An Introduction to Ecclesiology by Karkkainen – My Reflections

Chp. 1
The Eastern Orthodox Church has a theology centering on the work of the Spirit and lived experience. There is strength in this theological bias in that God is allowed to do as he pleases. However, such bias can also allow heretical beliefs or experiences to creep in which appeal to emotion and not truth revealed in the word.

Chp. 2
Catholicism is highly spiritual like Eastern Orthodox tradition, which has its strengths and weaknesses. A recent push in Catholicism towards ecumenism may have the appearance of good, but it seems to me that the type of push they are advocating for would permit unrighteousness as a means of holding peace.

Chp. 3
The Word and the sacraments form the basis of the Lutheran faith. Contrary to the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholicism, a biased focus on the Word may quench the Spirit.

Chp. 4
Reformed churches have gone through several alterations in theology, perhaps accounting for the plethora of denominations considered to be reformed. They vary greatly with respect to the Catholic Church because of their insistence on the Word of God as final authority vested with the truth. However, churches of this tradition differ amongst each other in regard to proper relations with the state, baptisms, and leadership structure.

Chp. 5
I find a lot of my personal convictions regarding church to be shared by those of the Free Church movement as described in this chapter. The Bible does time and again show that ordinary, unpretentious, "unqualified" men and women can have access to God and minister in his name. True church should seek to allow all members to minister in accordance to their gifts, and not relegate the ministry to men who have "qualifications" – it is God who qualifies.

Chp. 6
The author points out that Pentecostals are concerned with the "lived experience" more than "thematized theology". Personally, I would have to agree with this assertion and would like to add that when experiences are overly thematized, the mystery of God is lost in the analysis and experience undeservedly loses its potency to affect individual change.

Chp. 7
Ecumenism is a biblical and lofty goal. It has been incredibly difficult to establish due to differences in ecclesiology. Although the principle of finding common ground as a means to ecumenism is understandable, territory not claimed as common ground might be heretical – this ought to serve as a warning to those who seek unity above righteousness.

Chp. 8
John Zizioulas speaks of the church as embodied in communion because he observes that the whole order of creation is in relation to one another. He argues that in order to celebrate the Eucharist a bishop is needed, which would limit those without access to a bishop and so stifle attempts at ecumenism.

Chp. 9
Hans Kung speaks against the Catholic clerical leadership method in favor of charismatic leadership as was found in the early church. This form of leadership does not quench the spirit and allows all believers to become "priests of God."

Chp. 10
Wolfhart Pannenberg is a theologian who alludes frequently to ecclesiology in his writings. Central to his theology is ecumenism, believing that a lack of this in the church more than "hardly any other factor obscures the truth of the gospel of Jesus." Hmm.