Kościół w świetle nauki o usprawiedliwieniu

Abstract

A role and a place of the Church in the Christ’s work of redemption and ecclesia! mediation of a grace are everlasting moot point for the Lutherans and the Catholics. None of the parties negate such comprehended reality of the Church, a difference however regards to content meaning of those expressions. At the end of second and during the third stage of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue a statement on existence of fundamental discrepancy (Grunddifferenz, Fundamentaldissens) has appeared, which lies at grounds of division between both religions. Existence of that discrepancy has been appointed first of all in a problem of a place of the Church in the event of redemption, in understanding of sacramentality and instrumental role of the Church and human co-operation in the redemption event. Signed ecumenical documents, in particular Joint declaration on the doctrine of justification must involve dogmatic implications also on the ground of ecclesiology, in order to avoid complaining that the dialogue between the Churches and signed document on the justification actually nothing changed. So, making the theological-dogmatic implications of already signed documents it’s worth thinking and expressing criticism of proposal in order to replace fully a concept of“ sacrament” regarding to redeemed instrumentalization of the Church and instead use the terms “sign” and “tool“ or to develop other theological language devoid of ambiguity. Such attitude to the above issue would allow to emphasize much more consent of both parties in so important discipline like ecclesiology. The more so because both parties of the dialogue agree as to fact that connection of the Christ with the Church can not be presented in the way to cover equality of this relationship. Both the Catholics and the Lutherans subscribe that on the basis of the New Testament relationship between the Christ and the Church is based at the same time on unity and distinctness excluding in this way any identity. Church in the light of the doctrine on justification is first of all redeemed and gifted Church that exclusively thanks to the Christ through Word and Sacrament is a place of effective giving salvation. There is also a consent that neither people nor the Church can be perpetrators of salvation, nor to administer it. The salvation is always a gift.