Don’t Underestimate the Church!

Mark Shea

by Mark Shea on January 28, 2010 · 0 comments

Ephesians 1:22-23
He has put all things under His feet and has made Him the head over all things for the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Many people think the Church is a mere human organization.  Scripture says the Church is a mystery of God.  Many people think the Church is a big mistake.  Scripture says the Church was founded by Jesus Christ who cannot err.  Many people think the Church is invisible, like the soul.  Scripture says it is visible, like a body.   Many people think the Church is empty of God.  Scripture says the Church is the fullness of Him who fills all in all.  Today, thank God, not only for the revelation of His Trinitarian nature as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but for the revelation of the Church which is the fullness of the mystery of Christ, present in the world.  Where would we be without it?

Mark Shea

By Mark Shea

Mark P. Shea is a Catholic author, blogger, and speaker.

  • Guest

    I agree wholeheartedly.  A few years ago, in the height of the sex abuse scandals, my mother blamed the abuse on the fact that the Church is a hierarchy.  She says that that leads to bureacracy, power trips, etc that resulted in abuse and cover-ups.  I see it differently:  the hierarchy is set up by God.  The tendency toward abuse, power trips, etc is not due to the hierarchical nature, it's due to the fact that the Church on earth is filled with fallible humans.  Other denominations that don't have a hierarchy have the same exact rates of abuse, but because there is no hierarchy and bureacracy, these rates aren't tracked and accounted for, and consequently there is no liability.  The Catholic Church is a legal target because it keeps meticulous records of everything.