<p> Recent writers on the priesthood of all believers have challenged the doctrine’s biblical warrant, historical pedigree, and value for contemporary ecclesiology. This dissertation responds to these challenges in three ways. It first identifies the priesthood of all believers as a canonical doctrine based upon the royal priesthood of Christ and closely related to the believer’s eschatological temple-service and offering of spiritual sacrifices (Chs. 1–3). It secondly describes its catholic development by examining three paradigmatic shifts, shifts especially associated with Christendom (Chs. 4–6) and a suppression of the doctrine’s missional component. Finally, the dissertation argues that a Christian doctrine of the priesthood of all believers should be developed with a Christocentric-Trinitarian understanding of the <i> missio Dei</i>. This suggests there are especially appropriate ways for the royal priesthood to relate to the Father (<i>latreia</i>), to the Son (<i>diakonia</i>), and to the Holy Spirit (<i>martyria </i>). A canonically and catholically informed priesthood of all believers leads contextually to particular ecclesial practices. These seven practices are 1) Baptism as public ordination to the royal priesthood; 2) Prayer; 3) <i> Lectio Divina</i>; 4) Ministry; 5) Church Discipline; 6) Proclamation; and 7) the Lord’s Supper as the renewal of the royal priesthood.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3614144 |
| Date | 26 April 2014 |
| Creators | Voss, Henry J. |
| Publisher | Wheaton College |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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