Toward a Confessional Theology Within the Churches of Christ

Please HONOR the copyright of these documents by not retransmitting or making any additional copies in any form (Except for private personal use). We appreciate your respectful cooperation. ___________________________ Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN) P.O. Box 30183 Portland, Oregon 97294 USA Website: www.tren.com E-mail: [email protected] Phone# 1-800-334-8736 ___________________________ ATTENTION CATALOGING LIBRARIANS TREN ID# Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) MARC Record # Digital Object Identification DOI # Ministry Focus Paper Approval Sheet This ministry focus paper entitled WE CAN BEAR IT NO LONGER: TOWARD A CONFESSIONAL THEOLOGY WITHIN THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST Written by PAUL A. SMITH and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry has been accepted by the Faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary upon the recommendation of the undersigned readers: _____________________________________ John W. Drane _____________________________________ Kurt Fredrickson Date Received: March 15, 2015 WE CAN BEAR IT NO LONGER: TOWARD A CONFESSIONAL THEOLOGY WITHIN THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY PAUL A. SMITH MARCH 2015 ABSTRACT We Can Bear It No Longer: Toward a Confessional Theology within the Churches of Christ Paul A. Smith Doctor of Ministry School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary 2014 The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the need for members of the Churches of Christ to restore confession in both private and communal worship practices. The major premise is that the men who inspired the movement that gave birth to the modern Churches of Christ either ignored or misunderstood the secular philosophies that influenced their work. As a result, the Churches of Christ as a whole have marginalized the practice of confession, and that marginalization has had several adverse effects on the churches. Recognition of those philosophies, combined with an honest critique of the most common hermeneutical principle derived from those philosophies, allows for a new perspective of the current crises confronting the Churches of Christ. The thesis is explored through the examination of three distinct themes. A general history of the Churches of Christ reveals the absence of a confessional theology, and a number of explanations for that absence. A survey of the Bible shows that confession is multi-faceted, and all of the forms of confession occur throughout Scripture. Finally, a review of Christian history proves how confession has been a major component of the life of discipleship in every age. An additional study of the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer validates the overall thesis and demonstrates the value of learning from traditions outside of one’s own narrow understanding of Scripture and history. The study concludes that a confessional theology must begin with a proper understanding of the transcendence of God and the sinfulness of human beings. Specific practices are valuable in nurturing a life of confession, but the acts of confession must originate in the core of a confessional theology. Specific disciplines for confession, both individual and communal, are provided as an entry point into a deeper life of confession. Content Reader: John Drane, PhD Words: 295 To Susan and Kylee You helped me hear the voice in my heart ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Shirley Rollinson of Eastern New Mexico University, and David Heflin, preaching minister for the Third and Kilgore Church of Christ in Portales New Mexico, for their willingness to read the manuscript of this dissertation. Their comments and suggestions were invaluable. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv INTRODUCTION 1 PART ONE: CONTEXT Chapter 1. THE HISTORY OF AN AHISTORICAL MOVEMENT 9 Chapter 2. THEOLOGICAL AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: A BURDEN TOO HEAVY TO BEAR 30 PART TWO: THEOLOGY Chapter 3. LISTENING TO CONFESSION IN SCRIPTURE: A BIBLICAL SURVEY 52 Chapter 4. HEARING THE CONFESSION OF OTHERS: A SURVEY OF CONFESSIONAL LITERATURE 79 Chapter 5. A CASE STUDY: DIETRICH BONHOEFFER AND THE CONFESSION OF A CONFESSING PASTOR 101 PART THREE: PRACTICES AND DISCIPLINE Chapter 6. BECOMING A CHRISTIAN SHAPED BY CONFESSION 122 Chapter 7. BECOMING A COMMUNITY SHAPED BY CONFESSION 146 CONCLUSION 171 BIBLIOGRAPHY 178 v INTRODUCTION This study is born out of a deep love for the family of Christians known in the United States as the Churches of Christ. A large number of ministers, elders, deacons, university teachers, and common members have taught me how to answer questions about God and my faith. Through my experiences among this fiercely independent association of congregations, I have learned the art of dispassionate thinking, critical questioning, and hopeful searching. The Churches of Christ in the United States are the inspiration for this study. However, the study is also intended for all disciples of Jesus who can identify a need in their lives to explore the spiritual discipline of confession. Many Christian traditions possess a rich heritage of confessionalism. Many do not, and even if a tradition has an element of confession, it is hoped this study can be used to deepen that component. The Churches of Christ in the United States in the twenty-first century have experienced a decades-long crisis of identity. Partially because of this crisis there is a growing apprehension that a major schism in the Movement is either imminent or has already occurred. This current challenge is the latest in a number of critical moments for the Churches of Christ. Although scholars and preaching ministers have produced many valuable doctrinal and practical studies during this turbulent period, none have addressed the specific issue of confession. This void provides an opportunity for the exploration of the spiritual discipline of confession, and a more comprehensive theology of confessionalism, within the Churches of Christ. 1 The terminology used in this study requires some clarification. It will be demonstrated that the concept of “confession” has at least four applications throughout the Bible. First, there are a number of positive connotations. These include the human adoration and praise to God, the declaration of faith in God, and the acknowledgement of the truth of a proposition. Second, there is the offering of thanksgiving and gratitude. Third, there is a declaration of physical and spiritual hardship through lament. Finally, by far the most modern understanding of the concept, there is the negative connotation of the acknowledgment of sin. In addition to these biblical usages of the word confession, during the Reformation movements highlighted by Martin Luther and John Calvin, another meaning of the word gained prominence. That use was of a specific Confession of Faith, which served to give identity to one assembly of Christians as distinct from others who observed a different Confession of Faith. The term “confessional theology” as used in this study is to suggest a comprehensive understanding of the nature and practices of confession. A confessional theology must include the confession of a transcendent God and praise for his work in the world. It must also include an acknowledgment of human failure, and an acceptance of the consequences of that failure. A confessional theology, however, must not be limited to verbal declarations. A confessional theology requires behavior consistent with the understanding of the supremacy of God and the fallibility of humankind. A confessional theology leads to confessional practices that both demonstrate and promote a confessional lifestyle. 2 The terms “confessional” or “confessionalism” are used interchangeably. They refer to a lifestyle, a pervasive sense of the power of confession and an acceptance of the practices of confession. As used in this study these words are inspired by the body of work produced by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the young theologian who participated in the church struggle against Nazism before and during World War II. Bonhoeffer was a leading figure in the “Confessing Church” in Germany, a movement so named because of the members’ adherence to the foundational confession of faith in Jesus as the exclusive Lord of all. An important part of this study examines the implications of what it means to be a confessional movement, especially as that term relates to the American Restoration Movement. The study of the theology of confession and related practices is important for at least two reasons. First, there is an often-unconscious connection between a person’s philosophical foundations and that individual’s practical choices, especially in a religious context. Much of a person’s philosophy and theology is invisible: unless that person intentionally examines his or her physical, social, and spiritual perspectives, he or she just assumes that a belief or an action is correct because it makes sense in that situation at that time. This process can be demonstrated in the life of Alexander Campbell, one of the foundational leaders of the American Restoration Movement. Campbell functioned in the realm of Enlightenment Modernism in general and the American pioneer spirit in particular. For twenty-first century members of the Churches of Christ, as well as for those in the other Christian denominations, this means living and working in the realm of 3 Postmodernism. A major aspect

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