Holy cathoic Church and Communion of Saints
What is the church? Is it a physical building with four walls and a steeple? Or is it a hierarchy of authority that leads to Christ? Could it be the Roman Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church, or any other denomination? Or perhaps the church is simply all those who have professed belief in God. When we mention saints, are we referring to the legendary saints known for faith and miracles? Or are we referring to all those who have gone before us? Could it be the NFL team, or something else entirely? This single line, like all others in the creeds, raises more questions than it answers.
This week, we will skip ahead a line in the Apostles' Creed to focus on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity, coinciding with Pentecost. This is also one of the debates and divisions between the Eastern and Western Churches that led to the first great schism. The key question will be “from whom does the Holy Spirit proceed?” Additionally, this is the origin of the common phrase “one iota.” We will explore this great debate of our faith next week on Pentecost, so stay tuned.
Many Christians, especially non-Catholics, find this week's line quite confusing. Its meaning varies depending on whether one is Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant. Last week, we saw how theological tradition shapes how we view, read, and interpret creeds. Although we may all recite the same words, our understanding of their meaning often differs. This highlights the broad diversity of creeds and what they consider protected. These boundaries, set by the creeds, help us find our place within broader faith. Whenever I talk about the creeds, the number one question I get asked is about the word “catholic.” Are we professing faith in the Catholic Church when we say these creeds? Short answer, no. But of course, I have a much longer one for you as well.
Note the lowercase 'c' in 'catholic.' Capital 'C' Catholic refers to the denomination, while lowercase 'c' Catholic signifies the ‘church universal.’ When Christianity became not only legal but the official religion of the Roman Empire in 325, believers held diverse beliefs and numerous canons of sacred texts. The Council of Nicaea aimed to unify Christians across the empire into one institution in the name of unity, but it was also about control (99% about control). This was challenging; there were intense debates, and even Saint Nick was known to have punched someone, right in the face (look it up; I'm serious). When Christians were working on a common creed and set of beliefs, there were no denominations. The Catholic Church didn’t even exist yet; this was a gathering of Christians, not a denomination. When they wrote 'Holy catholic Church,' the line didn’t refer to an institution but to Christians worldwide, aiming to connect followers of Jesus into one body. It was a point of connection, saying “I believe in the church set up by Jesus” and in their shared faith in Him.
Later, the Catholic Church adopted the name to signify its status as the church universal. For centuries, it was. Until 1054, there were no other Christian sects besides the Catholic Church. For 700 years, the 'Catholic Church' was the universal church. The focus has shifted somewhat over time: when we say, “I believe in the Holy catholic Church,” we are not endorsing the church as an institution but affirming belief in the community of all believers and in Jesus as the ultimate head of that Church. No, we are not professing faith in the “Catholic Church,” but what we Protestants do not understand is that we all come from the Catholic Church. Who wrote the creeds? I have my theological differences with the Catholics, which is why my mom stopped being one, but we all have a lot more in common than you might think. We need to get out of this shame cycle we participate in, saying, “My denomination has all the answers.” We Methodists do, but that’s not the point. The church is far bigger than any denomination or sect, and it doesn’t belong to us either. We are all doing the best we can to comprehend the divine majesty of a God we cannot see face to face. Of course, we are going to see God differently.
This week, the focus continues with the “Communion of Saints.” There are various ways to interpret this phrase, unsurprisingly. As a non-Catholic, it's important to distinguish between the uppercase 'Saints' and lowercase 'saints.' Upper-case Saints are venerated Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Lutherans, and NFL fans like my brother-in-law. Saints are individuals who have met numerous requirements, including deeds in this life and miracles after death associated with their remains, something they owned, and the like. The title 'Saint' signifies not just honor in this life but also a close relationship with God in the afterlife. There are patron Saints for different professions, nations, schools, and religious orders, among many other categories. Some Protestants acknowledge Saints, but most typically do not believe in elevating certain individuals above others, though that’s not the main reason for honoring them. Saints are a point of connection to God. That can look like a certain way of living with God and neighbor, someone we can relate to and look to for guidance. Saints are tangible examples and connection points with God.
Do I believe in Saints? That depends on the day. I have three Icons of Saints in my office, all from the same workshop in Greece that has made Icons the same way for generations. There are also individuals like Martin Luther King Jr. and Dietrich Bonhoeffer whom I look up to and turn to for guidance on how to be a follower of God in a broken world. Do I think they have special importance? Yes. Do I pray to Saints to intercede on my behalf to God? No. So yes and no.
Lowercase 'saints' refers broadly to all who have gone before us, including those who have expressed faith in God, particularly in Jesus. Some even include Abraham, which is an interesting debate (the answer is yes). This includes friends, family, and those we may never meet. When reading the creeds, we connect with both the believers who came before us and those who will come after. This is where we find personal significance in this line. We are connected to all who have come before us, who shaped us, who made us who we are today. Whether they are with us in this life or have moved on to the next, we remain connected to them. All the adoptive grandparents I have had in my life, thanks to the church. All the mentors who have shaped my faith. My family, though we came from different traditions, helped make me who I am. We are bound by strings that can never be broken or forgotten. Even those great leaders of the faith, gone from this life long before I came into existence, whom I look up to. All those who are still alive and spread across creation. The greatest gift the church universal and local provides is relationships and the knowledge that we do not walk this journey alone. We have already talked about how God walks that road, but there are people here we can look to for support in our times of need, because that is what the church is for.
The church is not a building, however many walls it has. The church is not an hour-long commitment on Sunday mornings. The church is the relationships we create with each other. When the church is at its best, it fosters new relationships and creates a community that all humans need to function. One of my favorite atheists/agnostics is Neil deGrasse Tyson. I saw a reel on Facebook yesterday asking whether the church is healthy for humanity. What good has Christianity, or any faith, for that matter, done for humanity? Tyson is somewhat critical of the institution, and I agree with many of his points, or at least understand them. One thing that stood out to me in this conversation was his point that the greatest gift faith traditions have given humanity is community, because we humans need it. Unfortunately, many of the church's institutions have driven people away, leaving a great void of need.
The creed also says you cannot be a Christian without going to church; it doesn’t work that way. I am not saying this to guilt people into coming more often, although I wouldn’t mind if it did. To be a Christian is to believe in the Church. At a very basic level, we need community, not just as Christians but as human beings. No one can walk this life alone; it is not possible. I mean the walk of navigating faith and life itself, with its ups and downs. I have tried to do it myself, and it did not work for me at all. Believing in the Church means believing in the importance of community. A community woven across all cultures, all human differences, and even across time itself. It is a statement that says, I need help in my life, I need help in my faith, I need help in my relationship with God, and I will look to my church community for that help. There are countless other ways to find that community, but the Church offers a kind of community not often found elsewhere: to be loved for who you are, no exceptions, because God has loved us in that same way. I know how hard it is to ask for help, to acknowledge that we cannot do it on our own. I am terrible at asking for help because I don’t want to be a burden on others. To be a Christian, and thus to believe in the Church, is also a promise to be there for others when they need it. To be a Christian is to believe in the importance of community. I'll let you ask how well we are doing that today.
This week, we will skip ahead a line in the Apostles' Creed to focus on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity, coinciding with Pentecost. This is also one of the debates and divisions between the Eastern and Western Churches that led to the first great schism. The key question will be “from whom does the Holy Spirit proceed?” Additionally, this is the origin of the common phrase “one iota.” We will explore this great debate of our faith next week on Pentecost, so stay tuned.
Many Christians, especially non-Catholics, find this week's line quite confusing. Its meaning varies depending on whether one is Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant. Last week, we saw how theological tradition shapes how we view, read, and interpret creeds. Although we may all recite the same words, our understanding of their meaning often differs. This highlights the broad diversity of creeds and what they consider protected. These boundaries, set by the creeds, help us find our place within broader faith. Whenever I talk about the creeds, the number one question I get asked is about the word “catholic.” Are we professing faith in the Catholic Church when we say these creeds? Short answer, no. But of course, I have a much longer one for you as well.
Note the lowercase 'c' in 'catholic.' Capital 'C' Catholic refers to the denomination, while lowercase 'c' Catholic signifies the ‘church universal.’ When Christianity became not only legal but the official religion of the Roman Empire in 325, believers held diverse beliefs and numerous canons of sacred texts. The Council of Nicaea aimed to unify Christians across the empire into one institution in the name of unity, but it was also about control (99% about control). This was challenging; there were intense debates, and even Saint Nick was known to have punched someone, right in the face (look it up; I'm serious). When Christians were working on a common creed and set of beliefs, there were no denominations. The Catholic Church didn’t even exist yet; this was a gathering of Christians, not a denomination. When they wrote 'Holy catholic Church,' the line didn’t refer to an institution but to Christians worldwide, aiming to connect followers of Jesus into one body. It was a point of connection, saying “I believe in the church set up by Jesus” and in their shared faith in Him.
Later, the Catholic Church adopted the name to signify its status as the church universal. For centuries, it was. Until 1054, there were no other Christian sects besides the Catholic Church. For 700 years, the 'Catholic Church' was the universal church. The focus has shifted somewhat over time: when we say, “I believe in the Holy catholic Church,” we are not endorsing the church as an institution but affirming belief in the community of all believers and in Jesus as the ultimate head of that Church. No, we are not professing faith in the “Catholic Church,” but what we Protestants do not understand is that we all come from the Catholic Church. Who wrote the creeds? I have my theological differences with the Catholics, which is why my mom stopped being one, but we all have a lot more in common than you might think. We need to get out of this shame cycle we participate in, saying, “My denomination has all the answers.” We Methodists do, but that’s not the point. The church is far bigger than any denomination or sect, and it doesn’t belong to us either. We are all doing the best we can to comprehend the divine majesty of a God we cannot see face to face. Of course, we are going to see God differently.
This week, the focus continues with the “Communion of Saints.” There are various ways to interpret this phrase, unsurprisingly. As a non-Catholic, it's important to distinguish between the uppercase 'Saints' and lowercase 'saints.' Upper-case Saints are venerated Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Lutherans, and NFL fans like my brother-in-law. Saints are individuals who have met numerous requirements, including deeds in this life and miracles after death associated with their remains, something they owned, and the like. The title 'Saint' signifies not just honor in this life but also a close relationship with God in the afterlife. There are patron Saints for different professions, nations, schools, and religious orders, among many other categories. Some Protestants acknowledge Saints, but most typically do not believe in elevating certain individuals above others, though that’s not the main reason for honoring them. Saints are a point of connection to God. That can look like a certain way of living with God and neighbor, someone we can relate to and look to for guidance. Saints are tangible examples and connection points with God.
Do I believe in Saints? That depends on the day. I have three Icons of Saints in my office, all from the same workshop in Greece that has made Icons the same way for generations. There are also individuals like Martin Luther King Jr. and Dietrich Bonhoeffer whom I look up to and turn to for guidance on how to be a follower of God in a broken world. Do I think they have special importance? Yes. Do I pray to Saints to intercede on my behalf to God? No. So yes and no.
Lowercase 'saints' refers broadly to all who have gone before us, including those who have expressed faith in God, particularly in Jesus. Some even include Abraham, which is an interesting debate (the answer is yes). This includes friends, family, and those we may never meet. When reading the creeds, we connect with both the believers who came before us and those who will come after. This is where we find personal significance in this line. We are connected to all who have come before us, who shaped us, who made us who we are today. Whether they are with us in this life or have moved on to the next, we remain connected to them. All the adoptive grandparents I have had in my life, thanks to the church. All the mentors who have shaped my faith. My family, though we came from different traditions, helped make me who I am. We are bound by strings that can never be broken or forgotten. Even those great leaders of the faith, gone from this life long before I came into existence, whom I look up to. All those who are still alive and spread across creation. The greatest gift the church universal and local provides is relationships and the knowledge that we do not walk this journey alone. We have already talked about how God walks that road, but there are people here we can look to for support in our times of need, because that is what the church is for.
The church is not a building, however many walls it has. The church is not an hour-long commitment on Sunday mornings. The church is the relationships we create with each other. When the church is at its best, it fosters new relationships and creates a community that all humans need to function. One of my favorite atheists/agnostics is Neil deGrasse Tyson. I saw a reel on Facebook yesterday asking whether the church is healthy for humanity. What good has Christianity, or any faith, for that matter, done for humanity? Tyson is somewhat critical of the institution, and I agree with many of his points, or at least understand them. One thing that stood out to me in this conversation was his point that the greatest gift faith traditions have given humanity is community, because we humans need it. Unfortunately, many of the church's institutions have driven people away, leaving a great void of need.
The creed also says you cannot be a Christian without going to church; it doesn’t work that way. I am not saying this to guilt people into coming more often, although I wouldn’t mind if it did. To be a Christian is to believe in the Church. At a very basic level, we need community, not just as Christians but as human beings. No one can walk this life alone; it is not possible. I mean the walk of navigating faith and life itself, with its ups and downs. I have tried to do it myself, and it did not work for me at all. Believing in the Church means believing in the importance of community. A community woven across all cultures, all human differences, and even across time itself. It is a statement that says, I need help in my life, I need help in my faith, I need help in my relationship with God, and I will look to my church community for that help. There are countless other ways to find that community, but the Church offers a kind of community not often found elsewhere: to be loved for who you are, no exceptions, because God has loved us in that same way. I know how hard it is to ask for help, to acknowledge that we cannot do it on our own. I am terrible at asking for help because I don’t want to be a burden on others. To be a Christian, and thus to believe in the Church, is also a promise to be there for others when they need it. To be a Christian is to believe in the importance of community. I'll let you ask how well we are doing that today.