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From synagogue to church : public services and offices in the earliest Christian communities / James Tunstead Burtchaell.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1992Description: xviii, 375 pages ; 23 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 0521418925
Subject(s): LOC classification:
  • BV648 .B83 1992
Contents:
1. The Reformation: challenge to an old consensus -- 2. The nineteenth century: a new consensus is formulated -- 3. The early twentieth century: the consensus is disputed -- 4. The last fifty years: the consensus restated, rechallenged, reused -- 5. A search for a new hypothesis -- 6. Jewish community organization in the later Second Temple period -- 7. The officers of the synagogue -- 8. Community organization in the early Christian settlement
Summary: This important work engages with a long historical debate: were the earliest Christians under the direction of ordained ministers, or under the influence of inspired laypeople? Who was in charge: bishops, elders and deacons, or apostles, prophets and teachers? Rather than trace Church offices backwards, Burtchaell examines the contemporary Jewish communities and finds evidence that Christians simply continued the offices of the synagogue. Thus, he asserts that from the very first they were presided over by officers. The author then advances the provocative view that in the first century it was not the officers who spoke with the most authority. They presided, but did not lead, and deferred to more charismatic laypeople. Burtchaell sees the evidence in favor of the Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican view that bishops have always presided in the Christian Church. At the same time he argues alongside the Prostestants that in its formative era the Church deferred most to the judgment of those who were inspired, yet never ordained.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode
Print book for loan Krauth Memorial Branch Philadelphia General Collection BV648 .B83 1992 1 Available 31794000607508
Print book for loan Lineberger Memorial Library Southern Circulating Collection (Main & Upper Levels) BV648 .B83 1992 1 Available 35898000148607
Print book for loan Wentz Memorial Branch Gettysburg General Collection (Lower Level) BV648 .B83 1992 1 Available 31826000141730

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

G: oclc 3-12-93 /oc393

S: 9211 179

This important work engages with a long historical debate: were the earliest Christians under the direction of ordained ministers, or under the influence of inspired laypeople? Who was in charge: bishops, elders and deacons, or apostles, prophets and teachers? Rather than trace Church offices backwards, Burtchaell examines the contemporary Jewish communities and finds evidence that Christians simply continued the offices of the synagogue. Thus, he asserts that from the very first they were presided over by officers. The author then advances the provocative view that in the first century it was not the officers who spoke with the most authority. They presided, but did not lead, and deferred to more charismatic laypeople. Burtchaell sees the evidence in favor of the Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican view that bishops have always presided in the Christian Church. At the same time he argues alongside the Prostestants that in its formative era the Church deferred most to the judgment of those who were inspired, yet never ordained.

1. The Reformation: challenge to an old consensus -- 2. The nineteenth century: a new consensus is formulated -- 3. The early twentieth century: the consensus is disputed -- 4. The last fifty years: the consensus restated, rechallenged, reused -- 5. A search for a new hypothesis -- 6. Jewish community organization in the later Second Temple period -- 7. The officers of the synagogue -- 8. Community organization in the early Christian settlement

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