Evangelical Ecclesiology...
...Reality or Illusion?
This is the title to a recent collection of essays that I have read. A very interesting topic, especially in light of the overwhelming birth of so many 'non-denominational' churches around the world and, I cringe when I think about it, on the internet. I am fascinated with the idea that anyone can just go and build a church out of nothing with no authority, structure, order, overseer, or supporter. And now, we have seen (I believe this was a topic for a blog on here at one time) the initiation of 'multi-site' churches, where the 'mother/founding' church has spawned 'daughter/satellite' churches all over the world. It seems to be just another attempt at denominationalism, without calling it that.
So the question is this. For these churches, who I would dare say all call themselves 'evangelical', do they have an ecclesiology, or is it just an illusion? Or could it be a 'liquid church' that has no need for ecclesiology, unless the circumstance calls for it? For example, is it ok for Christians to drop ecclesial order for soteriological goals, or should evangelism and ecclesiology live in communion with one another? If the former, enough said, but if the latter, how? In light of the fact that the Church of the Nazarene allies itself with the 'National Association of Evangelicals (Possibly another blog topic), we need to ask the quesiton, ' How does evangelism and ecclesiology live in communion with one another?'
Peace,
Joseph
This is the title to a recent collection of essays that I have read. A very interesting topic, especially in light of the overwhelming birth of so many 'non-denominational' churches around the world and, I cringe when I think about it, on the internet. I am fascinated with the idea that anyone can just go and build a church out of nothing with no authority, structure, order, overseer, or supporter. And now, we have seen (I believe this was a topic for a blog on here at one time) the initiation of 'multi-site' churches, where the 'mother/founding' church has spawned 'daughter/satellite' churches all over the world. It seems to be just another attempt at denominationalism, without calling it that.
So the question is this. For these churches, who I would dare say all call themselves 'evangelical', do they have an ecclesiology, or is it just an illusion? Or could it be a 'liquid church' that has no need for ecclesiology, unless the circumstance calls for it? For example, is it ok for Christians to drop ecclesial order for soteriological goals, or should evangelism and ecclesiology live in communion with one another? If the former, enough said, but if the latter, how? In light of the fact that the Church of the Nazarene allies itself with the 'National Association of Evangelicals (Possibly another blog topic), we need to ask the quesiton, ' How does evangelism and ecclesiology live in communion with one another?'
Peace,
Joseph
posted by Joseph | 5:06 AM
4 Comments:
I don't have a comment for this particular blog, but I wanted to say that I just found this blog today and I've been reading it all evening. I have found another place that will suck away my time. Thanks for your guys' thoughts.
I'm just now reading Alan Hirsch's "The Forgotten Ways," and he's pretty clear that ecclesiology follows mission. While he's no fan of the typical evangelistic/attractional model of ministry, he seems to believe that starting with ecclesiology is putting the cart before the horse. Church arises out of mission. In his view. I'm still reading & digesting...
Hirsch may indicate that ecclesiology follows mission, but I would say that the execution of the mission flows from our ecclesiology. God has chosen to use the church as the primary means of fulfilment of the mission. How we think about the church will determine how we pursue the mission.
I think this would be consistant with Wesley's understanding. If the sacraments have a salvific (means of grace) role in our lives,and the church is the conduit for the sacraments. How far can the Transformational work of the church (mission)continue apart from the church itself.
I am not trying to go Roman Catholic on you and say that there is no salvation apart from the church, but I am convinced that diminished ecclesiology has reduced the church to a weak gathering of people not unlike the kiwanas. We deny the mystical union which exists between Christ and his church and the bonds that unite us as one (just as Jesus and the Father are one). As a result people change churches like underwear and never weather the storms or endure the suffering associated with body life. When things get tough we bail to the next feel good environment.
Amen, rowens! I agree that our mission stems from our ecclesiology, and what I will argue in my work on Wesley will be just that. He did not come up with anything new, he only followed his received ecclesiology to the fullest, as opposed to many in the Church of England who had grown lax in their fulfillment of the church's calling.
Another thing I would say follows after your final point, 'When things get tough, we bail to the next feel good environment.' Very well put. We read in the New Testament that Christ's bride is the Church. A marriage is a covenant made between two people who promise to be together, to work as one, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, forsaking all others. How about this: As members of the Body of Christ, His Bride, whatever that local context may be, shouldn't we be reminded that we are in this with Christ in sickness and in health, in hard times and in good, in identity crisis and in peace. Members of the Bride of Christ must remember their covenant: selfless, unconditional love back to Christ, who first loved us.
In other words, we sacramentalists in evangelical circles may be accused of being Roman, or even Orthodox, but I'm not leaving, and I encourage all others to do the same. There are much bigger ecclesiological questions to be answered by evangelicals than what type of music we play every Sunday, or whether the minister has to wear an identifying outfit or not.
Good contribution from all.
Joseph
Post a Comment
<< Home