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Durham E-Theses Charles Gore and the Theology of Priesthood PARKER-MCGEE, ROBERT,THOMAS How to cite: PARKER-MCGEE, ROBERT,THOMAS (2016) Charles Gore and the Theology of Priesthood , Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11848/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk R. T. Parker-McGee Charles Gore and the Theology of Priesthood Abstract The following dissertation is an investigation into the constitutive elements of a theology of priesthood to be found within the work of Charles Gore. Looking at Gore’s thought over a whole range of theological areas, this dissertation advances Gore’s theology of priesthood and develops his rich theological legacy with fresh insight into what he suggests the ordained priesthood may be called to be and do. As such it uncovers how the theology of priesthood is tied into Gore’s entire theological vision, connecting to his accounts of the Church, the sacraments and the incarnation. It uncovers fresh aspects to Gore’s understanding of the Church and its ministerial orders. 1 Charles Gore and the Theology of Priesthood Constitutive Elements of a Theology of Priesthood to be found within the Theological Writings of Charles Gore In One Volume By Robert Thomas Parker-McGee MA by Research The Department of Theology and Religion Durham University Submitted: July 2016 2 Contents Declaration & Acknowledgements p.4 Introduction a) An Outline of this Dissertation and its Aspirations p.5 b) A Biographical Sketch of Charles Gore p.11 c) A Note on Charles Gore’s Approach p.17 Chapter 1: The Incarnation and Priesthood a) Introduction p.21 b) The Necessity of the Incarnation p.22 c) The Incarnation; Natural and Supernatural p.32 d) Did Christ sin? p.43 e) The Resurrection and Ascension; Drawing us p.48 back into Relationship with God f) The Church an Extension of the Incarnation p.57 g) Concluding Thoughts p.62 Chapter 2: The Evidence of History a) Introduction p.63 b) The Foundation of the Church p.65 c) Common Unity of the Church p.70 d) The Threefold Ministry: Bishops, Priests p.78 and Deacons e) Concluding Thoughts p.96 Chapter 3: Sacramental Principles a) Introduction and a Beginning to p.98 Sacramental Principles b) The Church’s Nature and Purpose p.102 c) The Personal, the Corporate and the Eternal p.110 d) The Eucharist p.115 e) The Ordained Priesthood and p.122 the Priesthood of All Believers i. Baptism and the ‘Priesthood p.124 of All Believers’ ii. The Ordained Priesthood p.128 f) Sacraments – Social Ceremonies p.131 g) Sacraments and the Soul p.134 h) Concluding Thoughts p.138 Conclusion and Application to the Present Situation a) Gore’s Theology of Priesthood as Discussed p.140 in this Dissertation b) A General State of Concern p.151 i. Individualism p.152 ii. Task over Office p.153 iii. Experientialism p.156 Bibliography p.160 3 Declaration The Copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Acknowledgements My most sincere thanks go to Prof Mike Higton for his attentiveness and help during moments of peril in the production of this dissertation. It has not always been an easy journey trying to balance this research degree with having to run two parishes and being a dutiful husband and father. I thank him for turning an armchair theologian into one that, when prodded, thinks a little more systematically. Thanks also go to Mr Robert Wootton for proof reading this text prior to submission: I owe him a huge debt of gratitude. I also thank Sarah, Jasmine and Thomas for their support and patience. 4 Charles Gore and the Theology of Priesthood Introduction a) An Outline of this Dissertation and its Aspirations. The following dissertation is an investigation into the constitutive elements of a theology of priesthood to be found within the work of one of the most enduring authorities on the subject: Charles Gore. Charles Gore is commonly held to be one of the most significant theological thinkers of the turn of the twentieth century. He offers insights into all of the common themes of theological thought, and in so doing shows a remarkable intellect and an impressive dedication to the historical well of thinking from within the Christian tradition. According to Peter Waddell, ‘Gore is a model of how to write theologically. His was a big mind, ranging freely over all the central theological themes and with a seamless vision of how theology, Christology, ecclesiology, sacraments, Scripture, ethics and politics all flowed into each other. Christians should read Gore today to see what a coherent vision looks like, and how being soaked in the ancient traditions of the Church fits one to interpret and engage modern society, culture and politics.’1 This is some commendation and one I wholeheartedly support. From this standpoint, this dissertation looks to focus most intently upon one aspect of Gore’s theological thought, the theology of priesthood. It is my opinion that any investigation into incarnational theology, ecclesiology or theology of priesthood will be far richer as a result of exploring what Gore 1 Peter Waddell, Charles Gore: Radical Anglican (London: Canterbury Press, 2014), p. xxxv 5 has to offer the discussion of these fields. Many theological investigations into Christology, ecclesiology and theology of priesthood make note of Gore’s contributions to these areas of theological thought.2 There are also a number of investigations that offer a more precise focus upon Gore’s life and the wide scope of his theology.3 This research project will draw upon a wide selection of these works. Nevertheless, it is my understanding that there has not to date been any extended investigation that has aspired to drawing a more complete theological understanding of Gore’s theology of priesthood that has also included within it reflections on how that theology of priesthood relates to other aspects of his theological thought, such as the incarnation and the sacraments. Therefore, in the chapters that follow I am going to explore Gore’s thought regarding the theology of priesthood, and I will for the first time show how the theology of priesthood is tied in to his whole theological vision, connecting to his accounts of the Church, the sacraments and the incarnation. This dissertation provides an original exegesis of Gore’s work from this perspective, illuminating both his theology of priesthood and the other topics connected to it. This investigation will also uncover fresh aspects to Gore’s 2 e.g. C. Stephen Evans (ed.), Exploring Kenotic Christology (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 2006); Stephen T. Davis, Daniel Kendall, Gerald O’Collins (eds.), The Incarnation (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002); Arthur Michael Ramsey, The Gospel and the Catholic Church (London: Longmans, Green & Co, 1956 [1936]); Arthur Michael Ramsey, An Era in Anglican Theology: From Gore to Temple (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2009 [1960]); Rowan Williams, On Christian Theology (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2000); Robin Ward, On Christian Priesthood (London: Continuum International Publishing, 2011); R. David Cox, Priesthood in a New Millennium: Towards an Understanding of Anglican Presbyterate in the Twenty-First Century (New York: Church Publishing Inc., 2004); George Guiver et al., The Fire and the Clay: The Priest in Today’s Church (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1993) 3 e. g. James Carpenter, Gore: A Study in Liberal Catholic Thought (London: The Faith Press, 1960); Ramsey, An Era in Anglican Theology (2009 [1960]); Gordon Crosse, Charles Gore: A Biographical Sketch (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co, 1932); Waddell, Charles Gore: Radical Anglican (2014) 6 understanding of the Church and its ministerial orders. Looking at Gore’s thought over a whole range of theological areas, I hope to further advance Gore’s theology of priesthood, developing Gore’s rich theological legacy with fresh insight into what he suggests the ordained priesthood may be called to be and do. It should be noted that this investigation is chiefly concerned with uncovering the constituent factors of Gore’s wider theology of the priesthood and as such is an original exegesis of his work. It is not chiefly concerned with my own independent historical or theological work on the theology of priesthood, which would prove a distraction from this dissertation’s main purpose. Only if I consider it to be advantageous to the uncovering and explaining of Gore’s thinking will this work include wider theological or historical claims.4 On the whole, however, this study will not get too heavily side-tracked into any controversy that might be presently debated regarding any particular area of Gore’s thought or his historical perspective. In order to convey Gore’s theology of priesthood most completely, I will divide Gore’s thinking into three significant chapters and a concluding chapter. The first chapter will focus upon Gore’s work on the incarnation and will do so with a special focus towards its consequent factors for a theology of priesthood.
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