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Baptist Theology: Ministry

Today as elders we met together to discuss what is the common purpose of the eldership. Bunyan's constitution regarding the elders reads:

The function of the Elders is to serve the fellowship by providing spiritual oversight, that is, acting as shepherds guiding, guarding, feeding, counselling, supporting and, where necessary, disciplining the flock.

We all agreed that a lot of the words here are loaded and lack specifics. So part of our discussion was looking for some new language which reflected the role of elder. Interestingly, Paul Fiddes says 'the appointment of multiple 'elders' ... is a relatively recent phenomenon in many Baptist churches' (Tracks and Traces, 2003, 92), whereas traditionally Baptists have only had a minister/elder and deacons. I think the word 'elder' is very unhelpful and largely irrelevant.  Some of our discussion revolved around being and doing. Fiddes in Participating in God writes, 'the vocation to Christian ministry is a call to a way of being, not just the exercise of skills or the carrying out a set of functions' (2000, 294). This is spot-on and I think a description of those who are in leadership, i.e. elders as well as those who are ordained ministers. Leadership or ministry is a way of being before and prior to it being an exercise of leadership or any other function. So Colwell writes, 'a Christian minister is one who has been separated to be something rather than merely one who has been separated to do something' (Promise and Presence, 2005, 219). Colwells wants to argue that ministry is primarily about character.

What is the difference between an ordained minister and an elder? This is a delicate issue. A minister in my view is not simply a paid elder. For starters, the language of 'paid ministry' reflects only a functional understanding of ministry, where I would want to argue for an ontological understanding. An elder has only been recognised by the local church which she or he serves. A minister is recognised locally, regionally and nationally as called - separated - by God to be a minister of word and sacrament. A minister is theologically-trained, where an elder is probably most cases not. Fiddes argues that a minister 'represents the church as a whole' and an elders should be regarded as 'a kind of deacon with strong pastoral gifts who share in a greater extent than other deacons in the oversight (episkope) of the minister' (Tracks and Traces, 93). Are elders called to be something and not merely to do something? Because Baptists believes in the priesthood of all believers, all Christians share in the priesthood of Christ and are called to be his people in and for the world, but there is special call for those who are called to ordained ministry.

There is wider discussion among Baptists about whether ordained ministry is functional or ontological. Paul Beasley-Murray has argued that ministry is merely functional and is about leadership (see his chapter in Anyone for Ordination?, 1993). John Colwell and Steve Holmes have argued that ministry is ontological and is about word and sacrament (see their relative chapters in Baptist Sacramentalism, 2003) and Colwell's Promise and Presence). Paul Fiddes has also argued for an ontological understanding of ministry and for the focus on word and sacrament. But he disagrees with Colwell and Holmes that ordained ministry is indelible, that is, for life (see chapter 5 of Tracks and Traces).

As elders, we ended up with language which both reflected our call to be those who lead as well as those who are called to be in the character of Christ.

Baptist Theology: by-Chance or by-Choice?

One of the new blogs I've begun reading regularly is Fernando Gros. He has been posting a series on his experiences of baptist ecclesiology: 1, 2, 3, 4.  In the second post he suggests that many of his fellow ministerial students were 'Baptists-by-chance, rather than Baptists-by-choice'.  I wonder if this reflects most people who belong to a baptist church. He says also that 'it was quite obvious that for most of my contemporaries, being Baptist was secondary or even inconsequential to their theological and ecclesiological identity.'  I find this interesting, it is certainly my experience. Baptist identity is given scant regard by many, either through ignorance or indifference. Which is interesting when attention to baptist history, thought and identity has perhaps never been higher. I've moved form being a baptist-by-chance to being a baptist-by-choice. This does not mean I am not uncritical about baptist theology and ecclesiology, but that it identifies what church should and could be. Fernando says he is going to blog at some point about the baptist ideal versus the baptist reality, which should be good.

steve.goodliff.com

My brother has recently finished giving his website a new design. Steve has just completed a degree in music technology at Bath Spa. I think his music is brilliant. Go and visit. If you contact him he'll send you a cd (at a reasonable price!). It looks like he might even start some blogging.

Baptist Theology: Understanding the Church Meeting

This is the start of a series of posts that looks at different aspects of baptist theology, especially that which makes baptists distinctive from other denominatons.

The church meeting is a very misunderstand event in many Baptist churches. As Baptists we believe in local church goverment, that is, it is the responsbility of the local church to discern the mind of Christ for the organisation and witness of the church. The whole church, in terms of those who have committed and covenanted with one another and become members, gather together to make decisions. The church meeting can represent what's best about baptist churches and also sometimes what's worst. Here is what Paul Fiddes has to say on the church meeting in Tracks and Traces (2003):

'The aim of the meeting of the church members for prayer and business is not to make majority decisions, though it is prefectly right to safeguard our freedom through a democratic process. Nor is the aim for one block of voters to oppress and dominate another. The point is to find together the mind of Christ who is present in the midst of his church as the risen Lord to whom all 'authority is given', and to use to the scriptures to help us in this search for purpose in our world today.' (52)

'The church meeting is not 'people power' in the sense of simply counting votes and canvassing a majority: in such a strategy, power blocks can strive with each other to gain a popular vote, with the result that the minority may feel excluded. The aim is to search for consent about the mind of Christ, and so people should be sensitive to the voices behind the votes, listening to them according to the weight of their experience and insight.' (86)

'Though Baptist mights be surprised to have it so described, their view of the church meeting is therefore quite sacramental, and is rooted in a conviction about grace in creation. They expect the Spirit of God to take material and earthly things - their own bodies, gathered together - and use for a divine-human encouner, for a means of grace. As in communion bread, the participants in this meeting expect to 'discern the body of Christ' (1 Cor. 11.29)' (123)

'In practical terms, even when a decision has been made in a Baptist church meeting, the members will want to go on listening to those who have opposed it or been unhappy with it, to gain something from their insights as the decision is worked out in detail in changing circumstances.' (124)

a rule of life to live by

Through a link from Jonny I visited the Home website. Home are a 'new expression of church for an emerging culture in Oxford'. They have, in their words, become a semi-monastic community, where some have made vows and live by a 'rule of life', alongside others who do not feel they are called to this way of life at present. This way of being church resonates so strongly with me, it feels like this way of life is the next step for me. A year ago we set up a small group for those in their late teens and early twenties. We have a blog here. We are beginning to explore what kind of group God is calling us to be and some of us are in the early stages of wondering if this way of life, where we live according to 'rule of life' is something we are called. Hopefully I'll blogging over the next few weeks and months on where we are at.

Little Miss Sunshine

Hannah and I decided to take advantage of cheap night at the cinema and went a saw Little Miss Sunshine (15). We had originally thought about going to see The Queen, but that was on too late, so Little Miss Sunshine it was. And how glad we did. What a great film.  I haven't laughed as much in ages. Great acting, great script. This is the kind of comedy I like. The final act we could not stop laughing.  It was also a decidedly poignant film at several moments. The brother telling his sister to give his mum a hug. The sister just sitting with her brother not needing words. The grandpa telling his grand-daughter she was beautiful. A brilliant film. Go and see it.

The Doomsday Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation

Having watched The Doomsday Code, I thought it was about time I read some of Richard Bauckham's The Climax of Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation (1993, T & T Clark). What Bauckham argues is that Revelation must be read carefully in light of the Old Testament, to which it frequently alludes, and in the context it was written, that of the Roman Empire. The Book of Revelation is not a literal description of the end times, but rather

'John, it is argued, understood his prophecy to be the climax of the tradition of Old Testament prophecy, because in the revelation made to him by Jesus Christ was disclosed the secret of the kingdom of God. Whereas the prophets had predicted the conversion of all the nations to the worship of the one true God,and obscurely foreseen the oppression of God's people by pagan power in the last days, John's prophecy reveals that the former is a consequence of the latter, and that the key to both is the task of faithful witness in the face of all opposition, to which the followers of the Lamb, his readers, are now called.' (xvi)

'Revelation's use of the Old Testament scriptures is an essential key to its understanding ... Reference to and interpretation of these texts [that make deliberate allusion to Old Testament texts] is an extremely important part of the meaning of the text of the Apocalypse' (x-xi).

'... if Revelation's meaning is intertextual (in relation to the Old Testament) it is also contextual (in relation to the contemporary world) ... This would deprive the work of its true character:  as a prophetic critique of the political idolatry and economic oppression intrinsic to Roman power in the late firit century, and a call to its readers to bear witness to the truth and righteousness of God ...' (xii-xiii).

'The Book of Revelation is one of the fiercest attacks on Rome and one of the most effective pieces of political resistance literature from the period of the early empire' (338).

'The book of Revelation uses two major, complementary images of the evil power of Rome. One is the sea-monster ('the beast') ... the other image is of the great city of Babylon, first named in 14.8, and then portrayed as a woman, 'the great harlot,' in chapter 17' (343).

Pope Benedict and Islam

I'm glad the Pope apologised today for an offence caused by his speech last week. However I must admit I am was horrified to see that the response by some Muslims in some countries was a violent one. Did they not recognise that the Pope was saying that was no room for violence within religion? So to respond violently - through attacks on churches - only goes to show there is some unfortunate truth in what some people have interpreted the Pope as saying. (Please note, I do not think Christianity has any less of a violent history). Muslims were right to voice their disappointment, maybe even displeasure, at the Pope's words, but there is no room for violence or incitement to violence. The Pope was either naive or being provocative and should have taken greater care with his words, or who he was quoting, or making more clear his point, or why the quote did not reflect his views on Islam (perhaps they do, see Giles Fraser). The Pope is right to want to confront Islamic extremism, but equally he must also confront Christian extremism, especially that of the growing evangelical right in America, some of who are looking for a war with Islam, or believe they are in a war with Islam. This Pope is emerging as much more interesting than many people originally thought.

The Doomsday Code

Last night I watched  The Doomsday Code presented by Tony Robinson. It explored how many evangelical christians in America have embraced end time theology, popularized in the Left Behind books of Tim LaHaye (I've posted here on why Left Behind is wrong), but believed as a true reading of scripture, especially of the book of Revelation. Robinson showed how the consequences of such beliefs are dangerous for the Middle East situation (in terms of  finding a peaceful solution), the environment and for the development of African countries. In my view it only gave more support to Hauerwas' desire to take the bible out of American Christians' hands. Listening to the various 'end-timers' who were interviewed, you realize they have no doctrine of creation, no doctrine of personhood, and a skewed doctrine of God and especially of scripture. I find it incredible that so many people are actually able to believe in this kind of rubbish. They say they love God, but they care so little for human life.

Noticing, Naming and Nurturing

At my local church we are in the process of trying to think through what our youth ministry looks like. I think we will find help in the three chapters of Mark Yaconelli's Contemplative Youth Minstry (2006) which talk about noticing, naming and nurturing. 

Noticing says Yaconelli 'refers to the way in which we help people (through careful attentiveness) become more aware of their experience of God.'
Noticing requires the youth minister to point young people to God and his work in their lives; to question and ask them how is God present in this or that experience; and to invite them to pray; and to create circumstances where they can see the presence of God.

Naming he says 'involves aiding people in finding language and theology for their experience.'
Naming is about the youth minister encouraging young people to talk about who God is (who do you say God is?); it is about telling stories of God that allow young people to not only hear, but enter into the drama; it is about hearing testimony from a wide range of people of how God is working and has worked in their lives; it is about going beyond words and using signs and symbols.

While Nurturing he suggests 'concerns the ways we help people develop practices and disciplines that deepen their relationship with God.'