Community and tradition

1. Community and tradition Revision

2. Main Topics • The meaning and importance of believing that the Church is: the means to salvation, the Body of Christ, the communion of saints • Why the Bible has authority and is important for Catholics • The meaning and importance of the Apostolic Tradition, Apostolic Succession and the Magisterium • Protestant beliefs about the authority of the Church • The roles of the Pope, bishops and priests in the Catholic Church • Attitudes to the celibacy of the clergy • The role and importance of the Virgin Mary Community and Tradition

3. The meaning and importance of believing that the Church is: the means to salvation, the Body of Christ, the communion of saints THE BODY OF CHRIST • Catholics believe that the Church is the Body of Christ on Earth because the Church carries on the work of Jesus, and is one body even though it has many different parts. • This is important because: • It is what the NT says. • It explains the importance of the Mass. • It shows how Christ is still active in the world. COMMUNION OF SAINTS • The communion of saints means that Christians in heaven are in contact with each other and share their gifts and prayers with each other. • This is important because it means that Catholics on Earth can ask the saints in heaven for help and Catholics in purgatory can be helped by the prayers of Catholics on Earth. MEANS TO SALVATION • The Church is the way to faith for Catholic because the Church has kept the faith of the Apostles and teaches it through worship and the sacraments. • It is important to know the true faith and to be guided into it by the teaching and support of the church. • The Church is the way to salvation because the faith it teaches and the sacraments given by the Church bring forgiveness and so leads to salvation from sin and death.

4. Why the Bible has authority and is important for Catholics • The Bible has authority because it is inspired by God ad contains the teachings that come from God. • The Bible is important for Catholics because it reveals God, contains God’s commands on how Christians should behave, and shows Christians what Jesus did on Earth.

5. The meaning and importance of the Apostolic Tradition, Apostolic Succession and the Magisterium Apostolic Succession and Tradition • Catholics believe that the authority of the Church comes from the Bible and the tradition of the Apostles. • Catholics believe the Pope has special authority because he is the successor of St. Peter, chosen by the Holy Spirit to lead the Church. MAGISTERIUM • The Magisterium is the living teaching office of the Church today. • Catholics believe that the authority of the Church comes from the Bible and the tradition of the Apostles. • These sources of authority are interpreted for Catholics by the Pope and the bishops in the Magisterium of the Church.

6. Protestant beliefs about the authority of the Church • Within the Protestant Churches the Church leads and guides and has authority on Church organisation; however the bible is the only true source of authority and salvation. • These beliefs are important because they explain why there are different Protestant Churches with different beliefs, and why the Protestant Churches broke away from Rome

7. The roles of the Pope, bishops and priests in the Catholic Church • The papacy is the head of the Catholic Church worldwide, appointing and ordaining cardinals and bishops and making sure that they teach the true faith. The Pope must organise the Magisterium, act as bishop of Rome and give guidance to Catholics on issues of the day. • The Pope is important because he is head of the church, the successor of St Peter and ultimate authority for Catholics. • Bishops are in charge of a diocese and must make sure the priests and people are well looked after and are taught the true faith. A Bishop acts as a communicator between Pope and the priests and people. Bishops are important because only they can ordain priests. They make sure a diocese has the true faith and help with Magisterium. • The main functions of the priest are to administer the sacraments, represent Christ at the Mass and help the Catholics in the parish. • The priest is important practically, socially and spiritually. He is essential to a local church because he can offer the Mass and perform the sacraments

8. Attitudes to the celibacy of the clergy • Catholic priests have to be celibate in order to copy what Jesus did, maintain tradition and be able to give their whole life to the church. • Other Christians allow their priests and ministers to marry as they feel there are many advantages to allowing priests to marry should they want to.

9. The role and importance of the Virgin Mary • Catholics believe that the role of the Virgin Mary is to help their prayers to be accepted by God. She also acts as a role model to show Catholics how to live good lives, how to love Christ and how to be obedient to God. • The Virgin Mary is important because she was totally obedient to God; she was the Mother Of God , making sure Christianity began. She was taken up to heaven instead of dying and she can pray for the souls of Christians on Earth.