L’humanité et l’Église comme corps mystique du Christ: Parcours historique et proposition d’articulation

Abstract

Humanity and the Church as Mystical Body of Christ. A Historical Overview and an Attempt to Clarify the Relationship Between Them This contribution promotes the value of the metaphor of the mystical body of Christ, while also acknowledging its limitations. It shows how Catholic theology has shifted from an exclusivist view of the mystical body in the encyclical Mystici corporis to an inclusive interpretation of the metaphor in Lumen gentium which considers that those outside the visible borders of the Church may belong to the mystical body. The biblical objections to this broader interpretation are assessed and an initial reflection on the relationship between humanity and the Church is brought forth. If all humans may be considered members of the mystical body, the question remains: what makes them living members? The answer proposed is: the free participation in the paschal mystery of Christ realized by the Holy Spirit in different ways.