The Church as Drama: A Catholic Identity Between Sin, Grace, and Perpetual Renewal

Abstract

This study proposes a dramatic-soteriological ecclesiology that integrates the Church’s sacramental holiness with her historical woundedness. Drawing on Hans Urs von Balthasar’s Theo-Drama, Raymund Schwager’s dramatics of redemption, René Girard’s scapegoat theory, and Karl Rahner’s theology of grace, it interprets the Church as the ongoing Fifth Act of salvation history, at once spotless Bride and hospital for sinners, Corpus Christi mysticum composed of forgiven persecutors. Sin shows itself in two ways, according to Paul. First, it is a guilty transgression, or parabasis. Second, it is an enslaving power, also known as hamartia, which refers to a state of inherent sinfulness (Rom 7:11). The Passion reveals and disarms both through the resurrection of the innocent Victim (1 Cor 15:3-4). Grace is God’s free self-gift that enhances rather than suppresses human freedom. Reform of the fallible pilgrim Church is governed neither by positivist identification of hierarchy with God’s will nor by relativism, but by fidelity to the kenotic, non-violent role of the Crucified. This criterion comes from the structure of revelation itself. It offers a clear standard for recognising genuine reform within the apostolic tradition. The Church’s members are genuine secondary causes, continually converted by the
forgiving return of the Victim they once rejected.