Steckel, Clyde J. New Ecclesiology & Polity. Pilgrim Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780829818574.
Meet the Author
Clyde J. Steckel is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. From 1970 to 1993, he was on the faculty of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities as associate professor of theology and psychology and then as academic vice president. In retirement he retains the position of emeritus professor of theology. Additionally, he has served as Interim Conference Minister of the Minnesota Conference and as an interim parish minister.
Book Basics
According to the introduction, the purpose of New Ecclesiology & Polity is “that the United Church of Christ (UCC) ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) and its polity (how the church is organized and operates) urgently need to be reexamined and reshaped if the church is to minister faithfully in a postmodern world” (p. 7). While writing about proposed reform for the UCC, he suggests that this model could be useful to other mainline denominations who are facing similar issues.
Following explanations of the modern and postmodern world and the current ecclesiology and polity, Steckel proposes an alternative that he claims is better suited to postmodernity. Steckel’s postmodern ecclesiology is built around four ideas (p.87-89) that are helpful for those seeking to consider the future of any mainline denomination:
- The church consists of all those who have answered the call of Jesus Christ to follow him.
- The church, constituted of those who have answered the call to follow Jesus Christ, gathers at the font, the pulpit, and the table where Jesus Christ is truly present as the sole head of the church, and where the Holy Spirit inspires and empowers the church for Christ’s mission in the world.
- Constituted by those who follow Jesus Christ, ordered in its gathered life by the sacraments of font, word, and table, the church is perpetually scattered in the world engaged in Christ’s mission of compassionate love, prophetic witness to God’s justice, and action on behalf of that justice.
- The ministry of oversight in the United Church of Christ is exercised by local communities of ministry in covenant with associations (or conferences acting as associations), and with conference ministers.
So What?
Denominations are declining whether measured by influence, number of churches or members, or budgets. Steckel has correctly labeled mainline denominations as modern entities and calls for changes that would shift them in ways more appropriate for a postmodern world.
The first component of his proposed ecclesiology is the strongest: “The church consists of all those who have answered the call of Jesus Christ to follow him” (p.83). He selects following rather than confessing, professing or trusting because the word is more relational. He chooses it over discipleship and friendship because he understands the word to be more open and inclusive.
The second and third components offer minimal change in that the suggestions sound suitable for a modern context. In the second he suggests moving from two sacraments (font/baptism and table/communion) to three sacraments (font, word, and table), which would be a major change in understanding for the UCC and all mainline denominations. In adding word, he looks back to the modern reformers rather than forward into postmodernity suggesting it is odd they didn’t include it, but ensured preaching would be a central component of worship.
The fourth component is an add on that doesn’t fit with the first three nor is it helpful for moving the UCC forward in a postmodern world. In this revision, he gives far greater power to the Conference Minister and moves away from the local that is both cherished in this tradition and an essential focus in postmodernity. It is a move away from relational toward positional or put more directly from postmodern to modern.
The reality is that the mainline denominations are modern constructs. The question is how these bodies can be reformed to be helpful to the postmodern church. What type of reform do you believe would be most helpful in moving a mainline denomination from best suited for modern to a postmodern context? How can the idea of following be helpful at the local church level and at the denominational level in postmodernity?