Models of the Church: Introduction

The reality of the Church is essentially a mystery. A language of signs and symbols -- including images, models and paradigms -- can mediate the understanding of something abstract. Throughout the ages, images have been used to gain a better understanding of the mysteries of faith. (27) Dulles pushes the methodology further and suggests that 'when an image is employed reflexively and critically to deepen one's theoretical understanding of a reality it becomes [...] a model.' (28) Models become paradigms when they are successful in solving many kinds of problems and can be used for future problems. (29)

Two aspects of the use of models as mediation in ecclesiology for the discussion of St Francis and the models of the Church are important. Firstly, the historical Francis may have had a clear and distinct understanding of the essence of the Church, i.e. intentionally subscribing to only one or two 'models' of the Church. This may have been simply because that was the 'official ecclesiology' (although not necessarily a dogma) and he -- without the benefit of a liberal environment or Vatican II -- could not have chosen otherwise. That is to say, Francis may have had only one or two direct ecclesiological 'models' because they were immediate to his understanding of the Church.

Secondly, there may be other ecclesial views, besides the immediate ones, inherent in Franciscan spirituality. These views could also be expressed through the use of other models, although Francis might not have been concerned with all these sophisticated theological nuances. His own spirituality was often brought about as if based on some other particular ecclesiological models, or even paradigms. In other words, because Francis was such an ecclesial man, his spirituality could not be divorced from the mystery of the Church: any particular concept must tie in with an intermediate vision of the church, which may not have been the same as his immediate ecclesial view. Nevertheless in reality the distinction between these two is never sharp. There is an overlap between them. Francis' contribution to ecclesiology is often a mixture of these direct and indirect mediations.

27. cf Dulies, 26.

28. Dulies, 27.

29. Dulies, 29.