The Church of Christ

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a notice on June 29, 2007, clarifying the meaning of chapter 8 in Lumen Gentium: “Our declaration in the Apostle’s Creed the one holy catholic and apostolic Church…she lives in the Catholic church.” in order to answer the many scholars’ queries. This dogma does not mean we are denying the holiness and truthfulness of other churches.

I have included here excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church in relation to the phrase “the one holy catholic and apostolic Church” for your reference:

“The Church is one: she acknowledges one Lord, confesses one faith, is born of one, Baptism, forms only one Body, is given life by the one Spirit for the sake of one hope, at whose fulfillment all divisions will be overcome.” (866)

“The Church is holy: the Most Holy God is her author; Christ, her bridegroom, have himself up to make her holy; the Spirit of holiness gives her life.” (867)

“The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times. She is ‘missionary of her very nature’ (Ad Gentes 2)” (868)

“The Church is apostolic. She is built on a lasting foundation: ’the twelve apostles of the Lamb’. She is indestructible. She is upheld infallibly in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and the other apostles, who are present in the successors, the Pope and the college bishops.” (869) (Reference pages 866-870 from Catechism of the Catholic Church)