Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 2009 Augustine's Analogy between the Spirit in the Church and the Soul in the Body and Its Implications for Communion Ecclesiology Gabriel Mendy Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Mendy, G. (2009). Augustine's Analogy between the Spirit in the Church and the Soul in the Body and Its Implications for Communion Ecclesiology (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/921 This Immediate Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AUGUSTINE’S ANALOGY BETWEEN THE SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH AND THE SOUL IN THE BODY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNION ECCLESIOLOGY A Dissertation Submitted to McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Gabriel Mendy December 2009 Copyright by Gabriel Mendy 2009 AUGUSTINE’S ANALOGY BETWEEN THE SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH AND THE SOUL IN THE BODY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNION ECCLESIOLOGY By Gabriel Mendy Approved October 21, 2009 ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. Radu Bordeianu Dr. George Worgul Assistant Professor of Theology Chair of Theology Department Dissertation Director Committee Member ________________________________ Dr. Amiée Light Assistant Professor of Theology Committee Member ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. Christopher Duncan Dr. George Worgul Dean of McAnulty College and School of Chair of Theology Liberal Arts Department iii ABSTRACT AUGUSTINE’S ANALOGY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH AND THE SOUL IN THE BODY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNION ECCLESIOLOGY By Gabriel Mendy December 2009 Dissertation supervised by Dr. Radu Bordeianu In the Spirit’s own age, it is ironically ascribed a secondary role in the Church. Conversely, I have opted to study Augustine’s Spirit – Soul analogy and its implications in order to identify the Spirit as the Church’s principle of communion. Analogies are generally open to interpretations and their relevance also varies according to the context. This study is, therefore, designed to offer a faithful interpretation of Augustine’s analogy based on his understanding of the Spirit in his trinitarian theology. And is, at the same time, an attempt to specify the analogy’s relevance for the Church’s unity in diversity, the universal and local Churches’ communion, and the African church’s particularity. On account of the divine persons’ consubstantiality and relationship, Augustine was able to defend their unity, equality, and distinction while affirming their inseparable operations. The Spirit is not, therefore, subordinate to the Father and the Son as their common gift, bond of love, and communion. In the immanent Trinity, the Spirit is the iv principle of love and communion signifying its function in the Church where the whole Triad dwells through the Spirit. As the gift of the Father and the Son to the Church, the Spirit is common to all and not simply reserved for a select few. On that note, I will argue that all members should discover their gifts and participate in the life and mission of the Church. The Church will in turn be a vibrant unity in diversity because the Spirit will animate and coordinate the gifts and languages of the members. Following the Magisterium’s shift in perspective, the Church was considered a divine institution with the Spirit as its soul. Vatican II would, rather, define the Spirit’s relation to the Church according to its unique presence in both the Head and the members. For Congar, the analogy is functional, not ontological. Besides, the Spirit is the co-institutive principle of the Church’s hierarchical and charismatic structures. In light of the Church’s origins and constitution, I will argue that Spirit and not the hierarchical structure is the source of communion between the universal and local Churches. Their communion in the Spirit also implies a commitment to unity in diversity, mutual interiority, Church’s infallibility, renewal, ecumenism, and inculturation. In this communion, the African church is required to emphasize its particularity more than its autonomy and to use its gifts and resources for the good of the whole Church. v DEDICATION This research is dedicated to my family and Mother church in The Gambia, ‘the salt of the earth and the light of the world’ and all the sons and daughters of God who are united and are alive in the Spirit. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As a sign of appreciation to those who nurtured and shaped my vocation and ideas about the nature, life, and mission of the Church, I would like to acknowledge their invaluable contribution towards this project on the Spirit as the source of communion in the Church. First and foremost, I am most grateful to my parents Lawrence (R.I.P) and Marian, the deceased members of my family, my brothers and sisters in Lamin, my extended family, Fr. Reginald Gillooly and parishioners of my home parish living and deceased, my teachers and schoolmates in St. Peter’s Primary and St. Peter’s High Schools. They are the ones from whom I first experienced the unity and love the Spirit creates in the Church and they continue to be an inspiration to me in my ordeals. In a special way, I am also indebted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit for my spiritual and academic formation and my participation in the Church’s mission to the ends of the earth in the power of the Spirit. As a member of the Congregation I want to express my appreciation to all the Irish Spiritans who worked in The Gambia especially Bishop Maloney (R.I.P), Bishop Cleary, Bishop Ellison, Fr. White (R.I.P), Fr. Carroll (R.I.P), Fr. Comer (R.I.P), Fr. Fagan, Fr. Conaty, Fr. Cleary, Fr. Grimes, Fr. Smith, Fr. Hogan, Fr. Sharpe, Fr. Casey, and Fr. Murphy. My fellow Gambian Spiritans are equally dear to me for their solidarity and support. Due credit also deserves to be given to my former superiors, namely, Fr. Kwofie, Fr. Dan Yeboah, and Fr. Luseni and the USA province especially Fr. Jeff, Fr. Fogarty, and Fr. Tandoh for sponsoring and facilitation my Ph.D. program in Duquesne University from 2004-2009. During this period, I was privileged to vii experience the fraternal support of my confreres in both Laval House and Trinity Hall and I deeply value their tolerance and guidance. Considering the support and encouragement the wider Catholic community accorded me, I sincerely want to register my gratitude to The Gambian Clergy, St. Joseph of Cluny Sisters, Presentation of Mary Sisters, St. Joseph of Annecy Sisters, the Missionaries of Charity, Marists Sisters, the Missionaries of Saint Paul, and the Christian Brothers. I earnestly treasure the interest and concern heartily expressed by all the faithful as well especially Mr. and Mrs. Tom Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jallow, Mr. and Mrs. George Gomez, Mrs. Sylva and family, Aunty Adele and family, Mrs. Sonko and family, Aunty Ada and family, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Senghore, Fred Evans and family, Mr. and Mrs. Mboge, the Kujabi family, the Carvallo family, the Sarr family, Mr. and Mrs. Gabou Gomez, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gomez, Eli Correa and family, Mrs. Thomasi and family, Mrs. Goswell and family, David Gomez and family, Gabou Mendy and family, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Edu Sambou, Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Mendy, and Mr. and Mrs. Cassel. Throughout my doctoral studies, I was profoundly inspired and motivated by their commitment and participation in the life of the church in The Gambia. The prayers and the good intentions of the priests, religious, and parishioners of St. Martin’s, Holy Trinity, and St. Mary’s in Sierra Leone equally spurred me to explore the significance of our unity in the Spirit. In many ways, my studies in Duquesne University was enriched and enhanced by the Spirit’s gift of charity that I was privileged to experience from Mr. and Mrs. James Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Leese, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Penco and family, Mr. and Mrs. Simeon Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Davies, Michael Ogu, viii Mr. and Mrs. Gabou Sarr, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gomez, Francis Jallow and family, Cathy Jarjue and family, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Mendy, Mr. and Mrs. Tejan Ceesay, Vero Secka and family, Eli Owens, Cecilia Njie, Eli Bouvier, Sam Gibba, Benedette Gomez, Ogis and Ellen, Harriet and Edmund, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Turkpor. The holiday periods of my stay in Duquesne were, likewise, fruitful and meaningful because of the bond of love the Spirit created between me and the priests, staff, and parishioners of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Staten Island and St. Matthew’s Parish in Hastings on Hudson of New York Archdiocese. For this reason, I am highly grateful to all especially Msg. Jeff Conway, Fr. Joe McLafferty, Fr. Guillermo Catalan, Fr. Matthew Fenan, and Fr. Smyth. The faculty, staff, and students of the Theology Department in Duquesne University also earn my highest esteem and appreciation for their professionalism and cordial assistance in my intellectual pursuit. I am deeply humbled and grateful to all especially Dr. Worgul, the Chair of the Department, Dr. Bordeianu, the Dissertation Moderator, Dr. Amiée Light, member of my dissertation committee, Dr. Baird, the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Thompson-Uberagua, Dr. Slusser, Dr. Hannigan, Dr. Anne Clifford, Dr.