Between Congregation and Church: Denomination and Christian Life Together

Description

Denominations are one of the primary ways in which Christians attempt to live in a community based around God. Yet there is very little careful theological analysis of denomination available today. Between Congregation and Church offers a constructive theological understanding of denomination, showing its role as an intermediary structure between congregation and church. It places denomination and other intermediary structures within the doctrine of the church. Barry Ensign-George reviews work by theologians and church historians that can contribute to a constructive theological understanding of denomination. The book highlights particular developments in the history of the church that established preconditions for the emergence of denomination. Exploration of unity and diversity is central to this analysis, and individual chapters offer theological analyses of the unity and the diversity to which the Christians are called. Finally, denomination has often been a vehicle for sin, and the relationship between denomination and sin is considered. Between Congregation and Church addresses a major gap in contemporary theology: the failure to offer substantive theological analysis of denomination, a major way Christians together live their faith today. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Considering Denomination Part I: Preface 1. Philip Schaff and the multiform church 2. H. Richard Niebuhr: Rejecting and accepting denomination 3. The church historians: Winthrop Hudson, Sidney Mead, Russell E. Richey Part I: Summary Part II: Denomination: The Diversity, Unity, and Communion to Which God Calls Us Part II: Preface 4. Denomination: A normative definition 5. The diversity to which we are called 6. The unity to which we are called 7. The communion to which we are called: Church and denomination Part II: Summary Conclusion Bibliography Biblical Citations Index Author Index Subject Index