a Theology of Church Structure Cobble, James F. Additional Author mixed material bibliography Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers c1988 monographic en English

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xi, 179 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. The CHURCH and the POWERS A THEOLOGY OF CHURCH STRUCTURE The Church and the Powers applies the biblical understanding of the fallen powers and principalities to the church. The book is unprecedented in the thoroughness by which it has carried out this necessary and crucial application. The scholarship is sound and perceptive throughout. The book excels not only in a cultural analysis of the life of the church, but also in practical guidance for carrying out this life in a godly manner. -Stephen Charles Mott Professor of Christian Social Ethics Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary "As we enter the closing decades of the 20th century, we are in the midst of a global revolution that will forever alter the course of human life and history." So warns James Cobble in this thought-provoking study of the "power-complex" that shapes our lives and the life of the church. Drawing upon the Pauline use of the "principalities and powers" Cobble examines how church structure becomes interwoven into the economic, social, and political structures of modern life. On the one hand, the church exists as the community of the Spirit pointing beyond itself to the rule of God, on the other hand, institutionally, the church is part of the power-complex-a global network of forces which shape us as citizens, consumers, and also as religious people. The power-complex maintains social stability, but also redefines meaning in ways contrary to life in Christ. Congregational structures can extend the influence of the "powers" into the very underpinnings of Christian life resulting in spiritual poverty. At the same time illusions of meaning and fulfillment are promised. By acknowledging the existence and impact of the power-complex on life and responding appropriately, the church can expose the powers and offer hope to humanity through service and partnership as a community of faith. Dr. James F. Cobble, Jr., a leading authority on continuing theological education, is founder and director of Christian Ministry Resources, a continuing professional education agency serving the needs of church staffs in over sixty denominations. 20th century Power (Social sciences) Christian sociology 262.0060913573507 Transformatio Library Bandung Theological Seminary 262.006 Cob c E07006448 Non Fiction 262.006 Cob c powers.jpg 21813 1989-11-04 00:00:00 2026-03-09 16:40:06 machine generated