most perfect incarnation.

9. Why are the sacraments sensible signs?

The sacraments are sensible signs (words and actions), accessible to
our current humanity.

10. How do you define the sacrament?

We define sacraments as: 'characteristic sacred signs of the
Church, in which it unites believers to the mystery of Christ and prolongs
the sanctifying action of Christ
effective grace of Christ; or as a sign and instrument of the intimate
union with God, we can affirm that the humanity of Christ is the first
"sacramento", el "sacramento radical".