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The church in the general epistles
O'Collins, Gerald
O'Collins, Gerald
Author
Abstract
Four letters (James, 1 Peter, Jude, and 2 Peter) and a homily (Hebrews), in distinctive ways, express and promote the four ‘marks’ of the church (as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic). They are concerned with the healthy and united life of Christian communities that now face suffering and apostasy. Two of them (James and 1 Peter) address scattered communities in a desire to maintain a worldwide, catholic communion. All five texts promote an ecclesiology based on the inherited Scriptures, and in the case of 2 Peter scriptural authority attaches to the letters of the apostle Paul. Both 1 and 2 Peter open by appealing to the apostolic authority of Peter. James suggests the role of teachers and elders. The whole church should be priestly (1 Peter) and worshipping (Hebrews).
Keywords
apostasy, apostles, communion, church, ecclesiology, elders, General Epistles, marks of the church, priests, worship
Date
2018
Type
Book chapter
Journal
Book
The Oxford handbook of ecclesiology
Volume
Issue
Page Range
147-160
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled