The Proper End of Theology II
Another great quote from Character of Theology, this time from author John Franke himself:
The church, the community of Christ’s disciples, is sent into the world to be the representative of the mission of God after the pattern of the sending of the Son by the Father and the Spirit by the Father and the Son. Hence, the church is to represent the love and mission of God in the world through the proclamation of the gospel. In its beliefs and practices, it is called to be God’s representative as the herald of reconciliation to a fallen and broken world. This calling makes the church the focal point for theological reflection. The task of theology is to serve the church by assisting in the process of coherently articulating the content and implication of the gospel and the Christian faith so that the church might faithfully reflect the image of God in the world and faithfully carry out the mission of God to the world through the guidance and power of the Spirit. This is done in anticipation of the eschatological consummation of God’s creative purposes. (p. 124)
Theology to serve the church in its mission? What a concept! How much better, how much grander, than the purpose being merely to prove that I’m right and you’re wrong (hooray for our side).
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January 30th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
Did ya hear the one about the guy who went to see a fight and a blog broke out?
January 31st, 2006 at 7:10 am
Dear Mark: You’re wrong! I’m wrong! Let’s go get a beer.
January 31st, 2006 at 9:48 am
Now there’s the proper end of theology!
January 31st, 2006 at 11:28 am
So, your answer to “WWJD” is “He would have a pint, and He would proclaim it good”? Maybe I should become a Presbyterian…
Nah.
February 1st, 2006 at 9:28 pm
first, the franke quote might make it into my Sunday morning class… i am teaching a survey of eclesiology… the fun part is that i am still at my conservative baptist church, where i used to work, but i am begining both WTS and work at an EPC church in New Jersey this summer… conclusion… i am teaching a dispensational class that introduces and favors the reformed positions… then they get to be the black sheep instead of me.
second, the above banter is one of the many reasons that i am glad to be switching to presbyterianism….
February 1st, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Ken,
Come by the WTS bookstore some time and introduce yourself. I work there.
February 2nd, 2006 at 12:23 pm
You’ll have a hard time picking him out in a crowd, though, unless the bright lights are shining on his forehead.
[A short joke and a bald joke at once ... Mark, you should know by now that any reply must include a fat joke. ;)]
February 2nd, 2006 at 8:16 pm
Fat joke has now officially been included
February 3rd, 2006 at 10:43 am
Yeah, yeah, I have a fat head.