Pneumatological Ecclesiology and Its Relationship with Permanent Ecclesiogenesis. Selected Aspects

Abstract

Summary The Christological-pneumatological character of post-conciliar ecclesiology, which appreciates the personal-communal (relational), as well as historico-redemptive and eschatological character of the Church, and restores institutional-social dimension of the Church to its proper place in ecclesiology, opens the possibility of extending the traditional approach to the establishment of the Church as a historico-redemptive set of Christ’s actions. Deepened theological reflection on the pneumatological-personal (communio) character of the Church allows us to speak of its permanent personal-pneumahagic process of constant birth in the baptized ones and in the community of faith. Constant presence and influence of the Spirit in the community of the Church and its activities include its offices, evangelizing mission and means of sanctification, but also various gifts (charisms) of the Holy Spirit, as well as development or renewal of the faith life of individual Christians and the community. Aspects of permanent ecclesiogenesis can vary in intensity and form, but they all derive from the influence of the Spirit sent by Christ to His disciples, and are based on the personal, communal, event-oriented (historical) and processual character of faith as communio with Christ and brothers. The forms of permanent ecclesiogenesis can be seen in eschatological Church-directing tension dynamism between ‘already’ and ‘not yet’ of the Kingdom of God, in event-donative nature of faith as a communion with Jesus and its processual character, in life-giving character and fruitfulness of faith, in generating new ecclesial realities, clearly beyond human possibilities, in moving towards the missionary future, theological openness, and universality of the Church.