Reviewed Book: Ellis, E Earle (Edward Earle). Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989

Wiebe, Ben

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 18Issue 1 Issues in Church Life Article 155-1-1992Pauline Theology: Ministry and SocietyBen WiebeFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationWiebe, Ben (1992) "Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society," Consensus: Vol. 18 : Iss. 1 , Article 15.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol18/iss1/15Book Reviews 139Whatever one’s theological judgement on Melanchthon, the historical valueof the 1536 Loci communes is incontestable—and hopefully, Dr. Preus willsomeday see fit to publish his entire translation.Richard A. MullerCalvin Theological SeminaryPauline Theology: Ministry and SocietyE. Earle EllisGrand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989This book is part of a renewed conversation around the question ofChristian ministry. Why this conversation now? First, probably becausethe search for vital church life and mission inevitably leads to the issue ofministry and the church. Second, with renewed consideration of ministrycomes increasing awareness that this is an ecumenical issue because of thevariety at this point among the churches. And third, in particular this studytakes up the question of whether ministry is church centred or directed tothe world. Specifically, the aim in this book is to deal with five aspects ofministry in the Pauline churches: (a) definition of ministry within Paul’stheology, (b) ministry and gifts from the ascended Christ, (c) ministry andthe role of women, (d) ministry and church order or office, (e) ministry andthe church in the Greco-Roman world.The first part of the book offers solid insight on ministry as an ex-pression of the realm of God. It would have been heljDful to develop morefully the connection between ministry represented by Jesus (as the servant)and by Paul. This could have helped to clarify a further point briefly ad-dressed in the book, to what extent is the concern with office (rather thanfunction) in Christian ministry. In the section under “the Spirit and thegifts” the author discusses the “four functions” of the Spirit: incorporatethe believer in Christ, produce the fruit of Christian character, provide thegifts to enable ministries, and being the source of power for resurrection.Under ministry and the gifts of the Spirit there is a helpful discussion ofdiversity (various forms of ministry) and unity. There is a lack of clarityon whether difference in the order of ministry means difference in status(46). There is emphasis on the order of ministries in Paul: the ministry ofapostle is prior to that of teacher. Is there an intended correlation betweenorder and status? Ellis is illuminating in showing how the gifts of the Spirit(in ministry) are related to the fruit of the Spirit (50-52). Similarly in hisdiscussion of women and ministr}q he deals directly with the question ofequality and subordination (taking up some of the key texts). We mayagree that both have a place in Pauline theology, but his argument for anelement of hierarchy and the definition of “headship” as “authority” is not140 Consensuscompletely convincing (e.g., head seems clearly at times to mean “source”or “origin”, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-12; Colossians 1:15-18; 2:19 etc). Ellisstresses that the primary purpose of ministry according to Paul is not toserve or change society but to call and then build people up in their newidentity in Christ. This seems well grounded as far as it goes but ques-tions arise when he goes on to fire barbs of criticism at liberation theology.This is too sweeping. If there is misconception of the gospel in versions ofliberation theology, surely it is also true that salvation concretely involvesliberation (cf. Exodus 15; Romans 8).The book deals with questions directly; one may disagree at key pointsand still find the work illuminating. This is at once an important andstrongly argued contribution addressing many of the critical questions andcasting light at many points on ministry as presented in Pauline theology.Ben WiebeHamilton, OntarioThe Word of Life. Systematic Theology: Volume TwoThomas C. OdenSan Francisco: Harper Row, 1989xxi + 583 pp. U.S. $32.95This second volume of Oden’s projected three-volume Systematic The-ology carries forward the method and approach of its predecessor. The Liv-ing God. Systematic Theology: Volume One. Oden approaches Christiandoctrine from a biblical-traditional perspective that enables his readers toencounter the riches of the church’s teaching and to grasp the significanceof traditionary formulations. He demonstrates a sound grasp of the tradi-tion and an ability to state its message clearly for his readers. Readers canonly admire his exploration and exposition of patristic, medieval, and clas-sic Protestant theologies—and readers ought also to appreciate the broadlyecumenical character of Oden’s doctrinal statements. In his own words,Oden offers here a “systematic statement of the meaning of Jesus’ author-ity, life and work that . . . attends to classic Christian exegesis (especially ofthe first five centuries) without getting embroiled in ever-extending modernhistorical interpretations and debates” (xi). On this fundamental level, thework continues to be one of the best contemporary efforts at presenting thetraditional message of Christianity to a more or less conservative audience.This is not, however, to say that there are no problems resident inOden’s approach—and, indeed, Christology is precisely the place wherethe problems become evident. A few substantive encounters with “modernhistorical interpretations and debates” would be salutary. For although hereflects some of the results of modern New Testament exegesis and theology.

Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 18
Issue 1 Issues in Church Life Article 15
5-1-1992
Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society
Ben Wiebe
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Wiebe, Ben (1992) "Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society," Consensus: Vol. 18 : Iss. 1 , Article 15.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol18/iss1/15
Book Reviews 139
Whatever one’s theological judgement on Melanchthon, the historical value
of the 1536 Loci communes is incontestable—and hopefully, Dr. Preus will
someday see fit to publish his entire translation.
Richard A. Muller
Calvin Theological Seminary
Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society
E. Earle Ellis
Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989
This book is part of a renewed conversation around the question of
Christian ministry. Why this conversation now? First, probably because
the search for vital church life and mission inevitably leads to the issue of
ministry and the church. Second, with renewed consideration of ministry
comes increasing awareness that this is an ecumenical issue because of the
variety at this point among the churches. And third, in particular this study
takes up the question of whether ministry is church centred or directed to
the world. Specifically, the aim in this book is to deal with five aspects of
ministry in the Pauline churches: (a) definition of ministry within Paul’s
theology, (b) ministry and gifts from the ascended Christ, (c) ministry and
the role of women, (d) ministry and church order or office, (e) ministry and
the church in the Greco-Roman world.
The first part of the book offers solid insight on ministry as an ex-
pression of the realm of God. It would have been heljDful to develop more
fully the connection between ministry represented by Jesus (as the servant)
and by Paul. This could have helped to clarify a further point briefly ad-
dressed in the book, to what extent is the concern with office (rather than
function) in Christian ministry. In the section under “the Spirit and the
gifts” the author discusses the “four functions” of the Spirit: incorporate
the believer in Christ, produce the fruit of Christian character, provide the
gifts to enable ministries, and being the source of power for resurrection.
Under ministry and the gifts of the Spirit there is a helpful discussion of
diversity (various forms of ministry) and unity. There is a lack of clarity
on whether difference in the order of ministry means difference in status
(46). There is emphasis on the order of ministries in Paul: the ministry of
apostle is prior to that of teacher. Is there an intended correlation between
order and status? Ellis is illuminating in showing how the gifts of the Spirit
(in ministry) are related to the fruit of the Spirit (50-52). Similarly in his
discussion of women and ministr}q he deals directly with the question of
equality and subordination (taking up some of the key texts). We may
agree that both have a place in Pauline theology, but his argument for an
element of hierarchy and the definition of “headship” as “authority” is not
140 Consensus
completely convincing (e.g., head seems clearly at times to mean “source”
or “origin”, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-12; Colossians 1:15-18; 2:19 etc). Ellis
stresses that the primary purpose of ministry according to Paul is not to
serve or change society but to call and then build people up in their new
identity in Christ. This seems well grounded as far as it goes but ques-
tions arise when he goes on to fire barbs of criticism at liberation theology.
This is too sweeping. If there is misconception of the gospel in versions of
liberation theology, surely it is also true that salvation concretely involves
liberation (cf. Exodus 15; Romans 8).
The book deals with questions directly; one may disagree at key points
and still find the work illuminating. This is at once an important and
strongly argued contribution addressing many of the critical questions and
casting light at many points on ministry as presented in Pauline theology.
Ben Wiebe
Hamilton, Ontario
The Word of Life. Systematic Theology: Volume Two
Thomas C. Oden
San Francisco: Harper Row, 1989
xxi + 583 pp. U.S. $32.95
This second volume of Oden’s projected three-volume Systematic The-
ology carries forward the method and approach of its predecessor. The Liv-
ing God. Systematic Theology: Volume One. Oden approaches Christian
doctrine from a biblical-traditional perspective that enables his readers to
encounter the riches of the church’s teaching and to grasp the significance
of traditionary formulations. He demonstrates a sound grasp of the tradi-
tion and an ability to state its message clearly for his readers. Readers can
only admire his exploration and exposition of patristic, medieval, and clas-
sic Protestant theologies—and readers ought also to appreciate the broadly
ecumenical character of Oden’s doctrinal statements. In his own words,
Oden offers here a “systematic statement of the meaning of Jesus’ author-
ity, life and work that . . . attends to classic Christian exegesis (especially of
the first five centuries) without getting embroiled in ever-extending modern
historical interpretations and debates” (xi). On this fundamental level, the
work continues to be one of the best contemporary efforts at presenting the
traditional message of Christianity to a more or less conservative audience.
This is not, however, to say that there are no problems resident in
Oden’s approach—and, indeed, Christology is precisely the place where
the problems become evident. A few substantive encounters with “modern
historical interpretations and debates” would be salutary. For although he
reflects some of the results of modern New Testament exegesis and theology.


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