RCIA Session 8 – The One Church of Christ – Unity, Authority and Truth

The One Church of Christ — Unity, Authority, and Truth

RCIA – Week 8
This session forms part of a structured introduction to the Catholic Faith used in parish RCIA. It is intended to be read slowly and prayerfully, alongside participation in the life of the Church. This material is offered for formation and reflection. Reception into the Catholic Church always involves personal discernment and parish accompaniment.

Aim of this session

By the end of this session, participants should understand that:

  • Jesus Christ founded one Church, not many
  • truth cannot contradict itself
  • division among believers requires explanation
  • unity and authority belong to the Church by Christ’s design
  • the Catholic Faith claims continuity with the Church founded by Christ

This session asks:

How can the Church founded by Christ be recognised today?

1. Christ Founded One Church

From the beginning, the Church appears as:

  • one body
  • united in teaching
  • united in worship
  • united in authority

Jesus Christ did not establish:

  • competing communities
  • parallel teachings
  • contradictory doctrines

Truth does not divide itself.

Division arises not from truth, but from departure from it.

The existence of many groups claiming Christ forces a serious question:

Which one preserves what He actually established?

2. Unity Belongs to the Nature of Truth

Truth by its nature is:

  • one
  • coherent
  • non-contradictory

If God reveals truth, that truth cannot:

  • mean opposite things at the same time
  • change according to preference
  • depend on individual interpretation

A divided Church teaching contradictory doctrines cannot all be equally true.

Unity is not optional.
It belongs to truth itself.

Penny Catechism

Q. How many Churches did Jesus Christ found?
A. Jesus Christ founded only one Church.

This is a claim about reality, not sentiment.

3. Why Authority Is Necessary

Unity cannot exist without authority.

Without authority:

  • doctrine fragments
  • disputes multiply
  • truth becomes opinion

From the beginning, the Church possessed:

  • teachers
  • rulers
  • judges of doctrine

Authority does not exist to silence questions.
It exists to settle them.

Authority preserves unity by:

  • guarding the content of faith
  • preventing endless division
  • ensuring continuity

4. The Problem of Division

The existence of division among those who claim Christ is a scandal.

But division does not disprove the Church.

Instead, it raises a question:

Where is the authority Christ established to preserve unity?

Division results when:

  • authority is rejected
  • private judgement replaces public teaching
  • doctrine becomes negotiable

Unity cannot be maintained by goodwill alone.

5. Continuity as a Mark of the True Church

If Christ founded one Church, that Church must be:

  • continuous from the beginning
  • publicly identifiable
  • doctrinally consistent

The true Church cannot:

  • disappear for centuries
  • reverse essential teachings
  • contradict herself

Continuity is not pride.
It is a logical necessity.

6. The Catholic Claim

The Catholic Faith claims that:

  • the Church founded by Christ continues visibly
  • her teaching remains intact
  • her authority remains unbroken

This claim is not based on emotion or preference.
It is based on:

  • historical continuity
  • unity of doctrine
  • visible authority

This claim can be examined.

7. Common Objections Addressed

“Isn’t division just human weakness?”

Human weakness explains division.
It does not justify it.

“Doesn’t unity suppress freedom?”

Truth limits falsehood.
It does not destroy freedom.

“Why can’t everyone interpret for themselves?”

Private interpretation cannot preserve public truth across generations.

8. What Is Being Asked of You Now

At this stage, you are not asked to:

  • accept every claim immediately
  • reject others hastily

You are asked to consider this:

If Christ founded one Church, where is it to be found today?

That question will guide the coming weeks.

9. Questions for the Week

Reflect quietly during the week:

  • Do I expect truth to divide or to unite?
  • Where do I believe authority should reside?
  • What would continuity with Christ require?

10. Closing Summary

Christ founded one Church.
Truth demands unity.
Unity requires authority.

The Catholic Faith claims to be the continuation of that one Church.

Next week we will ask:

What are the marks by which the true Church can be known?

Optional Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
You prayed that Your followers may be one.
Give us honesty to seek that unity in truth,
and humility to recognise what You have established.
Amen.