Introduction
I will argue that Keith Johnson’s defense against a periochoretic reflection of the Holy Trinity reflects an incomplete ecclesiology because it presupposes an individualized perspective on faith, based on the communal nature of the Church, in light of Miraslov Volf’s interpretation of the periochoresis of the Trinity being reflected in the Church. Periochoresis
Individualistic Faith
The biblical understanding of “unity in faith” within the church is fighting a battle with an individualized expression of the Christian faith. (Ep 4:13, NASB) The Christian church in the West, according to Michael Jinkins, suffers from a common belief that church membership is no more than the volunteering of one’s self into a religious society, which offers the individual Christian a restaurant buffet style of choice from which to choose their expression of “private religious views.” A Christian is able choose which ‘church’ to join, based on a set of common interests and personal style. He furthers his contention, that this is such a …show more content…
The prayer of Christ describes the Trinity’s greatest hope for the church:
“that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” (Jn 17:21-23, NASB)
The place of the individual within the Church must not outweigh the place of community within the church, and when expressed through the individual taking part in oneness, it becomes apparent that the Church, the Bride of Christ, is not merely the imitator of the periochoresis, but inheritor of the periochoresis of the Holy
I will argue that Keith Johnson’s defense against a periochoretic reflection of the Holy Trinity reflects an incomplete ecclesiology because it presupposes an individualized perspective on faith, based on the communal nature of the Church, in light of Miraslov Volf’s interpretation of the periochoresis of the Trinity being reflected in the Church. Periochoresis
Individualistic Faith
The biblical understanding of “unity in faith” within the church is fighting a battle with an individualized expression of the Christian faith. (Ep 4:13, NASB) The Christian church in the West, according to Michael Jinkins, suffers from a common belief that church membership is no more than the volunteering of one’s self into a religious society, which offers the individual Christian a restaurant buffet style of choice from which to choose their expression of “private religious views.” A Christian is able choose which ‘church’ to join, based on a set of common interests and personal style. He furthers his contention, that this is such a …show more content…
The prayer of Christ describes the Trinity’s greatest hope for the church:
“that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” (Jn 17:21-23, NASB)
The place of the individual within the Church must not outweigh the place of community within the church, and when expressed through the individual taking part in oneness, it becomes apparent that the Church, the Bride of Christ, is not merely the imitator of the periochoresis, but inheritor of the periochoresis of the Holy