Best of
Ecclesiology

2000

Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper


Peter J. Leithart - 2000
    Within it we find clues to the meaning of all creation and all history, to the nature of God and the nature of man, to the mystery of the world, which is Christ. It is not confined to the first day, for its power fills seven. Though the table stands at the center, its effects stretch out to the four corners of the earth."

The Church and Its Vocation: Lesslie Newbigin's Missionary Ecclesiology


Michael W. Goheen - 2000
    This volume presents his ecclesiology to a new generation. Michael Goheen clearly articulates Newbigin's missionary understanding of the church and places it in the context of Newbigin's core theological convictions. Suitable for students as well as church leaders, this book offers readers a better understanding of the mission of the church in the world today. Foreword by N. T. Wright.

Reformed Worship: Worship That Is According to Scripture


Terry L. Johnson - 2000
    A primary focus of the book is as an initial primer on Scripture's teaching on worship. Yet, it is by no means only "introductory." Terry Johnson opens with a section on "Getting Oriented"--diving into such pressing questions as what is public vs. private worship, how do they relate?; what do we mean by worship, is it in the broad everyday sense, or is it more particular and focused?; and what is permissible vs. what is proper in worship? The heart of the book is Johnson's exposition of what it means to worship "in spirit" and "in truth." "In truth" pertains to worship that is according to Scripture and worship that is actually and really filled with Scripture. To worship "in spirit" is be participate in worship from the heart, which is affectionate, simple, reverent, and biblically wise. Johnson closes with great suggestions for further reading and study. Johnson's understanding of worship presents itself as a product of exegesis and not merely a proof-texting of presuppositions. His explanation of the biblical passages and ideas that pertain to worship are excellent, easy to understand, and very pastoral. The audience for this books is everyone from the pastor who really wants to understand what biblical worship looks like, to the congregant who wants to properly worship God, to the believer in Christ who wants good guidance on communing with his Savior, and for the family who desires to truly and reverently participate in family worship.

Oscar Romero: Memories in Mosaic


María López Vigil - 2000
    An excellent resource to keep alive the memory of Archbishop Oscar Romero, martyr of the Church. His life and death are a compelling reminder of the call to live the Gospel of peace with justice, especially for the poor and oppressed.

Dominus Iesus: On the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church


Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - 2000
    It was approved in a Plenary meeting of the Congregation, and bears the signature of its then Prefect, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, and of its then Secretary, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, now Cardinal Secretary of State. The declaration was approved by Pope John Paul II and was published on August 6, 2000. It is subtitled "On the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church". It is most widely known for its recapitulation of the Catholic dogma that the Catholic Church is the sole true Church of Christ.(from Wikipedia)

Sola Scriptura and the Regulative Principle of Worship


Brian Schwertley - 2000
    The reasons for this renewed zeal are not merely because of the current popularity of Romanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, modernism, neo-orthodoxy, the cults, the charismatic movement and the church growth movement. The chief reason is the current declension among the conservative Reformed and Presbyterian denominations today, particularly in the area of worship. Not only are many Reformed and Presbyterian churches allowing human innovations in worship, but the regulative principle of Scripture, and the correlative doctrine of the sufficiency of the Bible in all matters of faith including worship, is openly rejected by many pastors and elders. The regulative principle of worship (which is sola scriptura applied to the worship conducted by the church) is one of the greatest achievements of the Calvinistic reformation. In order to shore up the foundation of Reformed worship we must go back to the doctrine of sola scriptura. We pray that this study will be used for the reformation of the church.

The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 11


Thomas Goodwin - 2000
    During the 1630s he coedited with John Ball the works of John Preston and Richard Sibbes. He began to publish his own sermons in 1636. Prior to his death, he had published at least twelve devotional works, most of which were collections of sermons. The fact that they were reissued forty-seven times indicates the high demand and wide circulation of his publications. Most of Goodwin's major theological writings were the fruit of his riper years and were published posthumously. His unusually large corpus of treatises display a pastoral and scholarly zeal rivaled by few Puritans. Goodwin represents the best of Puritanism in addressing the intellect, will, and heart. His writings reveal the vigor of earlier Puritans such as William Perkins and Richard Sibbes as well as the mature thought of later Puritan divines, supremely represented by Owen.

The Gift of the Church: A Textbook Ecclesiology in Honor of Patrick Granfield, O.S.B.


Peter C. Phan - 2000
    These essays in The Gift of the Church address the fundamental issues confronting the Church in its immediate future. Their authors represent the most prominent ecclesiologists of our time.Written in honor of Patrick Granfield, OSB, these essays form a textbook for classes in ecclesiology. They also are a useful tool for those engaged in various ministries in the Church to update themselves on the theology of different aspects of the Church. The first section of essays discusses ecclesiology in its historical development as well as its methodology; the second examines various aspects of the Church; and the third part presents the life and work of Patrick Granfield. The essays are clearly written and based on solid and extensive scholarship.Ecclesiology has been the central theme of theological reflections since Vatican II and may continue to be in the next millennium. This textbook fulfills in part Pope John Paul II's Vision for the Jubilee Year, when Christians, with a profound sense of commitment . . . will likewise express their gratitude for the gift of the Church."Essays and authors in Part One: Ecclesiology in Historical Context are "Theologies of the Church in the New Testament," by Frank J. Matera; "The Development of Ecclesiology: Early Church to the Reformation," by Eric Plumer; "The Development of Ecclesiology: Modernity to the Twentieth Century," by Michael J. Himes; "The Significance of Vatican Council II for Ecclesiology," by Joseph A. Komonchak; "The Ecclesiology of John Paul II," by Avery Dulles; "Ecumenical Ecclesiology," by Michael A. Fahey; and "Theological Method for Ecclesiology," by Pedro Rodriquez. Essays and authors in Part Two: Contemporary Ecclesiology are "The Church as Communion," by Susan K. Wood; "The Church as Worshiping Community," by Gerard Austin; "The Ecclesial Dimension of Anthropology," by Michael J. Scanlon; "The Ecclesial Dimension of Spirituality," by George Tavard;"The Evangelizing Mission of the Church," by Francis A.Sullivan; "Salvation Outside the Church," by John P. Galvin; "The Social Mission of the Church: Its Changing Context," by T. Howland Sanks; "Ministries in the Church," by John Ford; "The Papacy," by Richard P. McBrien; "The Episcopacy," by Hermann J. Pottmeyer; "The Teaching Office of the Church," by John P. Boyle; "The Church and the Law," by Thomas J. Green; "The Laity," by Jon Nilson; "Women and the Church," by Sara Butler; and "Mary and the Church," by Frederick M. Jelly. Essays and authors in Part Three: A North American Ecclesiology: The Theological Achievement of Patrick Granfield are "Patrick Granfield: A Biographical Essay," by David Granfield; "A North American Ecclesiology: The Achievement of Patrick Granfield," by Peter C. Phan; and "Bibliography of Patrick Granfield," compiled by David Granfield. The book also includes an introduction by Peter Phan and a list of abbreviations.Peter C. Phan, PhD, STD, DD, is the Warren-Blanding Professor of Religion and Culture in the department of religion and religious education at The Catholic University of America. He is the author and editor of several books and over a hundred essays on various aspects of Christian theology."