Church, Ministry, and Sacraments in the New Testament

By Charles Kingsley Barrett

Book Overview

In a nontechnical manner, noted New Testament scholar C.K. Barrett here sets forth his mature understanding of the passages in the New Testament which refer to the church, its ministry, and its sacraments. How far are these concepts central or secondary in the New Testament? How do the beliefs and practices of apostolic days relate to later developments? Bringing the fruits of his widely respected scholarship to bear on these questions, Barrett shows that these are not mere theoretical issues, but are of crucial importance for inter-church cooperation and reunion.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1597520594
• ISBN13: 9781597520591
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers
• Length: 110 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent reflection on ecclesiology by a great New Testament scholar

C.K. "Kingsley" Barrett preached at 90 years old in November 2007. He taught New Testament at the University of Durham from 1945 until 1982, writing commentaries on John, Romans, the Pastoral Epistles, Acts, and 1 and 2 Corinthians. This book "Church, Ministry & Sacraments in the New Testament" incorporates Barrett's love for the church and his New Testament scholarship. Below are my summary notes from reading Church, Ministry & Sacraments: Barrett begins the book by acknowledging that though he is a Methodist he has been highly influenced by Anglo-Catholics and has worked with many Anglicans at the University of Durham. In chapter one, Barrett explains that his thesis is a paradox: "that the church is both central and peripheral in the New Testament." On the one hand, calling disciples was central to the mission of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Barrett argues, the formation of an organization was surprising necessity when the consummation of the age did not follow the resurrection. In chapter two, entitled "Ministry," Barrett reflects on the leadership of the church as described in the New Testament - beginning with the Pauline literature. Every member was to be a minister. Functions are emphasized over offices. There was no leader who gathered money, administered the sacraments, oversaw worship or led church discipline. He points out that Paul was the authority in his churches while he lived and Spirit-gifting was emphasized. Churches also met in the households of rich people who probably exercised some leadership. Barrett emphasizes the importance of talented people and people who specialize in their ministries but also warns of the dangers of people flaunting their gifts, being enriched by them, and creating an aura of superiority. Barrett then looks at the issue of presbyters and episkopos in 1 Peter. He wonders if presbyters may have been primarily older people rather than an office. The advice of 1 Peter is to lead with humility. In the Johannine literature, Barrett sees evidence of apostles, prophets, a leading elder, traveling preachers and witnesses. The criteria for evaluating these leaders is their teaching that Jesus Christ came in the flesh and in their love. In the book of Acts, Barrett again emphasizes the informal nature of leadership: evangelists, prophets, teachers, elders, apostles - not ordained but chosen by people and the Spirit. They are unpaid and part-time. Barrett points out the diversity in the practice of the sacraments in the New Testament in the third chapter. He argues that the writer of the book of Acts is likely trying to point out that baptism is not magic because the Spirit and water are usually but not always together. Barrett argues that Paul too mitigates the importance of baptism in his comments in 1 Cor 1. Barrett theorizes that Paul may have infused the two basic practices (baptism of initiation and regular resurrection meals) with greater cruciform