Theo1997

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vol.18	Theology Annual	（1997）p.111-141
	FRANCISCAN PERSPECTIVES ON ECCLESIOLOGICAL MODELS

The Church as People of God

The People of God model is straightforward, realistic and practical. With a strong Biblical base and a concrete image, this model expresses the organicity of the human aspect. Vatican II theology has restored this model to its proper place: we may note the precedence of The chapter title 'People of God' before "The Hierarchical Structure of the Church'. For St Francis, the Church as People of God possibly was not an ecclesiology per se but a reality. In the last chapter of the First Rule, Francis invited ('begged') the whole Church (and beyond) to give God thanks. (42) Mico analysed this as essentially a 'universal vision' of The People of God, corresponding to the two parts of the triumphant church in heaven and the pilgrim church in via. (43) This glorious church in heaven is referred to by Francis in a quasi-litany of saints:

the glorious Mother, Blessed Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and all the blessed angels, saints, John the Evangelist, Peter, Paul, patriarchs, prophets, innocents, apostles, evangelists, disciples, martyrs, confessors, virgins, blessed Elijah and Henoch, saints past, present and future. (44)

After this comes a litany of the members of the pilgrim church on earth, which is similar to the one in Lumen genfium:

St Francis : First Rule 23:7ff		Lumen gentium 41
		(number indicating the order)
	1.	shepherds Of Christ's flock
Priests;	2.	Priests
Deacons,	3.	Deacons
Subdeacons, acolytes, exorcists, Lectors, porters, and all clerics	4.	Clerics
All religious men and women,
All lay brothers and youth, the poor and the needy,	8	Those oppressed by poverty, infirmity, sickness or other hardship
Kings and princes,
Workers and farmers, servants,		Labourers
And masters
All virgins and continent and married women,	6	Married couples and Christian parents, windows and single people,
All lay people, men, women, children, adolescents, the youth and the old	5	Laymen, the healthy and
The healthy and
The sick,	8	(those oppressed by poverty, infirmity, sickness or other hardships,)
All the small and the great

　　
Under this 'pilgrim Church' (not a term Francis used), the litany includes a cosmic dimension that is definitely beyond an institutioal understanding:

all peoples, races, tribes, and tongues, all nations and all peoples everywhere on earth who are and who will be.

Such a vision supplements the ecclesiological model of the Church as People of God. Mice's analysis of this as 'universal vision' of the people of God aptly describes Francis' understanding of ecclesial catholicity.

Besides the poetic litany offered in the hymn of Thanksgiving, within the Franciscan tradition this 'People of God' view of the Church found its graphic imagery in the San Damiano crucifix, the one which asked Francis to rebuild God's house -- the Church. This Byzantine icon had many human figures (as well as angels) around Jesus in the centre. The graphic portrait has indeed two strong ecclesiological character, depicting the model of the Church as people of God: Jesus in the centre with the church triumphant of saints on the top and at the side of Jesus. The people at the side of Jesus acquire a more humanistic figure, more easily identified as 'pilgrims', although they are indeed saints. The smaller figures are 'sinners' who crucified Jesus. This may correspond to the axiom that the people of God model does not only include saints but also sinners, the weak, the rebellious and the anti-witness too. This vivid representation again can be connected with the breadth of the universal character of Francis' ecclesial view.

42. First Rule 23:7

43. Mico, J., The Spirituality of St Francis: Holy Mother Church. Greyfriars Review 8(1) (1994) 17.

44. First Rule 23:1-6 paraphrased, because Francis used many adjectives for the saints.

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