More on Ecclesiology

Roughly three months ago, I had undertaken a personal writing assignment for my readers and critics alike on the subject of the Church. Up to this point I have taken a hiatus to think about what I have written so far—though I have not written much—and possibly think about other views, for example those held by Viola and the Barna group. There were other circumstances that also led me to my writing, though personal in nature. I will disclose the nature of those dialogs and hopefully draw some conclusions about my critics, and perhaps engage my readers in the discussion of the church (origins, function, and order) and its role on culture.

Pundits of the Alarming Heresy of Churchless Christianity

Many have been hurt by the church. This shouldn't be surprising given the amount of people leaving the church. I had recently stated (in a previous blog) that a great number of people have been leaving the church in droves because of a large number of unscrupulous leaders. There are other factors as well, but I wanted to point out that many people who are in leadership today really shouldn't be involved in those positions. One of my harshest critics pointed out that not every elder is going to be ideal, and I grant that point. It isn't necessarily that people are essentially "bad" but the positions and creedal limits have given non-denominational elders to practice an unprecedented amount of unmitigated power. The notion of a system of powers—think of our government, but specifically the judiciary branch—and its connection to the church at large has really been a post hoc reaction to the pietistic movement, and more specifically to the Holiness movement in the early 19^th century. One example is clearly seen in the individualism of Phoebe Palmer (1807-74). According to the Handbook of Denominations, the editors wrote that "she worked tirelessly to bring others to a similar experience of holiness."[1] This reaction towards Palmer's teaching has led many to believe that if one could churn their faith into some pure holiness, they would, in effect, be holy. The doctrine and its practice has been substituted from theology to praxiology, what Dr. R. Scott Clark calls "The Quest for Illegitimate Religious Experience," a quest he believes is "the most ancient impulses in Christian theology[2]." Her influence was nothing more than a pietistic enterprise to get Christians to look inside themselves instead of among themselves. Such an idea as egregious as hers has led many Pentecostals and contemporary evangelicals to begin to look inside their faith, and therefore has inoculated Christians from transforming the culture around them. The solution wasn't to transform the culture or the church but to transform ourselves. Might I add, she was heavily influenced by the radical theology of John Wesley. Students of theology know that that is saying a lot.

But it wasn't just that singular movement that has caused many Christians to form within themselves a sort of retreat-ism, but that the pietist would, in effect, turn the tides in Christianity's theology about culture and the relationship it shares with the non-believing world.

(I will deal with Viola and Barna in another blog but I at least wanted to give some of the influences that were at play before we ended up with this new "phenomena"[3] we are seeing today in the church.)

Christianity and the Church

Strictly speaking, when we [Christians] speak of Christianity we also speak of the church. One cannot speak about Christ apart from his bride just as a belief cannot be separated from its institution. I can recall, for example, Calvin's locution about the church: One cannot have God as father without the Church as mother (roughly stated)[4]. Christianity shares a long history, and though its history hasn't always been the best, it is still rooted in the documents and practices of the church. I personally don't hold to everything the church has ever produced—take, for instance, the Lateran Councils or Trent—but a large majority is held by many traditions within its ranks. We will discover many of these rich histories as we move along the corridors of church history, but let it suffice that the tradition at large is institutional and maintains a rich history, be that Roman, Orthodox or Protestant.

[1] Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 161.

[2] R. Scott Clark, Recovering the Reformed Confession, 71. See the entire chapter for his explanation of this strange practice among evangelicals as he critiques the contemporary church of its theology and practice.

[3] The group The Reformed Forum, which also happens to be a weekly podcast, alarmed the Reformed community that this is a fairly new phenomena. Listen to the interview with Ted Kluck of his recently co-authored Why We Love the Church.

[4]John Calvin, (Ed. John McNeill) Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV.1.(all sections).