Comments on: The Spirituality of the Church and 1 Cor. 6:1-11 http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/ The Reign of Christ Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:18:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: W.H. Chellis http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-839 W.H. Chellis Tue, 15 May 2007 13:23:04 +0000 http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-839 This is interesting. Darryl, what you say makes sense in the context we live. Our churches are like regional centers. People travel from miles around to gather to worship in our conservative Reformed and Presbyterian Churches. But this is a unique, and maybe unfortunante, aspect of our present setting. What if our congregations served our neighborhoods, villages, ect. What if our neighbors where also members of our congregation. What if we all moved into the same neighborhood or village. How would this change the dynamic. By your agreement, the Session would be answer many questions that were not "spiritual" in nature. The courts of the church would be a parallel court of originial jurisdiction not under the authority of the magistrate. Such courts would have a significant limiting impact on the civil courts, no? Set in an earlier context this explains the rise of canon law over against the civil law. At the very least this represents a Christian limitation on the soverignty of the state but it also implys that the church will have to deal with many "secular" issues. I wonder if this change of context has caused the office confusion of the last three decades. What is the role lay elders if the church us purely spiritual and not also an incarnate community? Interesting, right? This is interesting. Darryl, what you say makes sense in the context we live. Our churches are like regional centers. People travel from miles around to gather to worship in our conservative Reformed and Presbyterian Churches. But this is a unique, and maybe unfortunante, aspect of our present setting.

What if our congregations served our neighborhoods, villages, ect. What if our neighbors where also members of our congregation. What if we all moved into the same neighborhood or village. How would this change the dynamic.

By your agreement, the Session would be answer many questions that were not “spiritual” in nature. The courts of the church would be a parallel court of originial jurisdiction not under the authority of the magistrate. Such courts would have a significant limiting impact on the civil courts, no? Set in an earlier context this explains the rise of canon law over against the civil law. At the very least this represents a Christian limitation on the soverignty of the state but it also implys that the church will have to deal with many “secular” issues.

I wonder if this change of context has caused the office confusion of the last three decades. What is the role lay elders if the church us purely spiritual and not also an incarnate community?

Interesting, right?

]]> By: D Hart http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-832 D Hart Sun, 13 May 2007 22:42:25 +0000 http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-832 The local branch of the World Council of Churches? AKA, small claims court. The local branch of the World Council of Churches?

AKA, small claims court.

]]> By: stevez http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-828 stevez Sat, 12 May 2007 20:39:54 +0000 http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-828 what if, as reality almost always seems to dictate, my neighbor does not come under the jurisdiction of any reformed or presbyterian authority; to the right is roman catholic and to the left is methodist, which is to say, christian folks who agree that we have a property dispute but will likely not be wild about my Session settling the matter? what then? stevez what if, as reality almost always seems to dictate, my neighbor does not come under the jurisdiction of any reformed or presbyterian authority; to the right is roman catholic and to the left is methodist, which is to say, christian folks who agree that we have a property dispute but will likely not be wild about my Session settling the matter? what then?

stevez

]]> By: D Hart http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-827 D Hart Sat, 12 May 2007 14:40:21 +0000 http://deregnochristi.org/2007/05/10/the-spirituality-of-the-church-and-1-cor-61-11/#comment-827 Bill, I don't see this as a violation of the spirituality of the church, only as a reflection of authority within the community of faith. Session's decision in such a dispute would not be binding on the civil courts, if for instance one of the parties didn't like the church's settlement and wanted to appeal to civil authorities. I also would hope that if session had to resolve something really complicated beyond the scope of biblically informed wisdom, they would go to people with experience in the dispute for help. Hint, I think sessions and pastors should generally take an invisible part in marriage counselling. Bill, I don’t see this as a violation of the spirituality of the church, only as a reflection of authority within the community of faith. Session’s decision in such a dispute would not be binding on the civil courts, if for instance one of the parties didn’t like the church’s settlement and wanted to appeal to civil authorities.

I also would hope that if session had to resolve something really complicated beyond the scope of biblically informed wisdom, they would go to people with experience in the dispute for help. Hint, I think sessions and pastors should generally take an invisible part in marriage counselling.

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