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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page research paper that examines the qualifications and role of elder in the early Christian church. The writer specifically looks at the ecclesiology of Henry C. Thiessen, but other sources are cited. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_kheccles.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
church doctrine today (Ormerod, 2002). In this regard, theologian Henry C. Thiessen (1979) provides a systematic ecclesiology that draws its conclusions directly from scripture and what the Bible
tells todays Christians pertaining to the early organization of the church, when it was still under the rule of the Apostles. By examining the work of Thiessen, among other references,
it is plainly evident that the early spiritual leaders of the church, such as Paul, established a definitive framework for the rule of the evolving church of that era and
that elders played an integral role in this plan. The picture of an elder that emerges from scripture is one that presents a male member of the church community
who is highly esteemed; someone who not only has an exemplary personal life, but who also exhibits good judgement and temperance. One of the first qualifications for the position of
elder that scripture addresses is that the individual should desire the position (Pigg, 1998). First Timothy 3:1 states that "If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires
a noble task" (all citations of scripture are from the New International Version of the Bible available at Bible Gateway.com). While the word used in this particular version of
the Bible is "overseer," the implication is that the verse is referring to a position of leadership in which the individual is responsible for the church community as a whole,
in other words, an "elder." The implication of this verse is that no one should be coerced or cajoled into taking the
office of elder, but rather the desire should be expressed on the part of the individual (Pigg, 1998). Undoubtedly, the position of elder was one of responsibility, so, therefore, entailed
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