Thesis advisor: Michael J. Himes / This dissertation inquires into the necessity, process, and structure of the bishop's discernment of the local church's <italic>sensus fidelium</italic>. As an authentic source of saving knowledge of God such that its reception brings union with God and others, the <italic>sensus fidelium</italic> ought to be a source for episcopal teaching. In his reception of the <italic>sensus fidelium</italic>, the bishop continues to learn and to be transformed by the apostolic faith, and is in turn better able to teach the faith with authority. If the bishop's reception of the <italic>sensus fidelium</italic> is integral to his ability to teach the apostolic faith in an authoritative manner, then the orthopraxis of that reception is of great importance. One aspect of that orthopraxis is the bishop's discernment of the <italic>sensus fidelium</italic>. As a ministerial habitus, discernment has implications both for the bishop's personal transformation and for his ability to place his spirituality at the service of the apostolate. The <italic>Spiritual Exercises</italic> of Ignatius of Loyola and the structures of the Society of Jesus are employed as a comparative model of discernment. The <italic>Spiritual Exercises</italic> offers a way of viewing discernment as a virtue that develops one's capacity for both reception from and union with God and others. Discernment in the Society of Jesus is undertaken to foster unity of understanding and purpose at the service of the Society's apostolate. Structures promoting discernment and relating spirituality to authority provide insights into how discernment may be developed within the larger church. Chapter One indicates that the bishop's discernment must become a virtue, that is, it must both be continually undertaken and personally transformative of his own capacity to know and respond to the Holy Spirit. Further, it must take into account in a positive and constructive manner other sources of authority, or of knowing God, within the church's historical context. Chapter Two analyzes the virtues and structures currently considered normative for the bishop's ministry in the local church. While ecclesial documents encourage dialogue, spirituality, and various virtues to aid the bishop's ministry, they leave undeveloped a coherent description of the relationship between discernment and the bishop's spirituality and authority, and do not sufficiently address the bishop's formation by the <italic>sensus fidelium</italic> of the local church. In order to better realize the ideals offered by these documents and to more sufficiently conceive how the bishop comes to personally symbolize the local church, Chapter Three and Chapter Four present the spirituality of the <italic>Spiritual Exercises</italic> and structures of the Society of Jesus. Chapter Five then constructs a model of episcopal discernment in the context of communion ecclesiology and in light of the insights of the Jesuit tradition in order to demonstrate how elements of Ignatian spirituality and Jesuit institutional structures may either illuminate episcopal self-understanding and practice or be adapted to the advantage of dialogical discernment within the local church. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

This research offers permeable Spirit ecclesiology as a viable way forward for the churches in the context of the challenges in North India. Broadly, the challenges of the church in North India are twofold: one, to be an Indian Christian church amidst the plural religio-cultural context; second, to be in solidarity with the struggles of the marginalised. In other words, the church arguably ought to be relational with other communities and rooted in the North Indian context; on the other, it should critically and distinctly witness for Christ as a community of liberation in the context of the struggles of the marginalised. Thus, the church in North India arguably needs a relational-distinctive dialectics to address the challenges. This calls for a church with permeable borders to uphold the above in tension. I show that such dialectics can be upheld if ecclesiology in North India is construed from a pneumatological perspective with a Christological dimension. In dialogue with both Western and Indian theologians I show that a permeable Spirit ecclesiology is a viable way forward for the churches in North India.

A instrumentalização do Ordo Fratrum Minorum como um dos elementos da normatização e homogeneização litúrgica da Cúria Romana a partir do ano 1215 é a tarefa do nosso estudo. Através da análise do Evangeliarium contido no códice Breviarium Sancti Francisci que está do Mosteiro de Santa Clara de Assis, verificaremos a influência das práticas litúrgicas na origem da fraternitas até sua composição como Ordo. Pretendemos investigar a postura política eclesiástica do Papa Inocêncio III (1198-1216) na sua homogeneização Litúrgica dentro do Corpus Iuris Canonici e do Concílio de Latrão IV. Essa homogeneização influenciou as relações sociais das cidades centro-setentrionais da Itália através do calendário do Breviarium Sancti Francisci. A oratio romane teve influência direta na vida monacal e laical no estabelecimento de horários predeterminados para o Officium Divinum; nas leituras doutrinais oficiais da Cúria Romana para os movimentos populares e na padronização da Oratio Ecclesie até nossos dias. Nas ordens mendicantes, na sua missão natus pro nobis in via, propagadoras deste Breviarium Romanum, o mesmo serviu como parâmetro para análise dos movimentos populares propensos à heresia. No caso específico do Ordo Fratrum Minorum, o Breviarium Romanum contribuiu como veículo institucionalizador espiritual com a lectio divina, pautada por um Evangeliarium, Hymnarium e um Psalmorum, que influenciaram a vida da fraternitas desde a sua gênese, além de ser um instrumento jurídico e ideológico de homogeneização e centralização do poder na plenitude potestatis papae. Analisaremos o Evangeliarium como fonte primária para a composição dos primeiros escritos de Frei Francisco de Assis, e por fim a contribuição da Ordo Fratrum Minorum na composição do Officium Divinum. / The instrumentalization of Ordo Fratrum Minorum as one of the liturgic standardization and homogenization elements of the Roman Curia as from 1215 is the task at hand in this study. Through the analysis of Evangeliarium contained in the Breviarium Sancti Francisci codex that is kept in St. Clare of Assisi monastery, we will verify the influence of the liturgic practices in the origin of fraternitas up until their composition as Ordo. We intend to investigate the ecclesiastical political attitude of Pope Innocent III based on his liturgic homogenization within the Corpus Iuris Canonici and the Fourth Council of the Lateran. Such homogenization influenced social relations in Italian center-north cities with the Breviarium Sancti Francisci calendar. Oratio romane had direct impact on both monk and lay life because of the prescription of a schedule for Officium Divinum; on the official doctrinal readings from the Roman Curia to the popular movements and on the standardization of Oratio Ecclesie until today. Within the mendicant orders, equipped with their natus pro nobis in via mission, propellers of this Breviarium Romanum, the document served as a parameter for analysis of the social movements that would be prone to heresy. In the case of Ordo Fratrum Minorum, in particular, the Breviarium Romanum contributed was as an institutionalizing spiritual vehicle using the lectio divina, based on one Evangeliarium, one Hymnarium and one Psalmorum which influenced the life of the fraternitas since its genesis, apart from being a juridical and ideological instrument of homogenization and centralization of power under the plenitude of potestatis papae. We will analyze Evangeliarium as a primary source for the composition of Fray Francis of Assisis first writings, and eventually the contribution of Ordo Fratrum Minorum in the composition of Officium Divinum.

A instrumentalização do Ordo Fratrum Minorum como um dos elementos da normatização e homogeneização litúrgica da Cúria Romana a partir do ano 1215 é a tarefa do nosso estudo. Através da análise do Evangeliarium contido no códice Breviarium Sancti Francisci que está do Mosteiro de Santa Clara de Assis, verificaremos a influência das práticas litúrgicas na origem da fraternitas até sua composição como Ordo. Pretendemos investigar a postura política eclesiástica do Papa Inocêncio III (1198-1216) na sua homogeneização Litúrgica dentro do Corpus Iuris Canonici e do Concílio de Latrão IV. Essa homogeneização influenciou as relações sociais das cidades centro-setentrionais da Itália através do calendário do Breviarium Sancti Francisci. A oratio romane teve influência direta na vida monacal e laical no estabelecimento de horários predeterminados para o Officium Divinum; nas leituras doutrinais oficiais da Cúria Romana para os movimentos populares e na padronização da Oratio Ecclesie até nossos dias. Nas ordens mendicantes, na sua missão natus pro nobis in via, propagadoras deste Breviarium Romanum, o mesmo serviu como parâmetro para análise dos movimentos populares propensos à heresia. No caso específico do Ordo Fratrum Minorum, o Breviarium Romanum contribuiu como veículo institucionalizador espiritual com a lectio divina, pautada por um Evangeliarium, Hymnarium e um Psalmorum, que influenciaram a vida da fraternitas desde a sua gênese, além de ser um instrumento jurídico e ideológico de homogeneização e centralização do poder na plenitude potestatis papae. Analisaremos o Evangeliarium como fonte primária para a composição dos primeiros escritos de Frei Francisco de Assis, e por fim a contribuição da Ordo Fratrum Minorum na composição do Officium Divinum. / The instrumentalization of Ordo Fratrum Minorum as one of the liturgic standardization and homogenization elements of the Roman Curia as from 1215 is the task at hand in this study. Through the analysis of Evangeliarium contained in the Breviarium Sancti Francisci codex that is kept in St. Clare of Assisi monastery, we will verify the influence of the liturgic practices in the origin of fraternitas up until their composition as Ordo. We intend to investigate the ecclesiastical political attitude of Pope Innocent III based on his liturgic homogenization within the Corpus Iuris Canonici and the Fourth Council of the Lateran. Such homogenization influenced social relations in Italian center-north cities with the Breviarium Sancti Francisci calendar. Oratio romane had direct impact on both monk and lay life because of the prescription of a schedule for Officium Divinum; on the official doctrinal readings from the Roman Curia to the popular movements and on the standardization of Oratio Ecclesie until today. Within the mendicant orders, equipped with their natus pro nobis in via mission, propellers of this Breviarium Romanum, the document served as a parameter for analysis of the social movements that would be prone to heresy. In the case of Ordo Fratrum Minorum, in particular, the Breviarium Romanum contributed was as an institutionalizing spiritual vehicle using the lectio divina, based on one Evangeliarium, one Hymnarium and one Psalmorum which influenced the life of the fraternitas since its genesis, apart from being a juridical and ideological instrument of homogenization and centralization of power under the plenitude of potestatis papae. We will analyze Evangeliarium as a primary source for the composition of Fray Francis of Assisis first writings, and eventually the contribution of Ordo Fratrum Minorum in the composition of Officium Divinum.

Bibliographic citation Martin Šály, Between spirit and tangibility: Dynamics in the life of the New Testament church and limits of its application in history (Mezi duchem a hmatatelností: Dynamika života církve v Novém zákoně a meze jejího uplatnění v historii). Dissertation, Charles University in Prague, Evangelical Theological Faculty, Prague, 2016. Summary The subject of the paper is the New Testament church. The author first draws attention to hermeneutic difficulties of the subject. These include e. g. a distinction between (1) the theological language of the church, which can be found in the NT in the form of many various images of the church, and (2) the NT passages intended to talk about the church as a religious organization, to target church ethics and so on. In the NT, however, the perfect distinction between the two areas is not always possible. Methodically, the work conceives the New Testament church to live in a dynamic space formed with various axes between different poles. Therefore, the NT church is not described here using certain typical attributes, but it is viewed in the dynamic space of "tensions between poles". The following pairs of poles are described for the New Testament church life: spirit - tangibility; The tradition of Jesus of Nazareth - The church tradition; ideal - reality;...

This dissertation proposes that the church plays an active role in the salvation of its members through the proclamation of the gospel. Chapter 1 introduces the topic of the dissertation by positioning it within its current academic and nonacademic context. It then details the thesis and methodology of the dissertation. Chapter 2 demonstrates that the church is viewed as playing an active role in the salvation of believers in church history. It examines the relationship between the soteriology and ecclesiology of four theologians who have significantly influenced the protestant reformed trajectory: Cyprian, Augustine, Luther, Calvin. It argues that through their usage of the "church as mother motif," Cyprian, Augustine, Luther, and Calvin view the church as having an active role in salvation. Chapter 3 provides working definitions of the gospel and the church. It defines the gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin based upon 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. Chapter 3 proceeds by defining the church as the regenerate people of God who have accepted the gospel message by faith in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Chapter 4 contends through scriptural exegesis that the proclamation of the gospel creates members of the church. The scriptural exegesis in this chapter goes in canonical order and focuses on exegeting passages that are recognized as being important in understanding the church's formation. It concludes with a summary of the scriptural data. Chapter 5 also argues through scriptural exegesis the church is the instrument that God uses to proclaim the gospel. Like Chapter 4, it focuses on exegeting recognized passages that indicate the church's instrumental role in the proclamation of the gospel. It also concludes with a summary of the scriptural data. Chapter 6 formulates systematically the scriptural data from Chapters 4 and 5 into a reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church. Chapter 6 then frames the reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church in terms of speech act theory. First, it briefly defines speech act theory and discusses why it can be applied to the reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church. It then develops a speech act formulation of the reciprocal relationship in which the church proclaims both the locution and illocution of the gospel message and the Spirit creates the church, which is the perlocutionary effect of the church's gospel proclamation. It concludes by briefly detailing some of the theological implications of this formulation. Chapter 7 offers a conclusion to the dissertation in which the arguments from Chapters 1 to 6 are summarized. It then proposes areas for further research. It concludes by offering some potential applications of the speech act formulation of the reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church to the current evangelical church.

This dissertation argues that a multi-site church that is not characterized by campus-wide gatherings does not have a sound biblical or theological basis for considering itself one church and is inconsistent with historic congregationalism. This argument is made in six steps. First, a framework for determining whether or not a church practice is biblical is put forward. Second, it is shown that the people of God as one assembly is a central theme in the Old Testament. Third, it is demonstrated that this theme of the people of God as one assembly is also a central theme of the New Testament. Fourth, it is argued that there is not precedent for multi-site church structure in the house churches of the New Testament. Fifth, it is shown that multi-site is not consistent with historic congregationalism as seen in Baptist ecclesiology. And sixth, it is argued that multi-site church structure is consistent with historic connectionalism as seen, for example, in Methodist ecclesiogy--a fact that only serves to heighten the problem with multi-site from a congregationalist point of view.

This thesis primarily analyses critically Kung's early ecclesiology with the intention of identifying important paradigmatic examples to be related to a contemporary South African Church Community. It argues that Kung's ecclesiology takes the hermeneutics of faith as its overriding theological rationale and as a result of this comes out with a particular understanding of the community of redemption. Subsequent to this primary focus in the nature of this thesis, the work further spells out clearly certain paradigmatic themes in Kung's theology and seeks to show how they can inform the ecclesiology of the CPSA. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

With the publication of his tract Christian Devotedness in 1825, Anthony Morris Groves joined a growing network of Protestants in the United Kingdom who aspired to follow the teaching of Christ and the example of his apostles in a more literal fashion than was common in the churches of their day. Seceding from the Anglican communion in 1828, he adopted a consciously non-denominational identity. With little interest in buildings, services, finances, organisation, training or ceremony, he developed an essentially primitivist ecclesiology, regarding the principles and practice of the early churches in the New Testament as a model to be followed by every generation. A number of Groves's closest friends became leading figures in circles soon to be known as Brethren, or Plymouth Brethren. After leaving Britain in 1829, his ongoing influence in this movement was mediated largely through his brother-in-law George Mtiller, and is reflected in the principles adopted by the latter in his church leadership and in his support of missionaries for more than half a century. One of those influenced by Miiller was the young Hudson Taylor, whose financial support during his early years came almost entirely from Groves's personal friends among the Brethren. It was overseas that Groves himself spent most of his adult life, and in India that we see the clearest practical outworking of his ecclesiology in a cross-cultural context. Identifying weaknesses in existing missionary institutions, he offered an alternative strategy for appointing missionaries, creating churches, maintaining practical unity and stimulating indigenous leadership. His missiological ideas stand in contrast to the consensus of his day, and also to the methods of indigenisation advocated some fourteen years later by Henry Venn and Rufus Anderson. Indeed, he might be described as the first major primitivist among mission strategists, and as such was an early forerunner of Roland Alien. Groves encouraged young Indian Christians to ignore Western church tradition and to follow, as closely as possible, the teaching and practice of Christ and his apostles. He advocated the liberty of indigenous Christians to take responsibility without reference to foreign organisations, the freedom of missionaries and Indian believers to seek guidance and provision directly from God, the sending of evangelists by congregations, the gathering of converts into new congregations, the development of local leadership in the course of active Christian service, and the partnership of industrialist and evangelist in frugal living &quot;by faith&quot; for the extension of the gospel. He viewed education, commerce and medicine as aids to evangelising rather than civilising. Above all, Groves wished to simplify the missionary task of the Church. Where his contemporaries envisaged the creation by one institution (a foreign mission) of another institution (a national church), he drew no distinction between mission and church. And rather than projecting an eventual shift from foreign government, support and propagation to self-government, support and propagation, he would start with no organised government, support or propagation at all, expecting these to develop naturally as local believers helped one another develop their own spiritual abilities and ministries. With no organisation to oversee, no buildings to maintain, no salaries to pay, his emphasis from the start was on the freedom of local converts to meet together without foreign supervision, and to preach the gospel to their own people without being trained, authorised or paid to do so. The influence of Groves on his own and subsequent generations has been seriously underrated. This may be attributable partly to the opposition he encountered during his own lifetime, partly to the commercial failures that clouded his final years, and partly to the inaccessibility of his own writings and works about him. Described twenty years ago as a &quot;neglected missiologist&quot;, and largely unknown today, his significance might seem somewhat negligible, but to Groves we can trace back ideas that stimulated the birth of a new generation of missions following what have been called &quot;faith principles&quot;. These included Brethren initiatives in many countries in addition to numerous interdenominational &quot;faith missions&quot; inspired by the example of Hudson Taylor. With some justification, Groves has been called the &quot;father of faith missions&quot;. Nevertheless, his idea of using the New Testament as a practical manual of missionary methods was taken up with greatest effect not by Anglo-American missionaries but by the leaders of some remarkable indigenous movements. Notable among these was his own disciple John Christian Arulappan and, at a later date, Bakht Singh and Watchman Nee, all of whom had direct or indirect links with him. Our research concludes that the primitivist missiology of Anthony Norris Groves exerted a significant radical influence on Protestant mission in the nineteenth century, and indeed to the present day, for his ideas find many points of contact with current missiological thinking.

This project examines and critically reflects on the practices of care for the poor by three Protestant congregations in affluent urban neighborhoods in the metropolitan Boston area. The project is a practical theological investigation of congregational practices of care of the poor using Richard Osmer’s practical theological method. This derived from participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis; interpretation and analysis of the practices; theological and ethical evaluation of the practices through what Osmer calls “wise judgment” of the practices; and application of the practical wisdom learned from the three congregations. Ministries of care for the poor by congregations in affluent American neighborhoods are often sparse. The three congregations deviate from the norm by offering robust and sustainable ministries of care. This project examines the theological and ethical motivation embodied and enacted in those ministries and asks what practical wisdom they have to offer other congregations. In doing so, the project situates its analysis within wider theological and ethical understandings of Christian care for the poor, especially in urban contexts. The project’s theological and ethical interpretation and judgment are derived from the framework of virtue ethics in dialogue with contextual and ecclesiologically focused theologies. The ministries of care for the poor in the three congregations demonstrate the overlap of pastoral care, mission work, and evangelism. Also, their ministries of care for the poor illuminate the importance of the work of the laity in Christian public ministry, and how presently the laity is underserved by theological education. Practical application of the wisdom rising from the three congregations highlights the importance of lay pastoral care techniques, discipleship development, and witness practices.