Sacred Roots Workshop

46 Sacred Roots Workshop: Retr ieving the Great Tradi t ion in the Contemporary Church

“The one ark of Noah was a type of the one church” (Cyprian, c. 250 [cf. David W. Bercot, ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, p. 150]).

1. Affirm the Church visible in its mission in every generation to the world.

2. Rejected individualistic, separate, personalized notions of Christian doctrine and practice

3. Made central the need for vital ecclesiology in all Christian faith

F. The Unity of the Faith . The Great Tradition affirms unequivocally the catholicity of the Church of Jesus Christ, in that it is concerned with keeping communion and continuity with the worship and theology of the church throughout the ages (church universal). “From Jerusalem, twelve men went out into the world. They were uneducated and of no ability in speaking. But by the power of God, they proclaimed to every race of men that they were sent by Christ to teach the word of God to everyone” (Justin Martyr, c. 160 [cf. David W. Bercot, ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs , Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, p. 260]). G. The Evangelical Mandate of the Risen Christ . The Great Tradition affirms the apostolic mandate to make known to the nations the victory of God in Jesus Christ, proclaiming salvation by grace through faith in his name, and inviting all peoples to repentance and faith to enter into the Kingdom of God.

1. To do good works of hospitality and generosity to all