Body
There is a unappreciated consistent pattern in the Christian faith. This pattern is paradox. Paradox can be defined as an apparent contradiction which is never-the-less true. Paul would use a better, broader and greater word in his letters when he speaks of ‘mysterion’ (Greek) translated mystery. Just as Jesus Christ, the God-Man, has a dual nature being both fully God and fully man, and also, just as the Bible, is both “the Word of God” in the words of men, this same pattern of paradox carries over also into the nature of the Church established by Jesus Christ. The Church has a dual nature. The Church has both a human and a divine dimension. The Church is both “at the same time an earthly community and the mystical body of Christ, a visible assembly and a spiritual mystery, a reality present in history and a people journeying toward Heaven. The human and the divine dimensions form a paradox. The Church can be referred to as ‘she’ and ‘her’ because she is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-32). She is a reality that is both divine and human, that welcomes sinners and leads and helps them to God.
