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Ecclesiological Developments in New Testament and Early Church. New Testament. Terminology Ekklesia = to call out Matthew 16.18; 18.17 Question of Founding of the Church John Zizioulas : Christ institutes and the Spirit constitutes Connection between Church and Israel
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Ecclesiological Developments in New Testament and Early Church
New Testament • Terminology • Ekklesia = to call out • Matthew 16.18; 18.17 • Question of Founding of the Church • John Zizioulas: Christ institutes and the Spirit constitutes • Connection between Church and Israel • 12 disciples/12 tribes • Exists for the sake of the nations • Church founded in stages
New Testament • Diversity of Models in New Testament • No single norm • Images and Metaphors of the Church • Many but three in particular: • The People of God: I Pet 2.9; Rev. 5.9 • The Body of Christ: Eph 1.22-23; Icor. 12.27; Col. 1.18 • The Temple of the Spirit: Eph. 2.19-22; I Pet 2.5
Early Church • Donatist Controversy (4th and 5th centuries) • Donatists • Post-Diocletian persecution • Church should consist only of saints • Rites administered by those who had not held their ground in the face of persecution were invalid • Augustine • Breaking the church’s unity is the greater problem (cf. Cyprian) • Church is holy but its holiness is not dependent on individuals in the church, but God who is holy • Let the wheat and chaff stay together • Oneness does not depend on fractured church, but on oneness of the one who is Lord of the church • Will return to this with Luther
Church and Kingdom • See Bloesch • Earlier idea of the equation of the kingdom with the Church • Liberal idea • More balanced view • God’s rule cannot be contained by any earthly kingdom • God’s reign extends • Church participates in the kingdom but the church cannot contain the Kingdom • Church is not making the kingdom