Please go toctcumc.org/BBBS - chat or Twitter.com/#CTCStudy

if you are participating via the live webcast and would like to ask a question, make a comment

and/or share a summary of your group discussion.Questions & Comments from the web will be addressed as time permits.

Bishop’s Brown Bag Book StudyChapter 7 – Church: More Catholic than Magisterial

Chapter 8 – Ministry: More Empowering than TriumphalCentral Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church

Bishop Mike Lowry, Winter 2015

Hey Wesley, Looketh over

there!

Where?

Ha-Ha! I madest thou

looketh!

Dids’t Thou? Don’t you mean that God hath predestined that I would looketh since

before time began? Surely you don’t suggest that I looketh of

mine own free will?

Yeah, well at least I can grow a beard.

More Catholic than MagisterialThe Nature of the Church

1. Faithful to historic creedal affirmations2. Only one church3. More invisible than visible4. The Church is holy due to Christ’s work

Reformed Definition1. “Wherever we see the Word of God purely

preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists” [cf. Eph. 3:20]• Word• Sacrament• Order (implied)

2. Outside the church (elect) there is no salvation (and we can’t be sure who is elect even if they are in the church!)

Context Duly Considered

1. All assumed one church; the issue was “which one?”

2. Strongly anti-Roman Catholic church as an institution

Calvin’s Magisterial Understanding

1. Collaboration between church & state (state churches of Europe)

2. High teaching authority of clergy3. A Christendom view of church4. Strong church discipline

Faithful Beliefs, Faithful Living1. Connection of belief & practice2. Orthodoxy / Orthokardia /

Orthopraxis – inseparable 33. Allowed latitude on doctrine &

theology (within boundaries)4. Live and die an Anglican

Catholic Spirit1. A hallmark of Methodist

ecclesiology2. “Now, wherever doctrine is

preached, where there is not discipline, it cannot have its full effect upon hearers.” (p. 101)

3. Distinguishing marks: holy, catholic, and apostolic

Wesley’s Context

1. Radically open for its day2. Civil authority should provide

for religious freedom3. Church & State complementary

not collaborative as in Calvin’s point of view

InterludeWhat would you describe as the distinguishing marks of the church? Are they one, holy, catholic, and apostolic? Are they the preaching of the pure word of God (the Bible), and the proper administration of the sacraments? Both? (#2)

What is the role of church discipline? How important is it for the life of the church and its members? How ought church discipline to occur? (#4)

Ministry:More Empowering

Than TriumphalA Common Core

1. Both were involved2. Both held to a high

preaching ministry

Calvin higher teaching ministry

Wesley much more involved missional activity

Thorsen: “Wesley represents a more compelling role model” (p.107)

Varieties

Calvin’s View – Context Revisited

1. Working to restore orthodox Christianity

2. Emphasis on the “Word of God”3. Working to establish a new or

“renewed/restored” church – the triumph of Reformed Theology

4. Offices: pastor and teacher (Eph. 4:11)5. Cessationism, the Holy Spirit &

Sola Scriptura

Wesley’s View –Counterpoint

1. Episcopal – superintending structure2. Conference/Society/Class meeting3. Social holiness – corporate fellowship

& accountability4. High doctrine of the Holy Spirit!5. High understanding of the role of lay

ministers, including women!6. Care of the poor as a constant focus

TULIP or ACURA

Calvinism – TULIP Wesleyanism – ACURA1. Total depravity 1. All are sinful2. Unconditional election 2. Conditional election3. Limited atonement 3. Unlimited atonement4. Irresistible grace 4. Resistible grace5. Perseverance of the saints

5. Assurance of salvation

ctcumc.org/BBBS -chat or Twitter.com/#CTCStudy

Calvinism and Wesleyanism

HEARTFELT APPRECIATION Thank you all for your participation.

Our next topic will be Christology & the meetings hopefully to be held in

the South or Central District

Watch ctcumc.org/BishopBrownBag for details.

Bishop’s Brown Bag Book StudyCentral Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church

Bishop Mike Lowry, Winter 2015