A new conceptual framework of Christian education for Evangelicals: Reappropriating historically orthodox teachings and practices of the early Church
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of Evangelical and Catholic dialogue. There has also been a greater resurgence of interest by Evangelicals in the writings of the Church Fathers and reappropriating Christian orthodoxy. Some Evangelical scholars declare the necessity to recover catholic substance and move towards a more catholic evangelicalism. The purpose of this dissertation is to engage in an analytical study of Evangelical belief and Catholic Church teachings so as to propose a conceptual framework for Evangelical Christian education geared towards reappropriating historic orthodoxy and practices within a congregational context. The study is examined from a North American Evangelical perspective. The dissertation evaluates major representative works of contemporary Evangelical systematic theology with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Evangelical systematic theology is divided into two overarching viewpoints: traditional Evangelical (Millard J. Erickson, Stanley J. Grenz and Wayne Grudem) and historically orthodox Evangelical (Donald G. Bloesch, Thomas C. Oden and Robert E. Webber.) This dissertation employs a comparative textual analysis of theological works. It considers the data of these two bodies of literature (relevant contemporary evangelical writings and the Catechism of the Catholic Church) with respect to three classical designations: (1) lex credendi, the faith of the Church, specifically revelation and authority, (2) lex orandi, the prayer of the Church, specifically worship and communion, and (3) lex vivendi, the life of the Church, specifically the nature and authority of the church.
Subject Area
Religion|Theology|Religious education
Recommended Citation
Arzola, Fernando, "A new conceptual framework of Christian education for Evangelicals: Reappropriating historically orthodox teachings and practices of the early Church" (2007). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3326427.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3326427
