Editing Dominus Iesus (section)

===Non-Catholic Christians===

The document reserves the word "Church" for bodies that have preserved a "valid [[historical episcopate|episcopate]] and the genuine and integral substance of the [[Eucharistic]] mystery". Such bodies, which include the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]], [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] and the [[Old Catholic]] Churches, "are true [[particular Church]]es", and the document affirms that "the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack [[full communion]] with the Catholic Church, since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of [[Primacy of the Bishop of Rome|Primacy]]."<ref name="Dominus Iesus, 17">''[https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html     Dominus Iesus]'', 17</ref>

The document uses the term "ecclesial community" (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] word {{Transliteration|grc|ecclesia}}, meaning "church") rather than "Church" for those Christian bodies not named in the preceding paragraph, most notably including all [[Protestantism|Protestants]]. The document states that, although such Christian communities "are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptized in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church." It further states that such Christian communities, "though we believe they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation."<ref name="Dominus Iesus, 17"/>