Church Matters: Retrieving the Great Tradition

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Chur ch Mat ter s : Ret r i ev i ng the Great Trad i t i on

1. Cyprian’s church oriented statement:

“Can he have God as his Father, before he has had the church for his mother?” (Cyprian). Cyprian urbanized : “If the Church ain’t yo’ mama, God ain’t yo’ daddy!” (“The one ark of Noah was a type of the one church.”) ~ Cyprian, c. 250 (cf. David W. Bercot, ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, p. 150). 2. The Church in its true and apostolic representation was the interpreter of the Bible, a book which mediates the message of Christ through the Church.

3. God has raised up undershepherds to guard the flock of God: bishops, priests (elders), and deacons.

4. God has raised up gifted persons to ensure the edification of his Church to full maturity in Christ, Eph. 4.9-15.

D. Summary: The Great Tradition grounds spiritual nurture and development in the context of the churches which are constituted both by historic connection to the one true faith and under the authority of duly-appointed undershepherds.

V. We Need a Refocused Kingdom Ministry: The Great Tradition Affirmed the Church as Apostolic.

From Jerusalem, twelve men went out into the world. They were uneducated and of no ability in speaking. But by the power of God, they proclaimed to every race of men that they were sent by Christ to teach the word of God to everyone. ~ Justin Martyr, c. 160 (cf. David W. Bercot, ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, p. 260).

A. The Great Tradition expressed an ecumenical spirit that recognized the faith as a global communion of saints under a common head, Jesus Christ.