The goal of this doctoral project was to explore the fecundity of theatre and drama as a metaphor and model for Christian discipleship and evangelism in a postmodern world. Christian discipleship is essentially about becoming more like Christ. It is argued that the critical need of the Church today is a renewed discipleship culture that unites conversion to Christ with living in and for Christ. Discipleship achieves this through the equally important work of faith formation and faith performance. Formative faith is primarily concerned with Gospel understanding and believing while performative faith focuses on embodying the truths of the Gospel in daily life. This one faith is rooted in the soteriological union of believer with Jesus Christ as a third type of perichoretic relationship.
Good News naturally leads to good works. Yet, there is often a large discrepancy between what is believed and what is actually lived out. Furthermore, many Christians understanding of the Gospel is significantly deficient so that the good works of faith are inherently undermined and subverted. Because of both, much of Christianity resembles secular society instead of giving witness as a contrast community to the already present reality of the Kingdom of God and the not yet eschatological hope of its fulfillment.
In addition, this discipleship gap often produces a community that organizes antagonistically around what they are against rather than what they are for, creating a witness that is hostile and destructive. The theodramatic model of discipleship naturally embraces and emphasizes formation and performance as essential for creating a faithful discipleship culture and witness. Ultimately, this project seeks to show Jesus Christ as the theodramatic artist par excellence who spoke and acted to present God the Father and then sent his Spirit so that his disciples might once again present Christ back to the world.
Content Reader: Dr. Richard Peac
