Reviewed Book: Gehris, Katherine A. The Teaching Church - Active in Mission. Valley Forge, Pa: Judson Press, [19--?]

Eriksson, Paul C. E.

English

Scholars Commons

The Teaching Church - Active in Mission

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 14Issue 2 Issues and Concerns in Ethics Article 2311-1-1988The Teaching Church - Active in MissionPaul C. E. ErikssonFollow 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 CitationEriksson, Paul C. E. (1988) "The Teaching Church - Active in Mission," Consensus: Vol. 14 : Iss. 2 , Article 23.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol14/iss2/23Book Reviews 125Margaret R. Miles, Harvard Divinity School, in a provocative articleon early North African Christianity, shows how “patriarchal order was not,as we have come to think of it, inevitable, God-ordained, and scripturallybased” but the gradual ecclesiastical subordination of women “who expe-rienced the freedom of Christ specifically as freedom for the cultivation ofa lifestyle and spiritual life undefined by males” (184). Finally, Black the-ologian James H. Cone characterizes Black religious thought in Americaas a distinct amalgam of both African and Christian religion “adapted tothe life situation of black people’s struggle for justice in a nation whosesocial, political, and economic structures are dominated by a white racistideology” (87).The main problem of the book is also its strength: the diversity ofviewpoints. There is no one clear concept of what “civil religion” is, letalone what constitutes the nature of religion. Neither is there one view ofpolitical theology. About the only general consensus amongst the authorsappears to be, as the editor puts it, “that religion must be relevant topolitical life without being co-opted by it” (2). Despite this, and the factthat a number of the essays do not directly address the topic of the book,this is an excellent introduction not only to some of the best sociologists ofreligion and theologians of today but also to the basic issues in the debatebetween civil religionists and political theologians.A. James ReimerConrad Grebel College, University of WaterlooThe Teaching Church—Active in MissionPaul D. and Katherine A. GehrisValley Forge, Pennsylvania: Judson Press98 pp.This book is one of a series of books on The Teaching Church publishedby Judson Press. The series deals with five “functions” of a teaching church:1. affirming the foundations of the teaching ministry; 2. planning for aneffective teaching ministry; 3. developing leaders for a variety of ministries;4. nurturing persons in Christian growth; and 5. enabling the church’smission in the world. The term “missioner” is introduced as “persons whoare actively engaged in mission, beginning where they are and continuingto the far corners of creation” (5).The title caught my attention and I picked the book up eagerly butfound it was difficult for me to read. Upon the third reading it began tomake sense and I realized that it is intended to be a book for study anddiscussion by people who are interested in enabling the church’s mission inthe world. People who wish to develop education for mission will find it126 Consensusa helpful book to study. It is packed full of concepts and principles whichprovide seed thoughts for discussion by interested people and are basic forimplementing the practical guides to enable education for mission.Set in historical perspective the church is seen to be the whole peopleof God. “The role of the church is to make the announcement of the GoodNews and the implications of the Good News, and to challenge itself andthe world to hear and heed the message” (12). The culture of the people ineach place needs to be taken into account by missioners. The uniqueness ofthe church is not seen in special privilege but in willingness to serve (14).The mission of the church is seen as multifaceted, concerned with body,mind and soul. “The task of mission is not to weigh down but to ‘freeup’—to liberate—apart from culture, money, theology, or practice” (15).Mission embodies the Good News of the gospel and speaks the Good Newsin deed and words. It strives to bring wholeness, relationship, and self-respect. Mission meets people where they are and goes with them wherethey need to go.Missionaries who are specially called and set aside to do mission areneeded but all people who have heard and take seriously the Good News aremissioners. Missioners are church folk who are doing mission intentionally.Such people are needed so that the whole church is sharing the Good Newsof creation and life made new through Jesus Christ. The laity are the bodyof the church and they need to be intentional and focused—disciplinedmissioners (17).The mission of the church is best accomplished when personal in-volvement and institutional goals are integrated. When local con-gregations are involved in setting the mission goals of their denom-ination they feel ownership of these goals and participate willinglyin working toward their implementation. When church memberssee themselves as part of a team rather than “loners” the church’smission will be successful. Denominations, churches, and churchagencies need to be open and inclusive and model interdependence(17).Chapter 2 looks at the educational process and the ways churches caneducate people to be missioners. It makes suggestions for each stage ofhuman development. The mission educational goal of the church is to instilin each person a sense of history, unity, and vision. In ways that eachage level can comprehend, there needs to be an understanding of the local,national and world mission involvement of the church and the denomination(23).In order to be the church in corporate mission, the people and thecongregation need to know who they are, including their history and theirhope. The Christian imperatives of sharing the Good News and helpingthose in need can be honored without selling out heritage or future. Thereis also the imperative to do good for those in need based on a commonhumanity. The Christian imperative drives us to cooperative Christian andinterfaith action. It is helpful to remember that many of our members areBook Reviews 127already involved in mission outside of the church in both their work andvolunteer activities.Planning unifies efforts and vision and enables mission. The planningprocess suggested in chapter 6 looks quite workable. It is important thata broad base of members affirms the principle of planning and engages inthe process of planning. “The plan needs to be reasonable and the workdoable but not so simple as to lack in challenge or so difficult as to beoverwhelming” (75).The study guide works through the book chapter by chapter with a planfor study and action. It looks to be a very workable plan. Other resourcesfor further study are listed.I see this book as a useful resource for people interested in strengtheningtheir congregation for mission.Paul C.E. ErikssonLutheran Theological SeminaryWhen You Are Angry With GodPat McCloskeyNew York/Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1987.One of the burning issues for the Christian church is the problem ofsuffering. How does the Christian community respond to experiences ofhuman suffering? It is the author’s thesis that one’s view of God hasa profound effect on how persons cope with or respond to difficult lifeexperiences. He notes that in his ministry as a confessor there are a lotof people who are “heavily burdened by anger at God, or more precisely,by anger at what they interpreted as ‘God’s will’ ” (2). He observes thatpeople are often reluctant to identify their anger and then to deal with it.They fear that being angry at God may lead to non-faith.The purpose of the book is not to provide easy answers but it seeksto identify some basic questions about innocent human suffering and thefeelings of anger at God. It invites the reader to go on a personal journeyand to make a personal investment.In his opening chapter, “Life Isn’t Fair,” McCloskey examines a varietyof human problems which defy easy answers. What about the innocentvictims of war, hatred, family violence or physical illness? Can we ascribethese events to God’s will? Hardly! When people see suffering as beingGod’s will then anger is an inevitable result. Anger must be recognizedand voiced even when directed at God. His response to the question ofhuman suffering is summed up in one sentence, “Much— I believe most—ofhuman suffering can be traced to an abuse of human freedom” (18).What are the sources for the various views on human suffering? Theauthor identifies and traces four views in the Old Testament: Genesis—suffering is closely linked to sin; Exodus—hints of the innocent suffering as

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