Although the Church may have numerous "beginnings," it has but one foundation in Jesus Christ. It is the foundation in Christ that unites all the beginnings of the Church into what is a redemptive plan. In review of the different beginnings the redemptive process attached to Jesus Christ is unveiled. Defining redemption and shedding light upon the process of redemption opens, as Balthasar would assert, a window which brings us closer to the mystery of the Church.
The Church begins with Christ's mother who consents to be his mother. She offers her womb to receive and bear the seed of the Word. Balthasar understands Mary's concent in that it is with faith that she accepts the seed to be laid in her womb. He asserts that it is not a obscure faith but "a faith that is fully incarnate that embraces body soul and spirit so that they can become the vessel of God's Word" (Figures of the Church, p. 199). The Incarnation is possible through Mary who, by virtue of her faith, is "pre-redeemed." She accepts an Incarnation and the redemption inherent within it. Her assent is made possible:
'by the Incarnation and the Cross (in her "anticipated redemption")
and which is, at the same time, one of the conditions required for the
Incarnation, accomplishing the unity of the conditions required for the
Incarnation, accomplishing the unity of 'one flesh' and yet laying the
foundation, precisely therein, for the radical opposition between head
and body, Lord and handmaid, bridegroom and bride.
(Figures of the Church, p. 199).


In view of Christ's "pre-redeemed" Mother, Mary is the personal center of the Church and is " 'the objectivity of a Church which is subjectively holy' even if all other individuals in her are still entangled in sin" (p. 199). The "pre-redeemed" status given to Mary is the flawlessness of the feminine, marian Church. Commissioned by Christ, the Apostles "receive masculine tasks of leadership and representation within the comprehensive feminine marian Church (Women Priests p. 1892). According to Balthasar, the Apostles "begin as failures." However he also states that in receiving a share in the infallible marian Church, they are redeemed as well: They begins as failures - this is demonstrated most clearly in the case of Peter'what Peter will receive as 'infallibility' for his office of governing will be a partial share in the total flawlessness of the feminine, marian Church (Women Priests p. 192, 193). The theme of redemption is present here in that although Peter is fallible, he receives and infallibility by virtue of his share in the marian Church.
The theme of redemption as it is mentioned throughout Balthasar's ecclesiology is based upon a salvation aspect as well as a role of service. This is evident in the power bestowed upon the Apostles by Christ which are "the power to consecrate and to absolve" (Women Priests p. 193). These powers are resultant of Mary's infallible "Yes" and God who graciously gave his only begotten son to die on the Cross.
Inherent in death there is life. In order to die something or someone must be living. In relation to Christ, it is "by virtue of the surrender of his entire substance on the Cross [that he] gathers the people of God into himself eucharistically and places it under the Father's great absolution (Woman Priests p. 193). We, being generated into Christ (Paul in 1Cor. 4:15; Gal. 4:19) partake in this absolution in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The cup of wine represents the blood of Christ which is equated with cleansing. The host is symbol of Christ's body which was given up for us. Therefore, we all begin as sinners due to original sin, but this chain is broken by that of redemption which is far greater than that of sin.
Absolution is a redemptive quality. It permeates all mankind in that we are all generated into Christ. The chain, beginning with Christ, is one we are all part of by virtue of us being generated into Christ by the "redemptive" chain furthered by the first witnesses: Mary, Peter, and John. Christ, as Incarnate, offers himself to all by virtue of his surrender on the Cross where he died so that our sins could be forgiven. Thus redemption is a service inherent in the powers bestowed by Christ and by means of partaking in the Sacraments we ...