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The Vocation, Ministry and Discipleship of the Whole People of God

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The Vocation, Ministry and Discipleship of the Whole People of God Kingdom Calling offers a compelling theological grounding for the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God. Building creatively on previous studies, it challenges all of us to change so that the whole church can serve the whole mission of God in the whole of life. Kingdom Calling provides a thorough diagnosis of the theological factors that have prevented such a vision being realised over previous decades. These factors are embedded in the social realities of our everyday life and in the sometimes- hidden assumptions that shape our thinking in the church. By setting out a sustained proposal for the renewal of our theological imagination, the report points the way to address some deep running fault lines in our common life. Written in an accessible style, Kingdom Calling looks in turn at the vocation, ministry and discipleship of all God’s people, asking what kind of theological thinking and imagining might most help us to flourish together. It affirms and celebrates the vital lay and ordained ministry roles that support the church in God’s mission, and it identifies changes in practice that can better foster the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God. The vocation, ministry ‘It feels that the time is now ripe to heed the call of this report to more manifestly embrace our vocation and discipleship.’ and discipleship of the From the Foreword by Dr Eve Poole, Third Estates Commissioner ‘Kingdom Calling confronts the ways in which we have limited whole people of God our vision of our calling, the church and our discipleship.’ From the Afterword by The Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York The Faith and Order Commission with a Foreword by Eve Poole and an Afterword by Stephen Cottrell www.chpublishing.co.uk Cover design by www.penguinboy.net Kingdom Calling Full Cover FINAL.indd 1 16/09/2020 08:46 Kingdom Calling offers a compelling theological grounding for the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God. Building creatively on previous studies, it challenges all of us to change so that the whole church can serve the whole mission of God in the whole of life. Kingdom Calling provides a thorough diagnosis of the theological factors that have prevented such a vision being realised over previous decades. These factors are embedded in the social realities of our everyday life and in the sometimes- hidden assumptions that shape our thinking in the church. By setting out a sustained proposal for the renewal of our theological imagination, the report points the way to address some deep running fault lines in our common life. Written in an accessible style, Kingdom Calling looks in turn at the vocation, ministry and discipleship of all God’s people, asking what kind of theological thinking and imagining might most help us to flourish together. It affirms and celebrates the vital lay and ordained ministry roles that support the church in God’s mission, and it identifies changes in practice that can better foster the vocation, ministry and discipleship of the whole people of God. The vocation, ministry ‘It feels that the time is now ripe to heed the call of this report to more manifestly embrace our vocation and discipleship.’ and discipleship of the From the Foreword by Dr Eve Poole, Third Estates Commissioner ‘Kingdom Calling confronts the ways in which we have limited whole people of God our vision of our calling, the church and our discipleship.’ From the Afterword by The Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York The Faith and Order Commission with a Foreword by Eve Poole and an Afterword by Stephen Cottrell www.chpublishing.co.uk Cover design by www.penguinboy.net Kingdom Calling Full Cover FINAL.indd 1 16/09/2020 08:46 KINGDOM2.qxp:TEXT 15/09/2020 17:48 Page iii KINGDOM CALLING The Vocation, Ministry and Discipleship of the Whole People of God The Faith and Order Commission KINGDOM2.qxp:TEXT 15/09/2020 17:48 Page iv Downloadable version for local non-commercial use. Book available now from www.chpublishing.co.uk Church House Publishing Church House Great Smith Street London SW1P 3AZ www.chpublishing.co.uk Published 2020 for the Faith and Order Commission of the Church of England by Church House Publishing Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2020 ISBN 978 0 7151 1176 5 (Paperback) ISBN 978 0 7151 1177 2 (Core Source eBook) ISBN 978 0 7151 1178 9 (Kindle Edition) GS Misc 1254 All rights reserved. Other than copies for local, non-commercial use by dioceses or parishes in the Church of England, no part of this publication may be reproduced or stored or transmitted by any means or in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission which should be sought from the Copyright Administrator, The Archbishops’ Council (address above). E-mail: [email protected] Unless otherwise indicated, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version, © 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and are used with permission. All rights reserved. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Typeset by ForDesign iv Copyright The Archbishops' Council 2020 KINGDOM2.qxp:TEXT 15/09/2020 17:48 Page v Contents Preface vi Foreword viii Introduction 1 Origins 1 Outlining the symptoms 4 Towards a diagnosis 9 Overview 15 1. Vocation: Being social creatures 19 Creation, culture and calling 19 Distinguishing different vocations 24 Discernment, conviction, choice and obedience 36 Challenges for vocation 42 2. Ministry: Understanding the Church 43 The trouble with ministry 43 Ministries and missional ecclesiology 48 Interdependence of ministries 57 Challenges for ministry 66 3. Discipleship: Looking to Jesus 67 Discipleship and the kingdom of God 67 Formation on the frontline 75 Discipleship and the diversity of vocations 83 Challenges for discipleship 87 Conclusion: Kingdom Calling 88 Afterword 93 Notes 95 v KINGDOM2.qxp:TEXT 15/09/2020 17:48 Page vi Downloadable version for local non-commercial use. Book available now from www.chpublishing.co.uk Preface by Christopher Cocksworth Bishop of Coventry Chair, Faith and Order Commission The Faith and Order Commission welcomed the call to work with others to ‘Enrich the theology’ that was made when Setting God’s People Free was presented to the General Synod in 2017. Partnership with the Setting God’s People Free team and with Ministry Council and the staff who support it has already borne fruit in the publication last year of Calling All God’s People. Kingdom Calling is a rather different kind of text, aiming to ‘Enrich the theology’ by addressing half-hidden habits of thought that inhibit the realization of our theological ideals about the vocation, ministry, and discipleship of all God’s people. A number of the Commission’s members have been especially closely involved in preparing Kingdom Calling, including Anne Hollinghurst, who chaired the Steering Group for the project, and Loveday Alexander and Joshua Hordern who were members of it, while Jeremy Worthen served as secretary. It has been, however, very much a collaborative endeavour, and many people have contributed their insights, including members of the Ministry Council and its Lay Ministries Advisory Group and members of the Setting God’s People Free Advisory Group. The presentations and the responses to them from participants at the Lambeth Palace colloquium on Calling All God’s People in July 2019 provided a crucial catalyst for this second text, while Nicholas Townsend lent invaluable editorial scrutiny when it was nearing completion. The Commission has been very conscious that many important books have been written on these subjects, and indeed continue to be produced. This is not an attempt to compete in either inspirational content or weight of scholarship, but to help the Church of England do the sort of theological work necessary to undergird the prayer for all God’s people: vi Copyright The Archbishops' Council 2020 KINGDOM2.qxp:TEXT 15/09/2020 17:48 Page vii Preface Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Collect for the ministry of all Christian people, Common Worship vii KINGDOM2.qxp:TEXT 15/09/2020 17:48 Page viii Downloadable version for local non-commercial use. Book available now from www.chpublishing.co.uk Foreword by Eve Poole Third Church Estates Commissioner Kingdom Calling asks a very difficult question: what is the point of all of these worthy Church of England reports, if they have no effect? This one looks at why, despite all the good work done over so many years to rehabilitate the role of the laity, so little has changed. It’s our chance to break this cycle and prove we can plot an alternative future, and to use this report as a spur to deliberate and sustained action to recognize the legitimacy of the ministry of all the baptized. Perhaps this is the kairos moment for Kingdom Calling. The Church is poised to embrace a new Quinquennial Vision and Strategy based on the Five Marks of Mission. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom To teach, baptise and nurture new believers To respond to human need by loving service To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth The Five Marks are often abbreviated to Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure.
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