From Synagogue to Church: Public Services and Offices in the Earliest Christian CommunitiesThis important work engages with a long historical debate: were the earliest Christians under the direction of ordained ministers, or under the influence of inspired laypeople? Who was in charge: bishops, elders and deacons, or apostles, prophets and teachers? Rather than trace Church offices backwards, Burtchaell examines the contemporary Jewish communities and finds evidence that Christians simply continued the offices of the synagogue. Thus, he asserts that from the very first they were presided over by officers. The author then advances the provocative view that in the first century it was not the officers who spoke with the most authority. They presided, but did not lead, and deferred to more charismatic laypeople. Burtchaell sees the evidence in favor of the Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican view that bishops have always presided in the Christian Church. At the same time he argues alongside the Prostestants that in its formative era the Church deferred most to the judgment of those who were inspired, yet never ordained. |
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Contents
challenge to an old consensus I | 1 |
rechallenged reused | 136 |
A search for a new hypothesis | 180 |
Jewish community organization in the later Second | 201 |
The officers of the synagogue | 228 |
Community organization in the early Christian | 272 |
A conclusion | 339 |
358 | |
Other editions - View all
From Synagogue to Church: Public Services and Offices in the Earliest ... James Tunstead Burtchaell No preview available - 1992 |
Common terms and phrases
Acts ancient Antioch apostles apostolic succession appear archisynagógos assembly authentic authority Beth She'arim bishops called Catholic charism charismatic charismatic authority Christ Christian communities church officers church order claim Clement community chief congregation consensus continuity council deacons diakonoi Didache disciples divine doctrine documents earliest Christian early Christian early church ekklesia elders elected episcopate episkopos evidence faith function gentile gerousia gifts God's gospel Greek Harnack hellenistic historical honor Ibid IEph Ignatius Ignatius of Antioch institution IPhld Irenaeus Israel Jerusalem Jesus Jewish community Jews Josephus Judaism later leadership Lord ministers ministry Mishnah Montanist notables ordination overseer pastoral epistles Paul Paul's pauline period Peter Philo political Polycarp preachers preaching presbyteral presbyteroi presiding priesthood priests prophets and teachers reconstruction reform Ritschl role Roman Rome sacraments Sanhedrin says scholars scriptures second century Second Temple social Sohm Spirit structure synagogue teaching Testament theological tradition women word worship Wyclif
References to this book
The Church in Antioch in the First Century CE: Communion and Conflict Michelle Slee No preview available - 2003 |
The Gospel of the Beloved Disciple: A Work in Two Editions Herman C. Waetjen No preview available - 2005 |