Who Runs the Church?: 4 Views on Church Government [Counterpoints series]

Toon, Peter, L. Roy Taylor, Paige Patterson, and Samuel E. Waldron; Paul E. Engle, and Steven B. Cowan, eds

ISBN 10: 0310246075 / ISBN 13: 9780310246077

Published by Zondervan, 2004

About this Item

Paperback. Previous owner's stamp and label on half title page. Slight wear on lower edge of text. Otherwise Very good condition 320 pp.

Seller Inventory # 758080

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Who Runs the Church?: 4 Views on Church Government [Counterpoints series]
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Publication Date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0310246075
• ISBN 13: 9780310246077
• Binding: Soft cover

About this title

Synopsis

Churches have split and denominations have formed over the issue of church government. While many Christians can explain their church's form of rule or defend it because of its "tried and true" traditions, few people understand their church's administrative customs from a biblical perspective.

Who Runs the Church? explores questions such as: What model for governing the church does the Bible provide, and is such a model given for practical or spiritual reasons? Is there room for different methods within Christianity? Or is there a right way of "doing church"? And, finally, how (and by whom) should the church be governed?

Four predominant approaches to church government are presented by respected proponents:

• Episcopalianism - represented by Peter Toon
• Presbyterianism - represented by L. Roy Taylor
• Single-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Paige Patterson
• Plural-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Samuel E. Waldron

As in other Counterpoints books, each view is followed by critiques from the other contributors, and its advocate then responds.

About the Authors

Stanley N. Gundry is executive vice president and editor-in-chief for the Zondervan Corporation. He has been an influential figure in the Evangelical Theological Society, serving as president of ETS and on its executive committee, and is adjunct professor of Historical Theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He is the author of seven books and has written many articles appearing in popular and academic periodicals.

Steven B. Cowan (M.Div.; Ph.D.) is associate professor of Philosophy and Apologetics at Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, AL.

Peter Toon (PhD., Oxford University) was the rector of Christ Church, Biddulph Moor, Diocese of Lichfield, in the Church of England. He published over thirty books.

Dr. L. Roy Taylor is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He has served as a Presbyterian Churches in America (PCA) pastor for sixteen years, as a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary for ten years, and as stated clerk of the General Assembly of the PCA since 1998. He has written various article and is the author of several books, including Four Views on Church Government (Countperpoints series, Zondervan). He and his wife, Donna, have two children and five grandchildren.

Paige Patterson (Th.D., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) is president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX.