Models of Church

What is your model of the church? [Dulles] created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Mystical Communion Model Your model of the church is Mystical Communion, which includes both People of God and Body of Christ. The church is essentially people in union with Christ and the Father through the Holy Spirit. Both lay people and clergy are drawn together in a family of faith. This model can exalt the church beyond what is appropriate, but can be supplemented with other models. Mystical Communion Model 72% Servant Model 72% Sacrament model 56% Herald Model 50% Institutional Model 17%

As a kind of denominational "mutt" this quiz intrigued me immensely. I was baptized at age 6 within a conservative Lutheran church, confirmed in it and then rebelled in college after my first philosophy class. Later, in my early twenties, Roman Catholicism appealed to me as being more freeing than Lutheranism, because there was acknowledgement of an original goodness. Church as "body of Christ" made sense to me.

Through the years since then with all their ups and downs, my views of church have been both idealistic and critical. My yearning for the reign of God/kindom of Heaven is very strong and so often the churches fail to live up to their task. Some seem more concerned with buildings and their maintenance. Some seem preoccupied with making sure not to offend anyone for any reason, especially avoiding the difficult and offensive task of asking members to care about whomever is not being well cared for by the people of God. Others seem more concerned to keep women in their place, which is definitely not in the hierarchy, which is exclusively male.

I currently am a member of a United Church of Christ congregation, and appreciate the gifts of other denominations and religions. It is my belief that "The Church" has yet to be revealed in its fullness. It is my hope that that will happen soon, as the times seem to demand a further unfolding of what it means to be church, People of God and Body of Christ.

Anyway, the realities do not match up to the biblical urgings nor, sometimes, to even common courtesy. Alas, finding within institutions the divine core of their being is just as difficult as it is for an individual to express their essential soul within which God dwells.