Totus Christus Applied: A Course in Missional Ecclesiology
Course Description:
The Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us; to that flesh is joined the church, and there is made Total Christ, head and body.
St. Augustine, On the Epistle of John 1.2.
This course seeks to construct a theological vision in missional ecclesiology as especially targeting church planters and church planting apprenticship programs. The various topics are studied as an investigation in ascension Christology applied in Missional Ecclesiology, or Augustine’s Totus Christus thesis as dervived from a redemptive historical understanding of scripture in conversation with reformed catholicity.
As such, the church, more than a source of missions, is conceived as the very epi-center of the kingdom of God, the temple-church as then more than a source of mission, but the very mediatorical presence of Christ as the locus of mission, or Christ vis-à-vis history! As such, what once might have been studied as an ecclesial philosophy of ministry is now studied as a topic of sotoriology. What was once mere church polity is now missional practice. To study then the church is to study the very ascension ministry of Christ as in and through the church that is therefore missionary by her very nature . For in the words of John Calvin about the missional nature of church:
No extent of space interferes with the boundless energy of the Spirit which transfuses life into us from the flesh of Christ?
John Calvin, Corpus Reformatorum
Study Guides for selected readings below: Collection of MA Study Guides
I. After Modernistic Christendom, WHAT?
Lesslie Newbigin:
- (Read) The Gospel In Today's Global City
- (Read) Religious Pluralism: A Missiological Perspective
- (Read)The Gospel in A Pluralistic Society, Chapter 18, "The Congregation As the Hermenutic of the Gospel"
(Read) Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture, Introduction, Chapter 21. Christopher Watkin
Supplemental:
Lesslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks
II. Ascension Christology Rediscovered and Applied: (Ecclesial Ontology)
(READ): James Farrow, Ascension and Ecclesia, Chapter 1
(Review Handout): Ascension Rediscovered and Applied
(READ) Richard Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, Chapter 2:The Gift of the Spirit
(READ): T.F. Torrance, Royal Priesthood, Chapter 2 "Function of the Body
c.f. Royal Priesthood Study Guide in above folder
Supplemental:
David Moser, Totus Christus: A Proposal for Protestant Christology and Ecclesiology (Pro Ecclesia 29 no. 1 (2020))
David Moser, Corpus Mysticum: A Response to Vanhoozer, Horton, and Allen
Carl Mosser, The Greatest Possible Blessing: Calvin and Deification: Calvin and Deification (SJT 55(1): 36±57 (2002) Printed in the United Kingdom 5 2002 Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd)
II. Totus Christus Explored
(Read Handout) A Primer in Totus Christus Spirituality, Preston Graham
(Close Skim) Totus Christus: A Proposal for Protestant, David Moser
(READ) Preston Graham Jr. Ascension Christology Explored Relative to the Minus Triplex: Does Totus Christus Ecclesiology Contradict Solus Christus?
Supplemental:
A Prolegomena in Total Christ Ecclesiology, (unpublished rough draft), Preston Graham
III. Five Marks of The Church
- Part 1: Ecclesial Ontology ( "Nature of Grace"- What the Church Is by Her Nature)
- Missional Church: Christ's Mediatorial Temple Presence vis-a-vis Ecclesia
- Gospel Centered Church: Christ As Mediatorial Covenant Paradigm asscomplished vis-a-vis Ecclesia
- Part 2: Ecclesiology Epistomology ("Means of Grace"-- The Three Vocational Activities of Christ vis-a-vis Ecclesia
- Prophet: The Confessional Church by Christ's Proclamation
- Priest: The Sacramental Church by Christ's Efficacious Presence
- King: The Communal Church Under Christ's Exclusive Lordship
Read: The Ascension of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine (Snapshots), by
A. Missional Church: Temple Trajectory in Redemptive History
(c.f Why Church Plant? )
(READ) Preston Graham, Jr., An Ecclesial Spirituality of Conversion
(READ) Preston Graham, Jr., A Sacramental Theology of the Gospel (1st published verison of "High Church" Spirituality)
c.f. Preston Graham, High Ecclesia - Temple Trajectory in Redemptive History
(READ) Tim Keller, The Missional Church
(READ) Tim Keller, Evangelistic Worship
(SKIM with Notes) Greg Thompson, "The Hospitality of Christ for a Secular Age" with notes
(Read) Lesslie Newbigin, The Reunion of the Church, Chapter 2: “The Israel of God”
Lesslie Newbigin, Logic of Mission
B. High Gospel Church: Covenant Trajectory in Redemptive History
(SKIM) Preston Graham, Jr., High Gospel - Covenant Trajectory in Redemptive History
(READ) James Bannerman, The Church of Christ, Vol. 1, Part 1, Chapter 2, Part 2: Chapter 1, 3, 4, 5
- The Church of Christ (Part 1, Chapter 2),
- The Church of Christ (Part 2, Chapters 1 and 3),
- The Church of Christ (Part 2, Chapters 4 and 5),
Applied to Moralism:
- Tim Keller, The Centrality of the Gospel
Applied to Cultural Engagement:
- (READ) Preston Graham, The Centrality of the Church As A Social Strategy (Interacts with Post-Liberal and Includes Reformed Pedigree)
or
- Preston Graham, Church-Culture Engagement, (MA Paper that interacts with Tim Keller on topic)
IV. Sacramental: The Mediatorial Presence of Christ as Priest
(Read) Worship and Sabbath
(Read) Worship and Sabbath 2
(READ) Preston Graham, The Mystery and Manners of Sacramental Efficacy (paper delivered at April 29, 2017 Southern New England Presbytery)(READ) James Torrance, Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace (ch.1, ch. 2 skim)Handout.Notes
(READ) John Williamson Nevin, The Mystical Presence... Chapter 1, Section 1: “Statement of Doctrine,” Chapter 3, Section 2, “The Mystical Union,” (Skim) Section 3: “The Lord’s Supper”
(READ) John Calvin, Short Treatise on the Supper of Our Lord
(READ) Preston Graham Handout, From Baptism to Lord's Supper (The issue of when to admit children to Lord’s Supper)
(SKIM) Preston Graham, A Baptism That Saves: The Reformed and Sacramental Doctrine of Baptism Argued and Clarified
(SKIM) Preston Graham, The 19th Century Presbyterian Debate in Sacramental Theology: Hodge vs. Nevin
(SKIM) Preston Graham (Handout), Worship (from Confessional Theology)
Supplemental:
Lee Irons, The Sabbath As An Eschatological Sign of the Covenant
V. Communal: The Mediatorial Presence of Christ as King
Applied to Polity and Ecclesial Power:
(READ) Edmund Clowney, Distinctive Emphases in Presbyterian Polity
(READ): Lesslie Newbigin, The Household of God, Chapter 1-3
(SKIM) James Bannerman, The Church of Christ, Part 1: chapters 2-6, Part 2: 1, 3
(READ) Preston Graham, The Liturgy of Polity
Preston Graham Jr, Handouts:
- (READ) First Things in Biblical Ecclesiology
- (SKIM) The Preliminary Principles of Church Power
- (READ) Presbyterian Polity: An Organic and Multi-Form Vision
- (READ) Principles of Order for a Fair, Efficient, and Principled Process
Applied to Mercy
(READ)Richard Hayes, Ecclesiology and Ethics
(SKIM) Preston Graham, Gospel Empowerment, Vision Anabaino #3,
Handouts
Communal Correction, Confession, and Forgiveness
Life Together, D. Bonhoeffer (chapter 1)
Applied to Ecumenism:
(READ) Preston Graham, Jr., Lesslie Newbigin's Missional Ecclesiology Explored: A Christo-Centric proposal for Ecumenism in today’s Global Context
(READ) Michael Allen and Scott Swain, "Reformed Catholicity" Introduction and Chapter 1
VI. Confessional: The Mediatorial Presence of Christ as Prophet
(Read) Kevin Vanhoozer Introduction and Conclusion of "Drama of Doctrine"
(SKIM) Samuel Miller, Doctrinal Integrity (esp. Chapter 1, “Arguments in Favor of Creeds,” Chapter 2 Answers for “Objections to Creeds”, “Concluding Remarks”)
(READ) Carl Trueman, The Creedal Imperative
(SKIM) Preston Graham (Handout), Confessional Theology Review
John Weber, Confession and Confessions (Chapter 1),
VII. Pastoral Theology In Missional Ecclesiology
(READ). Preston Graham, A Priest With No Name: Rediscovering Pastoral Identity and Practice
(READ), Purves, Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition, Introduction and Conclusion,
(READ) Philip Graham Ryken, The Suffering and the Glory: Pastoral Ministry in Union with Christ
(READ)Preston Graham, The Use of Clerical Attire