Catholicity

Outline: Catholicity, Racism, and the Mission of the Church

Galatians 3:26–29 “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

I. Introduction

Nicene Creed: the church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

Catholicity = universality, not Roman exclusivity.

Today’s challenge: nationalism, racism, and provincialism distort the gospel’s catholic scope.

II. The Indicative of Catholicity — What It Is (Jonathan Leeman)

Catholic = according to the whole (Greek katholikos).

Christ gathers one body across all nations.

Each local church is a manifestation of the universal church.

Catholicity is inseparable from unity and diversity.

III. The Imperative of Catholicity — What It Requires (Leeman)

Recognition of other churches as true churches.

Partnerships in mission and discipleship.

Shared gospel at the center — not uniformity in secondary matters.

Wisdom in occasion and context.

Polity implications: Presbyterians institutional, Baptists cooperative, etc.

IV. Historical & Theological Development of Catholicity (Mark Dever)

Early Church

Ignatius: “Where Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church.”

Cyril of Jerusalem: catholic = all lands, all classes, full doctrine.

Augustine & Vincent of Lerins: catholicity = truth believed everywhere, always, by all.

Reformation Perspective

Catholicity grounded in time (apostolic continuity), not just space.

Heidelberg Catechism: Christ gathers one church “from the beginning to the end of the world.”

Protestant claim: true catholic = apostolic gospel, not Roman exclusivity.

Biblical Exegesis (Galatians 3–4)

Unity of Jew & Gentile by faith in Christ alone.

Justification, sanctification, adoption — all by faith, not law.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Catholicity is gospel-centered universality.

Practical Implications

Contra Provincialism — challenges local traditions and insularity.

Contra Sectarianism — denominational differences must not outweigh gospel unity.

Contra Racism — racially divided churches contradict gospel catholicity.

Contra Niche-Churches — congregations should not reduce themselves to one demographic.

V. Biblical Foundations of Multi-Ethnicity (Emerson & Stamps)

Abrahamic covenant blessing all nations.

Prophetic vision: Egypt & Assyria with Israel (Isaiah 19).

Jesus’ ministry to outsiders.

Apostolic tearing down of dividing walls (Ephesians 2).

Revelation 7:9 — ultimate catholic vision.

VI. Racism vs. Catholicity in the Local Church (Emerson & Stamps)

Racism (individual/systemic) is anti-catholic.

Churches often mirror culture instead of gospel power.

Acts 6 as example of Spirit-led inclusion.

Pursuing diversity is obedience to Christ, not cultural trend.

VII. Black and White Church Catholicity (Bobby Scott)

Problem: legacy of segregation.

Why build partnerships: Jesus reconciles enemies (John 4).

Why persist: Eph. 2, Babel reversed, new humanity.

Testimony: lived experience of reconciliation across race.

VIII. Catholicity and Church-Centered Missions (Ryan Robertson)

Global commission requires cooperation.

Catholic Commission (Matt. 28), Catholic Prayer (John 17), Catholic Harvest (Pentecost).

Prioritize indigenous partnerships, local churches, gospel fidelity.

IX. Conclusion

Catholicity is both indicative (what the church is) and imperative (what the church must live out).

Racism, nationalism, and sectarianism deny the gospel’s catholicity.

The gospel gathers one global family across every boundary.

Application: reject provincialism, embrace catholic partnerships, embody multiethnic unity, and advance gospel mission together.

Teaching Schedule

August 17th: Catholicity

August 24th: Acts 15: 1-12.

August 31st: Acts 15:22-35

September 7th: Acts 15:36-41, Acts 16:1-5.

September 14th: Acts 16:6-10

September 21st: Acts 16:11-40

September 28th: Acts 17:1-15

October 5th: Acts 17:16-34

October 12th: Acts 18:1-22

October 19th: Acts 18:23-28

October 26th: Acts 19:1-7

November 2nd: Acts 19:8-20

November 9th: Acts 19:21-41

November 16th: Acts 20:1-12

November 23rd: Acts 20:13-28

November 30th: No Class