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A surprise festchrift for the retiring theologian, former director of the Office of Theology and Worship for the Presbyterian Church (USA)
The term "denomination" is now widely used to describe a Christian community or church. But what is a 'denomination'? In this highly creative collection of essays, representatives of all major Christian traditions give an answer to this question. What does the term mean in their own tradition? And does that tradition understand itself to be a 'denomination'? If so, what is that understanding of 'denomination'; and if not, how does the tradition understand itself vis à vis those churches which do and those churches which do not understand themselves as 'denominations'? In dialogue with the argument and ideas set forth in Barry Ensign-George's essay, each contributor offers a response from the perspective of a particular church (tradition). Each essay also considers questions concerning the current landscape of ecumenical dialogue; ecumenical method and the goals of the ecumenical movement; as well as questions of Christian identity and belonging.
Denominations are one of the primary ways in which Christians attempt to live in a community based around God. Yet there is very little careful theological analysis of denomination available today. Between Congregation and Church offers a constructive theological understanding of denomination, showing its role as an intermediary structure between congregation and church. It places denomination and other intermediary structures within the doctrine of the church. Barry Ensign-George reviews work by theologians and church historians that can contribute to a constructive theological understanding of denomination. The book highlights particular developments in the history of the church that estab...
Ensign-George looks at six themes that begin in the early chapters of Genesis, span the pages of Scripture, and end with the glorious vision of the book of Revelation. This study is important for discussing basic biblical frameworks. Within Scripture, echoes of early themes are picked up and heard, leading to deeper appreciation of the biblical message. The Six Themes Everyone Should Know series introductes biblical books and their main themes. Each volume consists of six chapters that present major biblical themes; each chapter contains an introduction and three major sections: What does the biblical theme mean? What is the meaning of this biblical theme for the life of faith? What does the biblical theme mean for the church at this point in history for action?
What are the connections between the polity of the church and church unity - or division? Does the polity of churches serve or obstruct the missional nature of the church? These questions were the focus of the Third Conference of the International Protestant Church Polity Study Group (IPCPSG), held in Princeton, New Jersey in April 2016. The authors of the essays in this volume probe these questions from a variety of angles. The conference intended to model close attention to and reflection on the theological import and value of church order and polity. Attendees of the conference came from churches and denominations in the Reformed tradition, gathering from across the United States and around the world. They included scholars of church order and polity, and practitioners with depth of knowledge and experience gained through the exercise of polity in a variety of settings and contexts. Conference papers, discussions, and informal conversations turned from theological reflection to practice and back.