The theological underpinnings of shaping communities
The purpose of the following essay is to make a critical review of the chapter in the book Abundant Practical theology, Theological Education, and Christian Ministry written by Dorothy C. and Craig Dysktra in the year 2008.[1] The chapter that will be reviewed in this paper will be the Chapter 13. The name of the chapter is Shaping Communities: Pastoral Leadership and Congregational Formation. This chapter has many theological underpinnings that will be discussed in this essay. The topic deals with the issues raised in the nineteenth and twentieth century churches in America. The various artistic features of the Biblical images would be focal points. The various artistic matters in the images of Christ have been discussed in this chapter of the book.
This chapter has discussed about the several things about the Biblical images in the different American cities like Wisconsin and others. The churches are the major architectural examples of the different ages. This is why the painting clouds have a huge significance in the Biblical traditions of the century. According to the authors, the Europrans came to America and had to live quite a hard life there. The immigrants from the Northern Europe came to that place and they faced many difficulties in those regions. The land was completely flat compared to that of the European ones. The chapter talks about an image with the etched glass above the altar in the church. The areas where the reflection could be felt were the North Dakota, Kansas City, Nebraska and other areas. According to the authors of the book, none of the people are aware of the reason of building that image and its significance. It is because it was prepared centuries ago. However, the reason can be said to be the design of the painting in a fantastic manner. The image of Christ in this painting seems to elevate him from the world and taking Him beyond the clouds indeed.[2] The authors have said in the book as “Christ going up, up and away”. This sentence seems that Christ has been portrayed in a manner that He is disappearing into the clouds and the disciples are merely watching the incidence indeed. The theme of transcendence for Jesus Christ has been portrayed in this chapter in a very crafty manner indeed.
The chapter discusses about the ascension image of the Christ. In this light many things can be said from the account of the New Testament. The theme that has been set here is that of the difference between the presence of Jesus Christ and His absence. It will leave an indelible mark in the psychology of the millions of followers of Christ indeed. The theme of the Holy Spirit has also been evoked by the authors as well.[3] The expert theologians have given their opinion that this image of Christ has an utmost importance indeed. The sudden absence of Christ from this universe will make the entire things hollow. Jesus Christ has said that the ultimate powers of God will free the human beings from all the shackles of life and the Holy Spirit will surely erase all the confusions that they have in this universe.[4] As per the view of the authors, the disciples had made their journey back to Jerusalem and this had been a very eventful day for all the followers of Christianity as well. The followers became very much afraid about the concept of disappearance of people from their lives. According to the experts, Jesus Christ “had left the keys to the kingdom in their fumbling hands”
Artistic features of the Biblical images
The vision of Christ and His Christian beliefs will be the topic of this section. The followers will have to find out the actual meaning of the absence of the Christ from the world and the responsibilities that they will have to take upon their shoulders in order to finish the unfinished job of the Christ. They will have to follow the orders of the Christ. They will pray for the well-being of the entire world for the betterment of the world and enlighten the knowledge of the people by the messages of Jesus. According to the theologians the Holy Scripture says that God always “cherishes the idea of forming a visible body”. The thought of the personal salvation has always been the predominant theme of the Bible. However, the main idea of God is to form the community or ‘ekklesia’ in this idea.[5]
The topic of this section is to discuss upon the various themes regarding the formation of the pastoral community.[6] Some experts have said that the pastoral Christian community can be formed within the local congregations. However, this is not at all the case indeed. On the contrary it can be said that the “local congregation is not the sole place to experience the richly textured Christian community” Some expert theologians like Martin Luther and Thomas Aquinas have brought their views to the light by saying that the idea of ‘fellowship of faith’ can be one very good example of the entire matter indeed. The idea cannot be just in the way of making the collection of the ‘individual acts of faith’ It is just the opposite fact indeed. It is very important to fostering of the communities through some specific beliefs and ideas and creates a more unified community indeed. As per the sources of the book, theologian John Courtney Murray once had told that the churches in the early period were nothing but just conspiracy. The early Christians had always believed in relying on the gracious spirit of God in a shared manner with the manner of togetherness.[7]
The theme of St. Savior will be discussed in this section with the advent of the beliefs of Christianity at the first place. This chapter could be taken as a future minister for the St. Savior in the proper manner indeed. The main theme of the book is to depict upon forming the world with the reliance on the people inside it.[8] The purpose is to form a way of life. The savior of the world will depict the ways the lives are being saved and life forms are prepared. According to the authors, the form of life will have no significance if it does not cater to the service of the human beings and serving the Christian communities.[9] In order to form a way of life, the pastoral communities should be united. The experts have argued that the lives of the people might change over times through the use of the sermons, conversations, programs or the insights into the problems.[10] It takes some time for the Christian people to live the proper ‘Christian’ life indeed. The future practices will have to be made for the St. Savior. The proper fostering would be required for preparation of the communal lives. According to the authors the difference is created by the pastoral leadership indeed. The pastor is the person who assists to shape the kind of this community in the Christian lives.[11]
Ascension image of Christ
The proper pastoral leadership quality will be embodied by integrating some of the proper personal qualities and the pastoral habits indeed. As said by T.S. Eliot ‘life and community are linked with praise’. The main theme of Christianity begins with the aspects of prayer and worship.[12] The communal matters will have to be brought to light indeed. The liturgical matters will have to be taken into account as per the experts as well. The leadership in the worship program will include the different matters like the questioning, inquiring and other factors.[13] The ‘sleepy souls’ will have to be put in the proper place indeed. It can be said from this viewpoint that the image of the Christ in the churches in the nineteenth and twentieth century would be a perfect model for enlightening the world in the best ways indeed. It is duly the responsibility of the pastors to reinvent all the good things in the world indeed. The sense of gratitude should be conveyed between one person to another and this should minister the future practices of the St. Savior by the arrangement of the pastors and the congregations.
Conclusion
As discussed from the chapter of the book, it can be concluded that the pastoral leadership should be conveyed by the people in the best ways for the sake of the improvement of the human beings and the entire world. The unification among the human beings will have to be made in this section as well since the world will crave for the enlightenment of the human beings. The pastoral leadership commitments will have to be conveyed to the common people. The gratitude to the human beings should be made and the image of the Jesus Christ suggests the condition of the Christian followers on earth after the disappearance of God.
References
Bass, Dorothy C., and Craig Dykstra, eds. For life abundant: Practical theology, theological education, and Christian ministry. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008.
Cartledge, Mark J. Practical theology: Charismatic and empirical perspectives. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012.
Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. Trinity and Religious Pluralism: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology of Religions. Routledge, 2017.
Levy, Ian Christopher. Holy Scripture and the Quest for Authority at the End of the Middle Ages. University of Notre Dame Press, 2012.
McGrath, Alister E. Christian theology: An introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2016.
Migliore, Daniel L. Faith seeking understanding: An introduction to Christian theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2014.
Patterson, Paige. Revelation: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. Vol. 39. B&H Publishing Group, 2012.
Placher, William C., and Derek R. Nelson. A History of Christian Theology: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press, 2013.
Reader, John. Reconstructing practical theology: The impact of globalization. Routledge, 2017.
Swinton, John, and Harriet Mowat. Practical theology and qualitative research. SCM press, 2016.
[1] Bass, Dorothy C., and Craig Dykstra, eds. For life abundant: Practical theology, theological education, and Christian ministry. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008.
[2] Migliore, Daniel L. Faith seeking understanding: An introduction to Christian theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2014.
[3] Bass, Dorothy C., and Craig Dykstra, eds. For life abundant: Practical theology, theological education, and Christian ministry. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008.
[4] Cartledge, Mark J. Practical theology: Charismatic and empirical perspectives. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012.
[5] Bass, Dorothy C., and Craig Dykstra, eds. For life abundant: Practical theology, theological education, and Christian ministry. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008.
[6] Swinton, John, and Harriet Mowat. Practical theology and qualitative research. SCM press, 2016.
[7] Cartledge, Mark J. Practical theology: Charismatic and empirical perspectives. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012.
[8] McGrath, Alister E. Christian theology: An introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2016.
[9] Placher, William C., and Derek R. Nelson. A History of Christian Theology: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press, 2013.
[10] Reader, John. Reconstructing practical theology: The impact of globalization. Routledge, 2017.
[11] Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. Trinity and Religious Pluralism: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology of Religions. Routledge, 2017.
[12] Levy, Ian Christopher. Holy Scripture and the Quest for Authority at the End of the Middle Ages. University of Notre Dame Press, 2012.
[13] Patterson, Paige. Revelation: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. Vol. 39. B&H Publishing Group, 2012.
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