Temporalny wymiar strukturalnej wiarygodności Kościoła w eklezjologii kardynała Avery’ego Dullesa SJ

Abstract

This article based on Avery Cardinal Dulles S.J. ecclesiological thought shows temporal dimension of catholicity of the Church. It is one of the lines of argumentation for the structural credibility of the Church, which demonstrates that the Church as a structure and in its structure preserves Divine Revelation and communicates it in time and space to everyone. Article shows catholicity of the Church in time, that means identity and continuity of the Church from creation to the end of time (fullness of Kingdom of God). According to Dulles the Church has different stages. In a visible form it finally emerged in Jesus’ live, death and resurrection and sending of Holly Spirit. Thanks to its sacramental structure Church is dynamical and in time it changes forms of its life to be a sign of salvation for all. Therefore the Church is one and simultaneously diverse, it has to fit to all times to realize mission to preach Jesus Christ. To the structure of the Church in this time dimension pertain elements pointing to the unity in diversity of the Church: Tradition (as a not only static but also dynamic communication of Divine Revelation), reform (as a verification of the Church’s mission and the elimination of distortions of its function), doctrine of the Church (constantly interpreted preserves contents of Divine Revelation in a changing historical and cultural contexts), authority in the Church (hierarchical, theological and charismatic; they preserve purity of the Church’s teaching and fidelity of Divine Revelation). These elements participate in the Church’s transmission of Divine Revelation and salvation in time, and are premises of an structural argument of credibility of the Church.