Missional Ecclesiology
When PCA Conversations began we asked the five speakers from last year’s Denominational Renewal conference to each contribute one post that related generally to their assigned topic from that conference. So far you’ve read Jeff White on Mission and Jeremy Jones on Theology. Today you’ll hear from Matt Brown on the topic of Ecclesiology. In keeping with the aim of this website to foster real conversation in our denomination–as much as is possible in a virtual medium, at least–we will occasionally publish real conversations instead of text-based reflections. So welcome to the first PCA Conversations podcast. Please continue the conversation in the comments, where Matt and others can answer questions.
Click here to listen to Matt discuss missional ecclesiology and Reformed Catholicity.
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Matt Brown is the planter and pastor of Park Slope Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, NY, and one of the founding pastors of the Brooklyn Church Project. The music in this podcast is taken from PSPC’s Kingsborough Hymns.
Posted: December 1st, 2008 under Catholicity, Contextualization, Ecclesiology, Mission, Mondays, Podcasts.
Comments
Comment from Matt Brown
Time February 12, 2009 at 5:14 pm
John,
Good to hear from you and I’m sorry that I’m so slow in checking in. I don’t even know if you’re going to read this at this point.
I think both of your questions are answered by looking at emphases rather than dichotomies and in so far as I set being creedal against confessional or theological “situatedness” against geographical “situatedness” than I erred in my communication. That is not to say they may never be opposed, but such opposition is not necessary.
Because confessions are denominational or sectarian expansions of the creeds, they are often not in tension one with another. By nature, confessions will go beyond creedal formulations and when they do the frequently emphasize various aspects of the creed over others. For example, the WCF doesn’t deny that the church is apostolic, but that language was intentionally omitted. When that happens, I am going to emphasize the teaching of the creeds over the teaching of the confession. Moreover, I am hoping to shape Christians in my congregation who embrace reformed theology but see themselves as catholics before anything else. That should not be hard for Christians in America to understand. I am loyal to the United States of America, but my national identity is not nearly as important to me as my membership in the Church.
As to varying degrees of situatedness, again I think this is an inevitability in all of life. I would rather live in Brooklyn than be a Presbyterian, but fortunately those are not choices that either situation forces me to make.
Comment from John Muether
Time December 24, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Matt’s interview raises a series of questions. Here are a couple: is it possible to be the “creedal” church that Matt seeks and also the confessional church that the PCA constitution demands? Is Park Slope abandoning one form of situatedness (Presbyterianism) in pursuit of another (Brooklyn)? In both cases, is it necessary to frame the matter as an either/or, as the interview suggests?