by Cheryl Peterson
Fortress Press, Minneapolis. 176 pages.
Reformations are about identity. The foundation is the same across every reformation, but the former construction on that foundation is razed and a new construction arises. It’s traumatic. In the previous construction the gospel agenda had been con-fused with Constantinian agendas that are now being teased apart. This deconstructive and reconstructive identity work is the calling of our generation. Plus this foundation moves. We are stewards on a flying airplane under construction. Fortunately, God is God and we are along for the ride discerning God’s process, direction, providence and grace. Pass the Maalox.
This discerning work is ecclesiology. Peterson describes the variety of approaches currently propounded by Lutheran and Reformed academic ecclesiologists. This reviewer’s grasp of these discerners and their differences is far from adequate, but I enjoyed Peterson’s assessment and it may guide additional work into the sources she cites. She proposes a nuanced construction preferring an ecclesiology that “starts with the Spirit” in contrast to a more neo-Barthian basis in the “Word-event.” She critically embraces a sacramental perspective noting certain “church as communion” positions. She values the missio dei ecclesiology of the Gospel and Our Culture Network. She proposes a narrative methodology as promising for our identity work as the post-modern church. “Who is the Church?” is then the proper post-modern question in contrast with the modernist question of “What is the nature of the church?” “Who is the Church?” is the better beginning point for perceiving the new creation community the Spirit is breathing to life. She may be marking a shift from the church self-identified/described as a “second exile” community (who moved my temple/cheese?) toward a new Spirit-led recreation of the church narratively connected to the Book of Acts.
I found her latter chapters to be the most useful to see how her reflections might actually make a difference in the identity of a congregation. She lifts up the Nicene marks of the church and encourages their usefulness to our identity work. The Nicene order (one, holy, catholic, apostolic) she proposes reversing such that one builds upon the next. 1. We explore who the church is as an apostolic community. How are we sent to bear witness to God’s eschatological future? 2. Then the church as a catholic/universal community: Does our communion extend to all kinds and classes of people? 3. Church as holy community: How does the particular church live the power of forgiveness? 4. In these factors then we find unity. Across these differences, is koinonia evident among the baptized? That will preach.
She alludes to the work of Diana Butler Bass who describes how this looks in particular spirit-breathed congregations. With a razed construction, shouldn’t the new creative spirit-breathed manifestations of church currently emerging from new and old congregations be the primary source for any ecclesiologist? Here is the new Spirit narrative. Much of this book is a conversation with other academic ecclesiologists. I would hope for more narrative engagement with the apostles/disciples on the ground who are at ground zero of the church re-identifying.
G. WILSON GUNN JR. is general presbyter of National Capital Presbytery.
