THE CHURCH ON THE MARGINS

E C U M E N I C A L I N S T I T U T E O F D I S TA N C E
THEOLOGICAL STUDIES.

Course: Associate Diploma.

LTh course: TS 203 Spirit, Church & the Christian Life.

Presented by: Jeff Haines.

© 2007

http://resurge.angelfire.com/
 Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

A. INTRODUCTION 3

B. LIFE ON THE MARGINS 4

C. A THEOLOGY FOR THE MARGINS 6

D. A MODEL FOR THE MARGINS 8

E. CONCLUSION 10

F. BIBLIOGRAPHY 12

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 A. Introduction

In the last decade, Western Society has undergone a paradigm shift. Many recognise

that society now lives in a Postmodern Age. The paradigm change has significantly

effected the position of the Church in the thinking of the average individual. In the

period of Modernism (before the shift) the reign of Christendom was coming to a close,

here the Church had predominately been at the centre of Society. In this emerging Age of

Postmodernism, the Church is now finding herself on the margins of society. This has

left the Church in a state of shock and bewilderment, wondering when and how her

position changed and what it is to do about it.

Under Christendom the Church perceived herself as triumphant, today she has been

sidelined, but that doesn’t mean that the Church is not relevant for today’s society. The

Church has a sure foundation it can rebuild on. The Church must seek ways to emerge

from the past and reflect on what it means to live an effective life on the margins.

Therefore in this essay I will propose an ecclesiology in a minor key, that will examine

life on the margins of Postmodern Society, propose a theology for the Church in the

margins, and then a model for a Church in the margins, which should provide the Church

with a framework to engage the world. 1

1
“The underlying assumption behind an ecclesiology in a minor key is that an authentic missiology cannot
exist without an adequate ecclesiology.” (Ecumenical Institute of Distance Theological Studies, n.d., a, p.
7).

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 B. Life on the Margins

“The Church must get out of her stagnation. We must move out again into the open air of
2
intellectual discussion with the world and risk shocking people if we are to cut any ice.”

The Church stands bewildered, as she realises that society no longer needs her, that

the world has moved on and is not seeking conversation with her anymore. This is

evident in the declining numbers who regularly attend Church services. Ironically, there

is an increase in the interest of spirituality, but that does not necessarily mean that

spirituality is Christianity. Also the Church has awakened to the idea that the State has

been divorcing itself from the Church. 3 Society is moving beyond the Christendom that

framed it for the majority of its past.

This paradigm shift has left the Church in crisis; some have even referred to it as the

Church’s own Dark night. 4 Why has this crisis affected the Church and how? The

Church perceived herself as the way God’s Kingdom reign would be established over

humanity, the eschalon today, with the Church triumphant. This is what Martin Luther

referred to as the theologia gloria. This emphasis has meant that the Church focused on

bringing salvation to the masses, but that has also meant a cycle of immaturity as the

Church has only concerned herself with evangelism. 5 Therefore, when individuals start

to ask questions beyond the accepted framework, the Church is not mature enough to

handle this doubting (as it is perceived), the question goes unanswered and the

2
Bonhoeffer, (1953), p. 128.
3
i.e. in England the Head of the Church (the monarch) in now only the figurehead of the State, not the
dominate power.
4
C.f. EIDTS, (n.d., a), p. 11).
5
Modern examples of this are the Seeker Services and the continual propagation of Alpha Courses in a
congregation (where are the, onto Omega courses?).

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questioners becomes disillusioned and often enters a state of wilderness. 6 This emphasis

on theologia gloria has also meant that the Church has portrayed itself as the cure all for

society’s ills and ways. The Church has not seriously sought to honestly engage society,

but ignorantly tried to dominate it. These failures to meet the needs of maturing believers

and to acknowledge the changing world around it, has left the Church in a state of

humiliation 7 and society wanting to disassociate itself from the Church.

What must the Church do? Hall makes this poignant statement, “When serious

Christians have taken full and honest account of what time it is, they are in a position to

start moving beyond Christendom.” 8 This first means acknowledging that the Church no

longer occupies a position in the centre of society, but now occupies the margins. 9 This

means the Church must look to resources of other who have experienced life on the

margins, 10 i.e. radical Christian groups who found themselves on the margins during

Christendom, but especially the early church before Constantine. Alan Kreider points out

three distinctive marks found in the early church; first, the Church had a deep expression

of inclusive community. Second, the degree of service the Christians offered to the wider

community. And third, the Church’s distinctive lifestyle. These are solid points to keep

in mind as the Church honestly takes a good look at herself, her theology and starts to

engage more broadly with her own traditions and society itself. 11

6
There is a growing amount of literature with regards to Church leavers and Faith stages; especially see
Alan Jamieson’s ‘Churchless Faith’ and ‘Called Again.’, also, the work of ‘Spirited Exchanges.’
7
C.f. Hall, (n.d.), part 1.
8
Hall, (2002), p. 3.
9
For example, the contrast of the church in the middle of the village of yesterday to the church meeting in
a complex in the middle of the Industrial estate of today.
10
C.f. Murray, (n.d.).
11
As quoted in Wilkinson-Hayes, (2001), p. 2.

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 C. A Theology for the Margins

“Man is challenged to participate in the sufferings of God at the hands of a godless

12
world.”

Our revaluation to marginal life should begin with our theology, before our

programmes and events, as theology provides the framework by which the Church basis

her engagement. Therefore, we must ask, is it possible to revive theologia gloria for a

Postmodern Society or must the Church be seeking an alternative theology?

I believe that there is an alternative, which has been very much overlooked by the

church and was clearly defined in the Reformation by Martin Luther, the possession of

the true cross, 13 or the theologia crucis. The crucifixion is the defining moment of

Christ’s ministry and as Pearson states, “The cross demonstrates the extent to which the

incarnation will go for the sake of lost humanity.” 14 This is how God engaged with

humanity, revealed himself and therefore must be the focus of our God-talk (theology).

To put it another way (to paraphrase Luther), to know Christ is to know God hidden in

suffering, God is manifested to us on the cross, 15 and this should under-gird all of our

thinking.

In the Gospels, the Church says Jesus, is founded on the great declaration, “You are

the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 16 It is from this declaration on, that Jesus

begins to reveal that he must suffer and the cross. 17 This then becomes the emphasis for

12
Bonhoeffer, (1953), p. 122f.
13
C.f. Luther’s ‘On the Councils.’
14
Pearson, (2004), p. 217.
15
See Luther’s Heildelberg Disputation number 20.
16
Matt. 16: 16.
17
C.f. Matt. 16: 21.

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discipleship within the Church, take up our own crosses and to follow Jesus. 18 Two

crucial questions are answered in Matthew 16: 13-28. First, who is Jesus? And second,

who am I before God? 19 To be a follower of Jesus we must daily encounter God through

the cross.

This daily encounter has two implications for the Church. The first implication is

that through suffering we are conformed to the image of Christ, not just individuals, but

also the community of saints. Therefore, the Church is to have the same attitude as

Christ who forsook all. 20 Christ is our model for life and ministry. This attitude

influences the place of mission in the Church, from mass evangelism, to the Church

beginning to see the world as Christ sees the world. As Hall states, “discipleship means

pursuing the God who penetrates more and more deeply into the life of the world. And

that God is found, not in the places where religion traditionally has looked for God, but

in the places where God seems absent: that is, among the abandoned, the abused, the

suffering, the marginalized.” 21&22

The theologia crucis changes our focus, instead of looking longingly towards some

future hope and wishing that it was a reality now. The Church’s focus is on Jesus and

seeks to follow his example in the reality of today, in a world that is suffering, a

18
Matt. 16: 24f.
19
C.f. Wengenroth, (1982), p. 268.
20
C.f. Phil. 2: 5f.
21
Hall, (2004), p. 12f., & c.f. Jesus “identifies Himself with all the forsaken, poor, "godless," and
homeless in the world.” (Ecknrdt, 1985 p. 23).
22
I must be careful to point out that Luther did not envision that the mission of the Church would be done
by works, in fact he warned against it. The theologia crucis is by faith, out of which our works will come.
Also critical to Luther’s thought is that the suffering of the Church is a witness to her self and to the world
that she is truly following Christ and declaring a true Gospel. C.f. Luther, Martin. (1959). ‘Sermon at
Coburg on Cross and Suffering.’

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suffering that we too must engage in so that we can minister to those where Christ is

found, 23 with the hope that this world will be transformed.

D. A Model for the Margins

“The Church is her true self only when she exists for humanity.” 24

How then are we to equate the theologia crucis to the Church? Barth stated that the

Church was and is to “exist for God and therefore for the world and man.” 25 From this

statement, I believe that the Church as a servant community is an excellent model for

expressing theologia crucis 26 to the world. 27 In a servant community I am seeking to

bring two models together. The Church as community and the Church as a servant, both

models have a biblical foundation and theological implications, both include the idea of

participation and ‘love’ is a key foundational principle.

Community: participation with God.

Whether we call the Church, a people of God, the Body of Christ, or even the

ecclesia, these images all point to the Church as being a community or about community.

We as Christians are initially called out to become like Christ, and as called out ones we

identify with others, therefore seeking community. Rees makes an important point with

regards to the community model, in that it is not a “quest for relationship, however; it is

23
“The theology of the cross looks forward to an end oft his world and in the meantime expects every
Christian to live as a disciple of the crucified Lord in obedient suffering.” (Wengenroth, 1982, p. 275).
24
Bonhoeffer, (1953), p. 166.
25
Migliore, (2004), p. 260 NB 21.
26
God’s suffering for humanity through the churches suffering.
27
There is no single model by which we can express the Church, as each model has their own benefits and
weakness’, so that shouldn’t stop us from exploring these expressions of the Church.

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grounded in recognition of relationships that already exist.” 28 Therefore the primary

relationship that defines this community is the dynamics of the relationships that exist in

the trinity. These include; participation, interdependence and mutuality, it is in these

inward dynamics that we as a community find our identity, our belonging as individuals.

It is also this identity that brings us to the attention of the world and Satan. 29

Servant 30: an ethic of participation. 31

Christ came as a servant and continues to serve. The Church was to follow Christ’s

example and to have the same attitude as Christ, that is, as a servant. 32 This leaves the

Church to ask “‘Where is Christ now at work in the world?’ and to go there and seek to

work with the One who is already active in that context.” 33 The servant is outward

looking, focusing on the needs of the other. For the Church this means to participate in

the suffering of others. How can we minister or speak to those in trouble unless we are

empathetic to their situation.

A Servant Community.

The Church as a servant community definitely does not seek to dominate society as

the Triumphant Church did, instead she seeks to echo bonhoeffer’s statement, The

Church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominate but

28
Rees, (2005), p. 50.
29
Luther identifies Satan as the prime source of the suffering of the Church, c.f. Luther, (1959), p. 198f.
30
Rees makes the interesting point that this model initially emerged with the realisation that Christendom
was coming to an end. C.f. Rees, (2005), p. 47.
31
This phrase is taken from Hall, (2004).
32
C.f. Phil. 2: 5f and the suffering servant of Isaiah.
33
Hall quoting Lehman. Hall, (2004), p. 14, & c.f. Matt. 25: 31-46.

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helping and serving.” 34 Therefore a servant community will engage in the following as

an expression of its life defined by suffering/the cross of Christ.

First it will promote discipleship, as we are to be conformed to the image of Christ,

as expressed in his suffering. Discipleship includes Spiritual Formation and the releasing

of gifts in participation to the community and in mission to the world. Secondly, a

servant community will have a prophetic voice, speaking on behalf of those who can not

speak for themselves, therefore being engaged in Social Justice. And most importantly,

thirdly, the Church will engage in the ministry of reconciliation. This will reflect the

inward life of the community and distinctively the outward mission of the Church in

ministering to individuals and advocating within society.

Finally I must note that these two models must hold each other in a dynamic tension

to stop one model from dominating the other and guards against extremes. Because the

servant model needs to be grounded in community, which reflects the life of God and

from this internal life the servant model then provides a framework for the outward

engagement of the Church. 35

E. Conclusion

An understanding of the theologia crucis enables the Church to be liberated from the

concept of theologia gloria that has dominated her life for the majority of history. But

will it enable the Church to engage with society from the margins and is the ‘servant

community’ the best model to express the Church’s life and mode of engagement? Alan

34
Migliore, (2004), p. 259.
35
C.f. Rees, (2005), p. 50.

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Kreider’s distinctive marks of the early church 36 provide us with a good framework to

measure the theology and model that I have proposed for a Church on the margins.

Inclusive community: As a community committed to relationships as seen in the

trinity, the community encourages openness and participation. To exclude would be to

deny the very life of the community. Also, becoming conscience of Christ in the

suffering of humanity, means that none should be exempted from the community and

that a servant community will embrace even the most undesirable as the individual and

the community are conformed to the image of Christ. Only by partaking in the cross can

the Church minister to the suffering.

Degree of service: the theologia crucis takes service from beyond words and

becomes the motivating reality for the Church; where is Christ today so that I can be

following his example and minister to the Other, God hidden in suffering?

Distinctive lifestyle: the purity of the Church’s service and the inclusive nature of the

community will give the Church such a distinctive character, that Postmodern Society

will recognise the Church’s authenticity. This authenticity will draw society to seek to

again communicate with the Church as they will perceive that the Church is genuine to

engage society and its problems rather than to dominate society.

So yes, I believe that the Church seeking to emerge from Christendom and to be

active and engage society from the margins, should change its focus from theologia

gloria to theologia crucis and become a community with the attitude of a servant at her

core value.

36
Refer to p. 5.

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 F. Bibliography

Bonhoeffer, D. (1953). Letters and Papers from Prison. London. Fontana Books.

Cowdell, S. (2004). “The Emerging Church.” in LTh TS 203 Spirit, Church and
Christian Life: Readings. Christchurch, New Zealand. Ecumenical Institute of
Distance Theological Studies.

Ecknrdt, B. F. (1985). Luther and Moltmann: The Theology of the Cross. Concordia
Theological Quarterly. Vol. 49 (1), p. 19-28. Retrieved May 14, 2007, from
http://www.ctsfw.edu/library/files/pb/1131

Ecumenical Institute of Distance Theological Studies. (n.d., a). “Ecclesiology in a Minor

Key.” in LTh TS 203 Spirit, Church and Christian Life: Study Guide.
Christchurch, New Zealand. Author.

Ecumenical Institute of Distance Theological Studies. (n.d., b). “Images and Models of
the Church.” in LTh TS 203 Spirit, Church and Christian Life: Study Guide.
Christchurch, New Zealand. Author.

Hall, D. J. (n.d.). An Awkward Church. Religion Online. Retrieved April 26, 2007, from
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=415&C=228, Part 1 and
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=415&C=227, Part 2.

Hall, D. J. (2003). “The Church and the Cross.” in LTh TS 203 Spirit, Church and
Christian Life: Readings. Christchurch, New Zealand. Ecumenical Institute of
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Hall, D. J. (2004). Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Ethics of Participation. The Chair of
Christian Thought, University of Calgary. Retrieved May 2, 2007, from
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Hall, D. J. (2002). Moving Beyond the Haze of Christendom. The Gospel and Our
Culture. Vol. 14 (1), p. 3-4.

Inbody, T. (2005). “In Used Pots and Pans: The Identity of the Church.” in LTh TS 203
Spirit, Church and Christian Life: Readings. Christchurch, New Zealand.
Ecumenical Institute of Distance Theological Studies.

Kelly, R. A. (1986). The Suffering Church: A Study of Luther's Theologia Crucis.

Concordia Theological Quarterly. Vol. 50 (1), p. 3-17. Retrieved May 4, 2007,
from http://www.ctsfw.edu/library/files/pb/1442

Kettle, D. (2002). The Haze of Christendom. The Gospel and Our Culture. Vol. 14 (1),
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Luther, Martin. (1959). ‘Sermon at Coburg on Cross and Suffering.’ p. 197-208 in

Luther’s Works, Volume 51: Sermons . Minneapolis, MN. Fortress Press.

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Migliore, Daniel L. (2004). ‘The New Community.’ p. 248-273 in Faith Seeking
Understanding. Grand Rapids, MI. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Murray, S. (n.d.). Christendom and Post-Christendom. Postmodern. Retrieved January

14, 2003, from http://www.postmission.com/articles/christendom-murray.pdf

Murray, S. (n.d.). Living on the Margins. Church Next. Retrieved January 16, 2003, from
http://www.churchnext.net/living_meatdrink_margins.shtml,
http://www.churchnext.net/living_meatdrink_margins2.shtml &
http://www.churchnext.net/living_meatdrink_margins3.shtml

Pearson, C. (2004). “In Praise of Exile.” in LTh TS 203 Spirit, Church and Christian
Life: Readings. Christchurch, New Zealand. Ecumenical Institute of Distance
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Rees, F. D. (2005). Three Ways of Being Church. International Journal for the Study of
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Van Gelder, C. (2002). Response to “The Haze of Christendom.” The Gospel and Our
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