Author: Adolph Harnack
Publisher: Pantocrator Press
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 110
Book Description
What is the place of "organization" in the church? To what degree does the church need to be "organized"? At bottom, that was the question addressed by the famed Lutheran legal scholar and church historian Rudolph Sohm (1841-1917). His conclusion was radical: organization was anathema to the church as a spiritual body, and was only tolerable as a concession to the necessities of temporal life. While this conclusion sounds radical, it is actually, in practical terms, the baseline position of the denominational framework as we experience it in our day. Denominationalism treats outward organization as a matter of indifference, so that any number of options are available, all of them equally legitimate. The rationale behind this indifference lies in the notion that each individual Christian is the source of authority in the church, the framework of which depends upon consent and choice. It is not a question of what God says about it, but what man says. For to think otherwise is to impose upon us, upon our wills, our choice, and that is not something moderns can tolerate. Sohm and the moderns meet at the point of departure: the church in terms of outward, external order is the product of man's decision, not God's command. The two authors included in this book beg to differ. Adolph Harnack (1851-1930), distinguished church historian, argued that the church developed an organizational structure early on, and it did so in obedience to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Organization and law are indeed spiritual values, not just earthly constructs. Josef Bohatec (1876-1954) similarly argued that John Calvin's opposition to Lutheran indifference in matters of organization and law was a matter of obedience to the Word of God. Their positions are presented here, in their own words. The issue is anything but academic. A proper doctrine of the visible church is the prerequisite for a recovery of Christian culture and politics, indeed for the extension of Christ's kingdom on earth. Indifference in this is in fact supremely dangerous, because by belittling Christ's body it betrays Christ's lordship. The arguments presented, taken together, lead to the inescapable conclusion that Sohm's concept of the church and of law are crippling to a proper ecclesiology. They provide aid and comfort to the notion that the visible, organized church is the problem, when in fact it is the solution.
Spirit, Law, and the Church: Critiques of Rudolph Sohm
Author: Adolph Harnack
Publisher: Pantocrator Press
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 110
Book Description
What is the place of "organization" in the church? To what degree does the church need to be "organized"? At bottom, that was the question addressed by the famed Lutheran legal scholar and church historian Rudolph Sohm (1841-1917). His conclusion was radical: organization was anathema to the church as a spiritual body, and was only tolerable as a concession to the necessities of temporal life. While this conclusion sounds radical, it is actually, in practical terms, the baseline position of the denominational framework as we experience it in our day. Denominationalism treats outward organization as a matter of indifference, so that any number of options are available, all of them equally legitimate. The rationale behind this indifference lies in the notion that each individual Christian is the source of authority in the church, the framework of which depends upon consent and choice. It is not a question of what God says about it, but what man says. For to think otherwise is to impose upon us, upon our wills, our choice, and that is not something moderns can tolerate. Sohm and the moderns meet at the point of departure: the church in terms of outward, external order is the product of man's decision, not God's command. The two authors included in this book beg to differ. Adolph Harnack (1851-1930), distinguished church historian, argued that the church developed an organizational structure early on, and it did so in obedience to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Organization and law are indeed spiritual values, not just earthly constructs. Josef Bohatec (1876-1954) similarly argued that John Calvin's opposition to Lutheran indifference in matters of organization and law was a matter of obedience to the Word of God. Their positions are presented here, in their own words. The issue is anything but academic. A proper doctrine of the visible church is the prerequisite for a recovery of Christian culture and politics, indeed for the extension of Christ's kingdom on earth. Indifference in this is in fact supremely dangerous, because by belittling Christ's body it betrays Christ's lordship. The arguments presented, taken together, lead to the inescapable conclusion that Sohm's concept of the church and of law are crippling to a proper ecclesiology. They provide aid and comfort to the notion that the visible, organized church is the problem, when in fact it is the solution.
Publisher: Pantocrator Press
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 110
Book Description
What is the place of "organization" in the church? To what degree does the church need to be "organized"? At bottom, that was the question addressed by the famed Lutheran legal scholar and church historian Rudolph Sohm (1841-1917). His conclusion was radical: organization was anathema to the church as a spiritual body, and was only tolerable as a concession to the necessities of temporal life. While this conclusion sounds radical, it is actually, in practical terms, the baseline position of the denominational framework as we experience it in our day. Denominationalism treats outward organization as a matter of indifference, so that any number of options are available, all of them equally legitimate. The rationale behind this indifference lies in the notion that each individual Christian is the source of authority in the church, the framework of which depends upon consent and choice. It is not a question of what God says about it, but what man says. For to think otherwise is to impose upon us, upon our wills, our choice, and that is not something moderns can tolerate. Sohm and the moderns meet at the point of departure: the church in terms of outward, external order is the product of man's decision, not God's command. The two authors included in this book beg to differ. Adolph Harnack (1851-1930), distinguished church historian, argued that the church developed an organizational structure early on, and it did so in obedience to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Organization and law are indeed spiritual values, not just earthly constructs. Josef Bohatec (1876-1954) similarly argued that John Calvin's opposition to Lutheran indifference in matters of organization and law was a matter of obedience to the Word of God. Their positions are presented here, in their own words. The issue is anything but academic. A proper doctrine of the visible church is the prerequisite for a recovery of Christian culture and politics, indeed for the extension of Christ's kingdom on earth. Indifference in this is in fact supremely dangerous, because by belittling Christ's body it betrays Christ's lordship. The arguments presented, taken together, lead to the inescapable conclusion that Sohm's concept of the church and of law are crippling to a proper ecclesiology. They provide aid and comfort to the notion that the visible, organized church is the problem, when in fact it is the solution.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
Author: Andrew Louth
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192638157
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 4474
Book Description
Uniquely authoritative and wide-ranging in its scope, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is the indispensable reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains over 6,500 cross-referenced A-Z entries, and offers unrivalled coverage of all aspects of this vast and often complex subject, from theology; churches and denominations; patristic scholarship; and the bible; to the church calendar and its organization; popes; archbishops; other church leaders; saints; and mystics. In this new edition, great efforts have been made to increase and strengthen coverage of non-Anglican denominations (for example non-Western European Christianity), as well as broadening the focus on Christianity and the history of churches in areas beyond Western Europe. In particular, there have been extensive additions with regards to the Christian Church in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Australasia. Significant updates have also been included on topics such as liturgy, Canon Law, recent international developments, non-Anglican missionary activity, and the increasingly important area of moral and pastoral theology, among many others. Since its first appearance in 1957, the ODCC has established itself as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders, and an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192638157
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 4474
Book Description
Uniquely authoritative and wide-ranging in its scope, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is the indispensable reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains over 6,500 cross-referenced A-Z entries, and offers unrivalled coverage of all aspects of this vast and often complex subject, from theology; churches and denominations; patristic scholarship; and the bible; to the church calendar and its organization; popes; archbishops; other church leaders; saints; and mystics. In this new edition, great efforts have been made to increase and strengthen coverage of non-Anglican denominations (for example non-Western European Christianity), as well as broadening the focus on Christianity and the history of churches in areas beyond Western Europe. In particular, there have been extensive additions with regards to the Christian Church in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Australasia. Significant updates have also been included on topics such as liturgy, Canon Law, recent international developments, non-Anglican missionary activity, and the increasingly important area of moral and pastoral theology, among many others. Since its first appearance in 1957, the ODCC has established itself as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders, and an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.
Spirit, Law, and the Church
Author: Karl Gustav Adolf Harnack
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789076660554
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 112
Book Description
Rudolph Sohm's teaching regarding ecclesiology and the relationship of law and spirituality are taken to task by two leading authorities in these areas, Adolph Harnack and Josef Bohatec.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789076660554
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 112
Book Description
Rudolph Sohm's teaching regarding ecclesiology and the relationship of law and spirituality are taken to task by two leading authorities in these areas, Adolph Harnack and Josef Bohatec.
Reformed Ecclesiology in an Age of Denominationalism
Author: Philippus Jacobus Hoedemaker
Publisher: Pantocrator Press
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 239
Book Description
Once upon a time, the state shared the public square with the church. The central location of the church building in every European town is mute testimony to this state of affairs. But those days are long gone. Nowadays there is an implicit or explicit consensus regarding the proper place of the church: out of sight and out of mind. How has this sea change come about? Through a complete metanoia (“change of mind”) regarding the public square. Church and state used to be in agreement about ultimate reality, but then came the wars of religion and the desire for a neutral state. This gave us the agnostic state, incapable of making any judgement regarding truth or falsehood regarding religion. Freedom of religion has been the result. But this freedom has come with a price – the loss of a grip on ultimate reality, on transcendent standards and values. It is every person for him- or herself, the triumph of congeries of opinion over truth. Under these conditions, the church has itself experienced a transformation. It has been fragmented into myriad churches, none of which may claim ultimacy, all of which claim to proclaim the truth. We no longer have the body of Christ visibly expressed; instead we have denominations, private-legal constructs expressive of various consumer-oriented flavors of faith orientation. Has unity then been abandoned? No; for it is not a question of unity or no unity, it is a question of what kind of unity. In the modern world, the churches have exchanged unity in terms of confession, with unity in terms of politics. Political parties are the vehicles through which Christians express a joint conviction. And this has brought the church down to the level of the interest group and the lobbyist, the inevitable result of an age of denominationalism. Over 100 years ago, P. J. Hoedemaker already delineated and analyzed this state of affairs. The abysmal condition of the Dutch Reformed church formed the historical backdrop for his analysis, but the principles he developed during the course of his critique of the national church are applicable across the board in the modern world. Hoedemaker excavates the biblical and Reformational foundations of ecclesiology, the basics apart from which the church cannot escape from its current abasement.
Publisher: Pantocrator Press
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 239
Book Description
Once upon a time, the state shared the public square with the church. The central location of the church building in every European town is mute testimony to this state of affairs. But those days are long gone. Nowadays there is an implicit or explicit consensus regarding the proper place of the church: out of sight and out of mind. How has this sea change come about? Through a complete metanoia (“change of mind”) regarding the public square. Church and state used to be in agreement about ultimate reality, but then came the wars of religion and the desire for a neutral state. This gave us the agnostic state, incapable of making any judgement regarding truth or falsehood regarding religion. Freedom of religion has been the result. But this freedom has come with a price – the loss of a grip on ultimate reality, on transcendent standards and values. It is every person for him- or herself, the triumph of congeries of opinion over truth. Under these conditions, the church has itself experienced a transformation. It has been fragmented into myriad churches, none of which may claim ultimacy, all of which claim to proclaim the truth. We no longer have the body of Christ visibly expressed; instead we have denominations, private-legal constructs expressive of various consumer-oriented flavors of faith orientation. Has unity then been abandoned? No; for it is not a question of unity or no unity, it is a question of what kind of unity. In the modern world, the churches have exchanged unity in terms of confession, with unity in terms of politics. Political parties are the vehicles through which Christians express a joint conviction. And this has brought the church down to the level of the interest group and the lobbyist, the inevitable result of an age of denominationalism. Over 100 years ago, P. J. Hoedemaker already delineated and analyzed this state of affairs. The abysmal condition of the Dutch Reformed church formed the historical backdrop for his analysis, but the principles he developed during the course of his critique of the national church are applicable across the board in the modern world. Hoedemaker excavates the biblical and Reformational foundations of ecclesiology, the basics apart from which the church cannot escape from its current abasement.
Church Law in Modernity
Author: Judith Hahn
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108483259
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
Discusses natural law as a traditional but highly contested source of canon law.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108483259
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
Discusses natural law as a traditional but highly contested source of canon law.
The Catholicity of the Church
Author: Avery Dulles
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198266952
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
Deals with questions that are vital for the identity of churches that designate themselves Catholic, and for the relationship between these churches and Protestant forms of Christianity. The prospects of Catholicism are realistically appraised.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198266952
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
Deals with questions that are vital for the identity of churches that designate themselves Catholic, and for the relationship between these churches and Protestant forms of Christianity. The prospects of Catholicism are realistically appraised.
Charism in the Church
Author: Constant Leke Ngolefac
Publisher: Echter Verlag
ISBN: 3429052904
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 481
Book Description
Charism is a hot contemporary issue. The growing interest in the charisms is one of the significant religious developments of our time. Opinions on charisms vary to a remarkable degree. Unfortunately, in some cases, diverse viewpoints have led to confusion among Christians. On the positive side though, this developing interest in charisms has contributed to spiritual renewal and stimulated biblical research in this most important area of the Church's life. The exponential growth of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement throughout the world and especially in Africa urged led to choice of this topic on charisms. In the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movements the issue of charisms is very vital and extremely important. It is at the centre of its spirituality and practice. This Movement has spread to almost all major Christian confessions/denominations and continues to attract many followers. This work is unique among the many studies written on the charisms. Even though the subject of charisms has received some scholarly attention, most have not delved into the role of the charisms in the Church from Pauline perspective as this study does. The following observations and reasons demonstrate that it is still meaningful and worthwhile to study charisms in Pauline letters.
Publisher: Echter Verlag
ISBN: 3429052904
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 481
Book Description
Charism is a hot contemporary issue. The growing interest in the charisms is one of the significant religious developments of our time. Opinions on charisms vary to a remarkable degree. Unfortunately, in some cases, diverse viewpoints have led to confusion among Christians. On the positive side though, this developing interest in charisms has contributed to spiritual renewal and stimulated biblical research in this most important area of the Church's life. The exponential growth of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement throughout the world and especially in Africa urged led to choice of this topic on charisms. In the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movements the issue of charisms is very vital and extremely important. It is at the centre of its spirituality and practice. This Movement has spread to almost all major Christian confessions/denominations and continues to attract many followers. This work is unique among the many studies written on the charisms. Even though the subject of charisms has received some scholarly attention, most have not delved into the role of the charisms in the Church from Pauline perspective as this study does. The following observations and reasons demonstrate that it is still meaningful and worthwhile to study charisms in Pauline letters.
The Presbyterian and Reformed Review
Author: Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Periodicals
Languages : en
Pages : 792
Book Description
Includes section "Reviews of recent theological literature".
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Periodicals
Languages : en
Pages : 792
Book Description
Includes section "Reviews of recent theological literature".
"Odd" Fellows in the Politics of Religion
Author: Gary Lease
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 311087735X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 329
Book Description
The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems – both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 311087735X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 329
Book Description
The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems – both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.
Lex Charitatis
Author: Johannes Heckel
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 0802864457
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 591
Book Description
This classic work by one of Europe s most respected twentieth-century legal minds tackles law through the eyes of Martin Luther. Johannes Heckel first reveals the basic features of Luther s doctrine of law in its totality, drawing from an overwhelming amount of material from all genres of Luther s writing. Heckel then considers how Luther viewed law as the framework for the existence of a Christian in this world. He develops a picture of Luther s position on law by grounding it in Luther s theology, arguing that his concept of natural law has to be understood in terms of the divine and the secular. Finally, Heckel shows the practicality of Luther s position by focusing on the places in which a Christian interacts with legality in this world church, marriage and family, and politics. / When Johannes Heckel s Lex Charitatis appeared more than half a century ago it brought new clarity to the much disputed issue of Luther s understanding of the law and of God s governance of his created order. . . . Having Heckel s work in English will assist scholars and students alike in putting Luther s insights to use in the context of twenty-first-century problems. / Robert Kolb, Concordia Seminary
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 0802864457
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 591
Book Description
This classic work by one of Europe s most respected twentieth-century legal minds tackles law through the eyes of Martin Luther. Johannes Heckel first reveals the basic features of Luther s doctrine of law in its totality, drawing from an overwhelming amount of material from all genres of Luther s writing. Heckel then considers how Luther viewed law as the framework for the existence of a Christian in this world. He develops a picture of Luther s position on law by grounding it in Luther s theology, arguing that his concept of natural law has to be understood in terms of the divine and the secular. Finally, Heckel shows the practicality of Luther s position by focusing on the places in which a Christian interacts with legality in this world church, marriage and family, and politics. / When Johannes Heckel s Lex Charitatis appeared more than half a century ago it brought new clarity to the much disputed issue of Luther s understanding of the law and of God s governance of his created order. . . . Having Heckel s work in English will assist scholars and students alike in putting Luther s insights to use in the context of twenty-first-century problems. / Robert Kolb, Concordia Seminary