JohnV
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
Here's a subject that I've been pondering.
Churches, that is denominations or federations of churches, have a tendency to have initial relationships with each other on the basis of recognizing each other as a "true church".
However, most denominations recognize that the original authority is in the local congregation, with each office-bearer being ordained with the authority that Christ gave through His Word. That is, then, the real church is the local one, not the denomination as a whole.
Yet it is the denomination that is recognized as true by other denominations.
Each individual church can have exceptions to the denominational standards, as long as they aren't basic or divisive. The one church may take its freedom to be borderline liberal, or even go over the borderline; and another church within the same denomination may take its orthodoxy too far, and become legalistically orthodox. A denomination which recognizes this set of churches may or may not take that into consideration; they may just look at the representative set of standards that the denomination stands for.
At any rate, the question is whether the liberal church in the denomination, or the ultra orthodox one, are seen as true churches, even though it may not be within the standards of the recognizing denomination? Does recognition of a denomination imply recognition of the individual church? What is the extent of such denominational recognition?
Some churches/denominations reject the invisible/visible church distinction, and say that the true church is manifest in the local congregation. Some of these have seceded from other denominations. How can they do that with that belief in mind? Does the invisible church become a false church? Does the manifestation of it cease at some given time? Suddenly a denomination is refused the recognition of being a "true church"! Does this, then, include all individual churches, as well as related ones? If they secede because of what the denomination as a whole has done, then why did they secede from churches that did not agree as well? Does one church have authority to call others out "or else"?
I've been pondering these things for a while. It seems that whether it is a uniting of denominations or a separating of them, the weaknesses of the denominational system become very clear. These are tough questions.
Any thoughts?
Churches, that is denominations or federations of churches, have a tendency to have initial relationships with each other on the basis of recognizing each other as a "true church".
However, most denominations recognize that the original authority is in the local congregation, with each office-bearer being ordained with the authority that Christ gave through His Word. That is, then, the real church is the local one, not the denomination as a whole.
Yet it is the denomination that is recognized as true by other denominations.
Each individual church can have exceptions to the denominational standards, as long as they aren't basic or divisive. The one church may take its freedom to be borderline liberal, or even go over the borderline; and another church within the same denomination may take its orthodoxy too far, and become legalistically orthodox. A denomination which recognizes this set of churches may or may not take that into consideration; they may just look at the representative set of standards that the denomination stands for.
At any rate, the question is whether the liberal church in the denomination, or the ultra orthodox one, are seen as true churches, even though it may not be within the standards of the recognizing denomination? Does recognition of a denomination imply recognition of the individual church? What is the extent of such denominational recognition?
Some churches/denominations reject the invisible/visible church distinction, and say that the true church is manifest in the local congregation. Some of these have seceded from other denominations. How can they do that with that belief in mind? Does the invisible church become a false church? Does the manifestation of it cease at some given time? Suddenly a denomination is refused the recognition of being a "true church"! Does this, then, include all individual churches, as well as related ones? If they secede because of what the denomination as a whole has done, then why did they secede from churches that did not agree as well? Does one church have authority to call others out "or else"?
I've been pondering these things for a while. It seems that whether it is a uniting of denominations or a separating of them, the weaknesses of the denominational system become very clear. These are tough questions.
Any thoughts?