Before I get to Scottish Theology, let me ask you a question; do you think that John Calvin’s classical training as a humanist and the emphasis that he brought to the pulpit and church service by way of framing it as a ‘classroom’ was a healthy move or unhealthy for the church? As I recall, Steven Ozment, in his book The Age of Reform, makes this claim about Calvin and his ecclesiastical approach — that the ‘church service should be seen as a classroom’.
If this claim is true, and by no means do we “suffer” from doctrinal teaching today; but I would say, by-in-large, most of our churches our set up in a class-room style. Of course it wasn’t Calvin who invented exposition or teaching, in fact it is quite biblical; since anybody knows that good practice (orthopraxy) flows from ‘Biblically sound doctrine’ (orthodoxy). So maybe my question is misguided; maybe the rather isolated-individualistic church services that represent most of American Evangelicalism (and Reformed) can be blamed on just that — the ‘American psyche’ of Individualism. I just can’t help but wonder what impact Calvin had upon the church formation today; that is in regards to thinking of the church service as a ‘classroom’ instead of a ‘worship service’ where fellowship and communion around Christ and His Word is emphasized. Maybe Ozment is wrong.
My pondering stems from reflecting on I Corinthians 12 and the body life described therein. So many Christians are suffering, as we should be (or the Bible lied about it); yet I don’t see the cross having much play in our worship services today. If we are suffering (say like with cancer, or many other an ailment — physical-mental-or emotional), how is the church service and the time immediately following the service set up in a way where the body can be the body? How is the church service set up in a way that real communion around Jesus and the Word can happen in a way that “when one member of the body is suffering, all of the body suffers?” Is it because the church service is more like a ‘classroom’ that this isn’t happening, is it ‘American Individualism’, or am I just barking up the wrong tree, or something else?
Does John Calvin have any impact upon the way we do church today?
Is it because the church service is more like a βclassroomβ that this isnβt happening, is it βAmerican Individualismβ, or am I just barking up the wrong tree, or something else?
I’d offer up inherently selfish human nature as the culprit before dumping all the blame in Calvin’s lap. Perhaps our understanding of “classroom” needs to be re-evaluated.
If the concept of “classroom” is defined as a preacher/pastor/reverend/father lecturing his less-learned students for a half hour, then I’d say that the concept of church meeting as a “classroom” is faulty. It tends to have an artificial feel that carries over into other aspects of church life.
On the other hand, all of life is a learning opportunity. God teaches His children as individuals on a moment by moment basis. I have nothing against organized teaching sessions, but kids on a field trip, conducting hands-on exploration and allowed to ask questions tend to enjoy and retain information much better than if they are simply handed a text-book or required to take notes while being lectured. I expect that a large proportion of adults who are serious about learning would appreciate being more involved in the service.
how is the church service and the time immediately following the service set up in a way where the body can be the body?
Craig and I both grew up in “traditional” classroom church settings and currently belong to a house-church styled group. Would be happy to share some of our experience and the differences we’ve noticed if your interested.
Heather,
My “gripe” is probably more geared against the ‘attitude’ than having expositional preaching done (which I love). Things, in our experience, are quite distant; I know there are exceptions, and I know that house churches are out there (we know someone who is a “house-church-planter”). It would be nice though if we could bear eachother’s burdens for real though; instead of having a “counseling session” with a Christian psychologist or even with the ‘pastor’. We are too isolated, too “pretty” in the American church. I experienced the “church” when I lived in a dorm house while in Bible college. There was 5 of us, and we were all “older” students; it was awesome to bear eachother’s burdens in that context, and realize the power of the Holy Spirit at work in His body. The “Church” is just not set up this way (in general) and thus caters to the American individualism, which is highly unbiblical.
Would be happy to hear about your house church experience.
I don’t mind expository preaching. Some pastors and Bible study leaders are really good at that and I think a healthy local body ought to have at least one elder/teacher who is capable in this area, if at all possible.
Given my tendency to ramble, it might be better if I answer specific questions about our group.
If you can’t think of anything you’d care to know, I’m okay with just being quiet π
Alright, be quiet then π !
I think expository preaching is commanded in Timothy, so I’m not really trying to undermine that, at all!