Defining the Church for Our Time: Origin and Structure, Variety and ViabilityThe church is broken and we cannot fix it. Faith in God is disconnected from churches. Mainline churches are deeply divided, and their budgets and congregations have diminished, with no agreement for recovery. So what shall we do? It is time to stop talking about the problems and to consider a new vision of the church for our time. This book is a celebration of the church as the community of new life in Christ. It assumes Christ intended to create a community on earth embodying grace and holiness. It begins with a new and inclusive definition of the church as a community enduring in time. It affirms the great variety of churches, all as valid expressions of the new life, and explains how and why churches are formed in different ways. The goal is for churches to celebrate the saving power of Christ and to see the glory of God revealed in the world in our time. |
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Defining the Church for Our Time: Origin and Structure, Variety and Viability Peter Schmiechen No preview available - 2012 |
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acts of love affirm American Anabaptists apostolic appears baptism believers Bible Book of Revelation called centers of authority century Christian faith claim community of Christ congregations conservative consider creeds culture defining the church doctrine E. P. Sanders early church ecumenical embody essential Eucharist evil example fact faith and practice forgiveness forms of grace freedom gift and promise gospel holiness human images incarnation individual interpret issues Jesus Christ John Williamson Nevin Kingdom liberal liturgies lives Lord’s love and justice Luther mainline means Mennonites Mercersburg Theology ministry moral Nicene Creed norm participation pastors patterns of grace Paul Paul’s penal substitution perspective preaching present problem proclaim Protestants question reconciliation regarding relation religion religious resurrection Roman Catholic sacraments saving power Scripture social sola Scriptura speak specific Spirit strategies structures and practices teaching Testament theology theories of atonement things traditions unity values vision witness Word worship