Ecclesiology today: two models of the structure of the churches and their historical background

The article is devoted to the problem of the formation in the 20th century of two ecclesiological concepts using the previous heritage of the experience of the Constantinople and Russian theological schools. The main stages of the formation of the concept of “Eucharistic ecclesiology” are outlined, its key arguments and provisions are critically examined. The main problem areas on the way of forming a “hierarchical model” of the internal structure of the Church in the theology of the past century are also considered. Each of the two ecclesiological models can be considered as a complete system, but this does not mean their equivalence. Criteria are proposed for systematizing the ecclesiological heritage of the Russian theological school, taking into account the achievements of modern theology, on the basis of which it will be possible to adequately oppose the theological system of Metropolitan John (Zizioulas), which today is the result of the development of the “Eucharistic model” of the Church. Among such criteria the following should be considered: the structure of the Church itself (answering three questions: what it is? How is it governed? What does it possess?), the principles of its functioning, as well as the connection with the governing Holy Trinity (the triadological aspect of the Church), and, finally, the area and the nature of the application of the dogmatic conceptual apparatus.