Write a 6-page review of the article on Ecclesiology to summarize its content and express your opinion regarding the validity of the writer’s conclusions and how effectively he has communicated his ideas.
In a thought-provoking article written for The Journal of Christian Theological Research, Randall Otto argued that the notion of an “invisible church” was a polemical construction by the Reformers to comply with the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds regarding the “holy catholic church”. As the Protestant churches fragmented into different denominations at the institutional level, it was necessary to conceive of unity at the spiritual level. In its classical formulation, the Westminster Confession described the invisible church as constituted by “the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head.” Although the visible church is also recognized as universal in the sense of transcending race, language and culture, priority is given to the invisible church which consists of saints past, present and future known only in the secret, decretive will of God.
Otto argued that the idea of an otherworldly, ‘phantasmal’ church made up of even those who have yet to exist seemed suspiciously Platonic and downplayed the concrete here-and-now presence of the church. He wrote, “If the true church is already made up of all the elect, regardless of existence, then what happens on earth in the human response to God’s revelation in Jesus Christ appears inconsequential.” In the effort to correct problems associated with the distinction between visible and invisible church, he also suggested that the conception of individual election itself could be in need of renovation.
In a sweeping survey of biblical theology, we are introduced to the Reformed emphasis of continuity of the people of God in both old and new covenants. The marks of a church could be seen even in the nation of Israel, in which the sacraments were administered (i.e. circumcision as initiatory rite), a community set apart for worship of God (i.e. deliverance from Egypt and atonement sacrifices), ruled by ecclesiastical leaders (discipline for immoral behaviors and covenant-breaking) and the Word of God was proclaimed (i.e. revelation at Sinai). Although outward forms have changed, the New Testament church is essentially the same people of God. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word qāhāl means “an organized and assembled multitude” and ‘ēdâ means a congregation or company assembled together by appointment. While these words could describe an invisible assembly in some contexts, Otto claimed that it always referred to ‘the angelic counsel’, rather than humans. He favored the idea of a ‘remnant church’ who remained faithful to the teaching, discipline and worship of YHWH within the larger covenantal community. There is a recurring OT theme of God choosing to save an ecclesiola in ecclesia (a small church within the church) that runs through the Flood narrative, the faithful who stood firm during national apostasy, the re-gathering of Israelites from the exile and others.
On the other hand, the New Testament church is also made up of a visibly gathered people. They have identified publicly with Christ in baptism and partook of the Lord’s Supper. Members who unrepentantly indulged in immorality were to be expelled for the sake of its purity (1 Corinth. 5:1-13). Describing the church, Otto wrote, “There are numerous local manifestations of the church, but they are not merely parts of a greater whole, but rather the whole represented in each community. Thus, for example, “the church of God, which is at Corinth” (1 Corinth. 1:2) may be said to be the representation of the whole church as it is visibly present in Corinth.” The necessity of the visible church was found in Calvin’s famous quote that “those to whom God is Father the church may also be Mother.” However, outward membership in the covenant community is not enough if not demonstrated in persevering faith and obedience. There would be people outwardly associated with the NT church who were led astray by sin or idolatry (Hebrew 3:12).
In a thought-provoking article written for The Journal of Christian Theological Research, Randall Otto argued that the notion of an “invisible church” was a polemical construction by the Reformers to comply with the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds regarding the “holy catholic church”. As the Protestant churches fragmented into different denominations at the institutional level, it was necessary to conceive of unity at the spiritual level. In its classical formulation, the Westminster Confession described the invisible church as constituted by “the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head.” Although the visible church is also recognized as universal in the sense of transcending race, language and culture, priority is given to the invisible church which consists of saints past, present and future known only in the secret, decretive will of God. Otto argued that the idea of an otherworldly, ‘phantasmal’ church made up of even those who have yet to exist seemed suspiciously Platonic and downplayed the concrete here-and-now presence of the church. He wrote, “If the true church is already made up of all the elect, regardless of existence, then what happens on earth in the human response to God’s revelation in Jesus Christ appears inconsequential.” In the effort to correct problems associated with the distinction between visible and invisible church, he also suggested that the conception of individual election itself could be in need of renovation.
In a sweeping survey of biblical theology, we are introduced to the Reformed emphasis of continuity of the people of God in both old and new covenants. The marks of a church could be seen even in the nation of Israel, in which the sacraments were administered (i.e. circumcision as initiatory rite), a community set apart for worship of God (i.e. deliverance from Egypt and atonement sacrifices), ruled by ecclesiastical leaders (discipline for immoral behaviors and covenant-breaking) and the Word of God was proclaimed (i.e. revelation at Sinai). Although outward forms have changed, the New Testament church is essentially the same people of God. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word qāhāl means “an organized and assembled multitude” and ‘ēdâ means a congregation or company assembled together by appointment. While these words could describe an invisible assembly in some contexts, Otto claimed that it always referred to ‘the angelic counsel’, rather than humans. He favored the idea of a ‘remnant church’ who remained faithful to the teaching, discipline and worship of YHWH within the larger covenantal community. There is a recurring OT theme of God choosing to save an ecclesiola in ecclesia (a small church within the church) that runs through the Flood narrative, the faithful who stood firm during national apostasy, the re-gathering of Israelites from the exile and others. On the other hand, the New Testament church is also made up of a visibly gathered people. They have identified publicly with Christ in baptism and partook of the Lord’s Supper. Members who unrepentantly indulged in immorality were to be expelled for the sake of its purity (1 Corinth. 5:1-13). Describing the church, Otto wrote, “There are numerous local manifestations of the church, but they are not merely parts of a greater whole, but rather the whole represented in each community. Thus, for example, “the church of God, which is at Corinth” (1 Corinth. 1:2) may be said to be the representation of the whole church as it is visibly present in Corinth.” The necessity of the visible church was found in Calvin’s famous quote that “those to whom God is Father the church may also be Mother.” However, outward membership in the covenant community is not enough if not demonstrated in persevering faith and obedience. There would be people outwardly associated with the NT church who were led astray by sin or idolatry (Hebrew 3:12).
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