tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21841592.post4954799727124687696..comments2022-04-27T23:07:59.833-04:00Comments on Conversi ad Dominum: What is the Church?Fr John W Fentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01283787316830250866noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21841592.post-36021313937640474252007-10-01T00:25:00.000-04:002007-10-01T00:25:00.000-04:00I had a very interesting conversation with a self-...I had a very interesting conversation with a self-described Emergent a couple of days ago, who said that he saw the "only" difference between Orthodoxy and the so-called Emergent Church as being ecclesiology. Emergent ecclesiology, according to this gentleman, answers the question "What is the Church?" by saying that the Church is whatever the faithful are doing, rather than saying the Church is something to which the faithful have to join themselves.<BR/><BR/>It's an interesting way of looking at it, I suppose; I see it as being a definition that <I>at least</I> leaves itself fundamentally open to abuses (which my friend acknowledged). Whether or not it is scripturally justifiable I suppose will depend on one's point of view on a few different verses; whether it is justifiable in the light of, for example, the Didache, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and other early patristic writings strikes me as highly dubious.<BR/><BR/>Still, it seems to me there's a powerful message that Orthodox ecclesiology will have for those Emergents willing to listen. And that message is, plainly, "You don't need to wear yourself out reinventing the wheel. The wheel's actually right here, and it's never fallen into disuse."<BR/><BR/>RichardRichardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06811467954475057967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21841592.post-21731025889918822352007-09-25T22:14:00.000-04:002007-09-25T22:14:00.000-04:00I don't think this does justice to what the Luther...I don't think this does justice to what the Lutheran Symbols confess of the Church as the Holy Spirit-wrought society of those in whom faith has been worked, that binds them together to the one and only Lord Jesus Christ, as members of His body.William Weedonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01383850332591975790noreply@blogger.com