The Faith Once for All Delivered: Liturgical Theology, Scripture, and the Evangelical Free Church Tradition

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-116
Author(s):  
Jonathan Ottaway
Keyword(s):  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Biblical Exegesis ◽  
Liturgical Theology ◽  
Free Church ◽  
Christian Worship ◽  
Theological Authority ◽  
Church Tradition ◽  
Apostolic Church

This article proposes to explain how the evangelical Free Church commitment to scripture as its primary authority affects their interaction with liturgical theology. Free Church theology is underpinned by various hermeneutical, theological, and cultural commitments—none more central than its commitment to scripture as revelation of and from God—which complicates Free Church engagement with much recent liturgical scholarship that emphasizes the ecclesiological basis for Christian worship and the corollary authority of Christian tradition. In the first part of the article, I provide an exploration of theological authority within Free Church evangelicalism, arguing that their commitment to scripture’s authority is a commitment to the ecclesial tradition of the apostolic church. In the second part of the article, I explore two additional hermeneutical considerations for evangelical liturgical theology that follow from their commitment to scripture: the priority of biblical exegesis in the theological process and the application of a trusting hermeneutic in their reading of scripture.

Ritualizing Iconic Jewish Texts

2020 ◽  
pp. 239-255
Author(s):  
James W. Watts
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Interpretation ◽  
Religious Communities ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Oral Performance ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Christian Worship ◽  
Scholarly Attention

Bibles and parts of bibles are themselves used as ritual objects in Jewish and Christian worship. Their display and manipulation, oral performance, and semantic interpretation have been ritualized by synagogues and churches since antiquity. The origins of these practices are rooted in the Bible itself. Their influence has shaped every Jewish and Christian tradition and reaches beyond them to Muslims, Manicheans, and other religious communities. This chapter and its companions in this volume on Christianity and Islam focus mostly on how the iconic dimension of scriptures gets ritualized, because the iconic dimension has received less scholarly attention than the ritualization of scripture’s oral performance, artistic illustration, and semantic interpretation.

scholarly journals Biblical studies as a modern humanitarian discipline and its connection with theology

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 502-527
Author(s):  
Mikhail G. Seleznev ◽  
◽  
Alexander I. Kyrlezhev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Structure ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Biblical Studies ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Biblical Exegesis ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Current State ◽  
Biblical Scholar ◽  
Church Tradition

A conversation with the famous Russian biblical scholar Mikhail Seleznev is devoted to the modern humanitarian discipline of biblical studies. The conversation examines the origins of this scientific discipline, its formation and development, internal structure, its connection with other humanitarian disciplines, as well as with theology understood as a reflection of believers on the foundations of their faith. Examples of the achievements in biblical studies in the 19th and 20th centuries are provided, which as a result have changed our understanding of the origin of biblical texts and the context in which they were created. The article analyzes the attitude towards scientific study of the Bible in various Christian confessions, in particular, the perception of biblical studies in the Orthodox community and the related problems of modern church consciousness. The current state and the prospects of development of biblical studies in Russia are reported on in the article. The issue of the so-called “intertestamental studies” and its significance for comprehending early Christianity is discussed, as well as that of biblical exegesis from the point of view of its understanding in modern science and church tradition. Bibliographic recommendations are provided for those who wish to begin a more detailed acquaintance with modern biblical studies.

Authority and Power in the Free Church Tradition

1972 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Arthur L. Frederick ◽  
Paul M. Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Free Church ◽  
Church Tradition

Liturgical Theology as a Research Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-128
Author(s):  
Joris Geldhof
Keyword(s):  
Research Program ◽  
Fundamental Principle ◽  
Liturgical Theology ◽  
Liturgical Movement ◽  
The Core ◽  
Paschal Mystery ◽  
Church And Society ◽  
Christian Worship ◽  
Worship Practices ◽  
The Church

Abstract This essay is centered around five questions: (i) What is the proper place of liturgical theology? (ii) What past evolutions have there been and what tendencies are there currently in the field of liturgical theology? (iii) What contents should liturgical theologians focus on? (iv) How can liturgical theologians engage in research? And (v): How can liturgical theology appropriately respond to events occurring in Church and society? Each question corresponds to one part. The rationale behind ordering the content this way is the following: starting from a reflection about the non-evident place of liturgical theology, an attempt is made to reposition it on the basis of its genealogy in the Liturgical Movement. It seems that this is a particularly fruitful way to give liturgical theology a proper profile and identity. Correspondingly, liturgical theology can be considered a fully-fledged research program that manifests its usefulness and fruitfulness. In particular, it is shown that liturgical theologians are called to engage in the study of the meaning of Christian worship, and thereby contribute to theology as a whole. They are to employ a variety of methods but should proceed in such a way that directs reflection, research and spirituality always towards the core of liturgy, as established by the history and economy of salvation and culminating in the paschal mystery. If, and inasmuch they do this, they will have a great deal to offer given the complex challenges the Church and theology are confronted with today. The fundamental principle of this entire essay is that liturgical theology does not simply deal with Christian rituals, festivals and sacraments, but with the core of faith itself—God, the world, the Christ event, tradition, Church, and redemption—to the extent that it is embodied and expressed in worship practices.

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